NOC 12200: Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
What accounting technicians and bookkeepers do
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers maintain complete sets of books, keep records of accounts, verify the procedures used for recording financial transactions, and provide personal bookkeeping services. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Keep financial records and establish, maintain and balance various accounts using manual and computerized bookkeeping systems
- Post journal entries and reconcile accounts, prepare trial balance of books, maintain general ledgers and prepare financial statements
- Calculate and prepare cheques for payrolls and for utility, tax and other bills
- Complete and submit tax remittance forms, workers' compensation forms, pension contribution forms and other government documents
- Prepare tax returns and perform other personal bookkeeping services
- Prepare other statistical, financial and accounting reports.
Job titles under NOC 12200
10 job titles are classified here, including accounting bookkeeper, accounting technician, bookkeeper.
- accounting bookkeeper
- accounting technician
- bookkeeper
- bookkeeping clerk
- budget officer
- finance officer
- finance technician
- financial officer
- financial services administrator - Canadian Armed Forces
- senior bookkeeper
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Completion of a college program in accounting, bookkeeping or a related field or Completion of two years (first level) of a recognized professional accounting program (e.g., Chartered Accounting, Certified General Accounting) or Courses in accounting or bookkeeping combined with several years of experience as a financial or accounting clerk are required.
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $19.55/hr | $28.02/hr | $45.07/hr |
Toronto ON | $18.00/hr | $29.22/hr | $47.36/hr |
Montréal QC | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $47.98/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $20.00/hr | $28.85/hr | $45.00/hr |
Calgary AB | $18.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $53.85/hr |
Edmonton AB | $20.00/hr | $30.45/hr | $45.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $21.54/hr | $32.93/hr | $50.98/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $16.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $41.21/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $20.25/hr | $28.02/hr | $43.75/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $20.00/hr | $29.65/hr | $43.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $19.00/hr | $27.00/hr | $43.27/hr |
London ON | $20.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $34.62/hr |
Halifax NS | $16.50/hr | $24.04/hr | $38.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $20.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $57.69/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $20.00/hr | $26.92/hr | $41.03/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $18.00/hr | $27.16/hr | $43.27/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $17.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $16.50/hr | $24.04/hr | $38.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $16.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Quebec | $20.25/hr | $28.02/hr | $43.75/hr |
Ontario | $19.23/hr | $28.50/hr | $46.15/hr |
Manitoba | $17.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $40.85/hr |
Saskatchewan | $18.00/hr | $27.16/hr | $43.27/hr |
Alberta | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $50.96/hr |
British Columbia | $19.44/hr | $28.00/hr | $47.45/hr |
Using NOC 12200 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 10 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Accounting and related clerks (NOC 14200)
- Banking, insurance and other financial clerks (NOC 14201)
- Financial auditors and accountants (NOC 11100)
- Payroll administrators (NOC 13102)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for accounting technicians and bookkeepers?
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers are NOC 2021 unit group 12200. Example job titles in this group include accounting bookkeeper, accounting technician, bookkeeper, finance technician.
What TEER is NOC 12200?
NOC 12200 is TEER 2 (College diploma or apprenticeship (2+ years)). Usually requires a 2–3 year college program or a 2–5 year apprenticeship, or the occupation carries supervisory or significant safety responsibilities. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do accounting technicians and bookkeepers earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $28.02/hr, about $55,000 a year full-time, with a range of $19.55/hr to $45.07/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.