NOC 32104: Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
What animal health technologists and veterinary technicians do
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians provide technical support to veterinarians by caring for animals and assisting in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health disorders. They are employed in veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, animal shelters, humane societies, zoos, animal research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and government. Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Provide nursing care and rehabilitation therapy for animals
- Handle, restrain and care for animals undergoing treatment and surgery
- Produce radiographs, collect and analyse samples and perform other laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis of animal health problems
- Assist veterinarian with animals before, during and following surgery by preparing surgical equipment, administering and monitoring anaesthetics and cleaning up after surgery
- Prepare and administer medications and vaccines under direction of a veterinarian
- Administer treatments as prescribed by a veterinarian
- Provide wound and bandage care
- Conduct specialized procedures such as animal identification and hoof trimming
- Educate and advise clients on animal health care including nutrition and home care
- Assist in laboratory research
- Perform routine animal dental procedures and assist veterinarians with animal dentistry
- May perform a variety of office management and clerical duties.
Job titles under NOC 32104
17 job titles are classified here, including animal health technician, animal health technologist, laboratory animal technician.
- animal care technician
- animal care technologist
- animal health technician
- animal health technician - agriculture
- animal health technologist
- animal health technologist supervisor
- animal operating room attendant
- laboratory animal technician
- laboratory animal technologist
- registered animal health technologist
- registered animal health technologist (RAHT)
- registered veterinary technician (RVT)
- veterinarian assistant
- veterinary laboratory technician
- veterinary technician
- veterinary technician supervisor
- veterinary technologist
Employment requirements
- Completion of a two- or three-year animal health/veterinary technology college program is required.
- Successful completion of a national registration examination may be required in some employment settings.
- Registration with provincial animal health technologists' or veterinary technicians' associations is available, and is mandatory in some provinces.
Animal health technologists and veterinary 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 | $17.00/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.16/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $33.04/hr |
Montréal QC | $18.90/hr | $23.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Calgary AB | $17.00/hr | $25.32/hr | $37.17/hr |
Edmonton AB | $17.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $37.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $33.04/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $17.00/hr | $26.00/hr | $31.50/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $18.90/hr | $23.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $17.60/hr | $23.00/hr | $28.98/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $20.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
London ON | $20.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $27.00/hr |
Halifax NS | $16.50/hr | $21.50/hr | $27.75/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.17/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $20.57/hr | $26.27/hr | $32.37/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $16.50/hr | $25.00/hr | $32.00/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $17.07/hr | $18.50/hr | $29.87/hr |
Nova Scotia | $16.50/hr | $21.50/hr | $27.75/hr |
New Brunswick | $15.65/hr | $20.00/hr | $23.50/hr |
Quebec | $18.90/hr | $23.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $33.04/hr |
Manitoba | $16.50/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $16.50/hr | $25.00/hr | $32.00/hr |
Alberta | $17.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $37.00/hr |
British Columbia | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.17/hr |
Using NOC 32104 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 17 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Pet groomers and animal care workers (NOC 65220)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for animal health technologists and veterinary technicians?
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians are NOC 2021 unit group 32104. Example job titles in this group include animal health technician, animal health technologist, laboratory animal technician, registered veterinary technician (RVT).
What TEER is NOC 32104?
NOC 32104 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 animal health technologists and veterinary technicians earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $23.00/hr, about $45,000 a year full-time, with a range of $17.00/hr to $33.16/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.