NOC 31203: Occupational therapists
What occupational therapists do
Occupational therapists develop individual and group programs with people affected by illness, injury, developmental disorders, emotional or psychological problems and aging to maintain, restore or increase their ability to care for themselves and to engage in work, school or leisure. They also develop and implement health promotion programs with individuals, community groups and employers. They are employed in health care facilities, in schools, and by private and social services agencies, or they may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Analyse clients' capabilities and expectations related to life activities through observation, interviews and formal assessments
- Develop intervention programs to address clients' needs related to self-care, work and leisure activities
- Maintain clients' records
- Establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team
- Consult and advise on health promotion programs to prevent disabilities and to maximize independent function in all activities of life
- May supervise support personnel and students and provide training.
- Occupational therapists may specialize in working with specific populations such as children or adults, or persons with distinct problems such as dementia, traumatic brain injury and chronic pain, or provide special interventions such as return-to-work programs.
Job titles under NOC 31203
12 job titles are classified here, including case manager occupational therapist, clinical occupational therapist, community occupational therapist.
- case manager occupational therapist
- clinical occupational therapist
- clinical occupational therapy specialist
- community occupational therapist
- community practice occupational therapist
- home care occupational therapist
- occupational therapist (OT)
- occupational therapist vocational evaluator
- occupational therapy rehabilitation consultant
- research and development occupational therapist
- research occupational therapist
- vocational evaluator occupational therapist
Employment requirements
- A university degree in occupational therapy including supervised fieldwork is required.
- Completion of a national or provincial certification examination is required.
- Licensure with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
- Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, is required in some provinces.
- Occupational therapists may obtain expertise in a particular area through additional training or experience.
Occupational therapists 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 | $36.17/hr | $46.00/hr | $55.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $42.00/hr | $48.85/hr | $70.00/hr |
Montréal QC | $34.14/hr | $46.61/hr | $59.69/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $26.00/hr | $51.40/hr | $66.91/hr |
Calgary AB | $35.30/hr | $47.13/hr | $55.03/hr |
Edmonton AB | $40.00/hr | $45.67/hr | $69.23/hr |
Ottawa ON | $34.37/hr | $45.26/hr | $52.67/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $38.00/hr | $39.90/hr | $51.28/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $37.00/hr | $46.00/hr | $55.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $32.30/hr | $45.36/hr | $52.98/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $32.95/hr | $44.81/hr | $50.93/hr |
London ON | $33.21/hr | $45.14/hr | $54.67/hr |
Halifax NS | $32.45/hr | $41.74/hr | $48.28/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $33.33/hr | $50.00/hr | $52.42/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $32.00/hr | $46.00/hr | $51.92/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $35.87/hr | $44.19/hr | $52.96/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $37.60/hr | $45.70/hr | $51.39/hr |
Nova Scotia | $33.28/hr | $42.80/hr | $49.74/hr |
New Brunswick | $38.00/hr | $45.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Quebec | $37.00/hr | $46.00/hr | $55.00/hr |
Ontario | $33.33/hr | $45.00/hr | $55.90/hr |
Manitoba | $38.00/hr | $39.90/hr | $48.08/hr |
Saskatchewan | $32.00/hr | $45.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Alberta | $39.00/hr | $48.08/hr | $52.25/hr |
British Columbia | $30.00/hr | $50.00/hr | $66.91/hr |
Using NOC 31203 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 12 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Director of occupational therapy (NOC 30010)
- Orientation and mobility instructor (NOC 42203)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for occupational therapists?
Occupational therapists are NOC 2021 unit group 31203. Example job titles in this group include case manager occupational therapist, clinical occupational therapist, community occupational therapist, occupational therapist (OT).
What TEER is NOC 31203?
NOC 31203 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 occupational therapists earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $46.00/hr, about $90,000 a year full-time, with a range of $36.17/hr to $55.00/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.