NOC 31101: Specialists in surgery
What specialists in surgery do
Specialists in surgery perform and supervise surgical procedures. Specialists in surgery usually work in hospitals. Residents in training to become specialists in surgery are included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- General surgeons
- Treat diseases, injuries, and deformities by invasive, minimally-invasive, or non-invasive surgical methods, such as using instruments, appliances, or by manual manipulation.
- Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases of women, particularly those affecting the reproductive system. May also provide general medical care to women. May perform both medical and gynecological surgery functions.
- Ophthalmologists
- Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries of the eyes and related structures.
- Urologists
- Diagnose, treat, and help prevent benign and malignant medical and surgical disorders of the genitourinary system and the renal glands.
- Other specialists in surgery
- Assess patients' diseases or disorders to determine appropriate surgical procedures.
- Perform and supervise surgical procedures to correct physical abnormalities and deficiencies and repair injuries.
- Act as consultants to other physicians.
Job titles under NOC 31101
39 job titles are classified here, including cardiac surgeon, general surgeon, neurosurgeon.
- cardiac surgeon
- cardiothoracic surgeon
- cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon
- cardiovascular and thoracic surgery specialist
- cardiovascular surgeon
- cosmetic surgeon
- ear specialist
- esthetic surgeon
- eye specialist
- general surgeon
- general surgeon - Canadian Armed Forces
- gynecologist
- laryngologist
- neurological surgeon
- neurosurgeon
- nose specialist
- obstetrician
- obstetrician-gynecologist
- ophthalmologist
- orthopedic surgeon
- orthopedics specialist
- orthopedist
- otolaryngologist
- otologist
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree or in Quebec, completion of a college program and one year of pre-medicine university studies is usually required.
- Graduation from an approved medical school and specific specialty training are required.
- Completion of the certifying examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
- Five to six years of specialty residency training are required.
- Two years of subspecialty training may also be required.
Specialists in surgery wages in Canada
Low, median and high annual salaries from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data.
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $144,482/yr | $419,180/yr | $766,730/yr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $165,663/yr | $397,319/yr | $642,495/yr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $143,704/yr | $434,053/yr | $699,989/yr |
Nova Scotia | $175,086/yr | $418,516/yr | $597,217/yr |
New Brunswick | $175,076/yr | $421,734/yr | $634,999/yr |
Quebec | $165,663/yr | $397,319/yr | $642,495/yr |
Ontario | $118,538/yr | $403,957/yr | $749,689/yr |
Manitoba | $161,289/yr | $457,991/yr | $826,328/yr |
Alberta | $180,159/yr | $508,561/yr | $984,111/yr |
British Columbia | $146,214/yr | $441,788/yr | $819,593/yr |
Using NOC 31101 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 39 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Chiropractors (NOC 31201)
- Dental surgeon (NOC 31110)
- General practitioners and family physicians (NOC 31102)
- Immunologist (NOC 21110)
- Managers in health care (NOC 30010)
- Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating (NOC 31209)
- Physicians assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303)
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (NOC 31100)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for specialists in surgery?
Specialists in surgery are NOC 2021 unit group 31101. Example job titles in this group include cardiac surgeon, general surgeon, neurosurgeon, obstetrician-gynecologist.
What TEER is NOC 31101?
NOC 31101 is TEER 1 (University degree). Usually requires a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate), or experience from a related TEER 2 occupation. 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 specialists in surgery earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $419,180 a year, with a range of $144,482/yr to $766,730/yr.
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.