NOC 22221: User support technicians
What user support technicians do
User support technicians provide first-line technical support to computer users experiencing difficulties with computer hardware and with computer applications and communications software. They are employed by computer hardware manufacturers and retailers, software developers, in call centres and in information technology units throughout the public and private sectors. They are also employed by independent technical support companies or they may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Communicate electronically and in person with computer users experiencing difficulties to determine and document problems experienced
- Consult user guides, technical manuals and other documents to research and implement solutions
- Reproduce, diagnose and resolve technical problems encountered by users
- Provide advice and training to users in response to identified difficulties
- Provide business systems, network and Internet support to users in response to identified difficulties
- Collect, organize and maintain a problems and solutions log for use by other technical support analysts
- Participate in the redesign of applications and other software
- May supervise other technical support workers in this group.
Job titles under NOC 22221
29 job titles are classified here, including call centre agent - technical support, client support representative - systems, computer help desk representative - systems.
- application support analyst
- call centre agent - technical support
- client support representative - systems
- computer help desk representative - systems
- computer help desk supervisor
- computer technician
- deskside support technician
- desktop support analyst
- hardware installation technician
- hardware technical support analyst
- help desk analyst - systems
- help desk specialist
- help desk technical agent
- help desk technician
- information technology (IT) support analyst
- information technology (IT) support technician
- personal computer (PC) support analyst
- service desk analyst
- software installation technician
- software technical support analyst
- systems support representative
- systems technical support analyst
- technical help desk agent
- technical support agent
Employment requirements
- Completion of a college program in computer science, computer programming or network administration is usually required.
- College or other courses in computer programming or network administration are usually required.
- Certification or training provided by software vendors may be required by some employers.
User support technicians 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 | $20.50/hr | $31.47/hr | $49.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $21.63/hr | $34.50/hr | $52.20/hr |
Montréal QC | $22.00/hr | $29.12/hr | $46.15/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $21.06/hr | $32.93/hr | $49.22/hr |
Calgary AB | $22.65/hr | $33.70/hr | $49.92/hr |
Edmonton AB | $22.60/hr | $33.19/hr | $52.02/hr |
Ottawa ON | $20.50/hr | $33.33/hr | $51.72/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $16.25/hr | $26.00/hr | $42.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $22.00/hr | $30.77/hr | $46.15/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $19.74/hr | $34.12/hr | $49.57/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $20.91/hr | $32.72/hr | $48.92/hr |
London ON | $22.00/hr | $33.00/hr | $43.00/hr |
Halifax NS | $19.00/hr | $26.00/hr | $41.60/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $25.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $44.10/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $23.00/hr | $31.00/hr | $43.27/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $23.94/hr | $32.00/hr | $43.27/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $22.60/hr | $32.05/hr | $45.79/hr |
Nova Scotia | $19.00/hr | $26.00/hr | $41.60/hr |
New Brunswick | $18.50/hr | $27.69/hr | $40.87/hr |
Quebec | $22.00/hr | $30.77/hr | $46.15/hr |
Ontario | $20.00/hr | $33.00/hr | $51.28/hr |
Manitoba | $16.25/hr | $26.15/hr | $44.08/hr |
Saskatchewan | $19.96/hr | $32.00/hr | $43.34/hr |
Alberta | $20.19/hr | $30.00/hr | $57.69/hr |
British Columbia | $21.06/hr | $33.65/hr | $48.72/hr |
Using NOC 22221 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 29 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Computer network and web technicians (NOC 22220)
- Computer systems developers and programmers (NOC 21230)
- Cybersecurity specialists (NOC 21220)
- Information systems testing technicians (NOC 22222)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for user support technicians?
User support technicians are NOC 2021 unit group 22221. Example job titles in this group include call centre agent - technical support, client support representative - systems, computer help desk representative - systems, computer help desk supervisor.
What TEER is NOC 22221?
NOC 22221 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 user support technicians earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $31.47/hr, about $61,000 a year full-time, with a range of $20.50/hr to $49.00/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.