NOC 85101: Harvesting labourers
Harvesting labourers and related workers assist other farm workers to plant, harvest, sort and pack crops. They participate in soil preparation, irrigation and crop planting, spraying and thinning. They are employed on fruit, vegetable and specialty crop farms.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 85101 (Harvesting labourers) is a TEER 5 occupation — not skilled work for FSW or CEC. It is not on IRCC's high-wage list. It isn't on any current category-based draw list.
TEER
TEER 5
Not skilled for FSW/CEC
High-wage
Not listed
No extra CRS points
Category draws
None
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 85101 |
|---|---|
| Title | Harvesting labourers |
| Broad category | Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations |
| TEER | TEER 5 — usually short-term work demonstration and no formal education |
Example job titles
- apple picker
- berry picker
- crop farm labourer - harvesting
- fruit picker
- fruit sorter - farm
- harvest hand
- vegetable packer - farm
Main duties
- Prepare and irrigate soil
- Plant, fertilize, thin and harvest crops
- Pick row and orchard crops
- Sort, weigh and pack fruit and vegetables at the farm
- Load, unload and transfer crates, supplies, farm produce and products for transport
- Clean up racks, trays, and harvest bins and general clean-up of growing, producing and packing areas
- Assist with general farm maintenance and maintenance of equipment and tools
- May assist in preparing garden beds for planting
Your duties should match the lead statement and most of the main duties to use this NOC — check the full profile on the official NOC site.
Related occupations
- NOC 85100 — Livestock labourers
- NOC 85102 — Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers
- NOC 85103 — Nursery and greenhouse labourers
- NOC 85104 — Trappers and hunters
- NOC 85110 — Mine labourers
- NOC 85111 — Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
- NOC 85120 — Logging and forestry labourers
- NOC 85121 — Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
← NOC 85100 Livestock labourers · NOC 85102 Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 5 also matters for work permits: see the spousal open work permit (TEER rules for spouses of workers), LMIA explained and the Atlantic Immigration Program (job offers in TEER 0–4).
Sources: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 V1.0; IRCC high-wage occupations; IRCC category-based selection; IRCC who can apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is NOC 85101 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 85101 is a TEER 5 occupation. IRCC only counts TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 work as skilled experience for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, so this occupation alone generally won't meet those requirements. Provincial programs may differ.
Is NOC 85101 a high-wage occupation?+
No. NOC 85101 isn't on IRCC's Express Entry high-wage occupations list, so it doesn't earn the extra high-wage or job offer CRS points. Canadian work-length points can still apply for TEER 0–3 work.
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 85101?+
None of IRCC's current category-based selection lists include NOC 85101. Candidates can still be invited in general, program-specific (such as CEC) or PNP rounds.