NOC 32120: Medical laboratory technologists
What medical laboratory technologists do
Medical laboratory technologists conduct medical laboratory tests, experiments and analyses to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of disease. They are employed in medical laboratories in hospitals, blood banks, community and private clinics, research facilities and post-secondary educational institutions. Medical laboratory technologists who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Set up, operate and maintain laboratory equipment
- Conduct and interpret chemical analyses of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal and other body fluids
- Study blood cells and other tissues to determine their relation to various physiological and pathological conditions
- Prepare tissue sections for microscopic examinations using techniques to demonstrate special cellular tissue elements or other characteristics
- Perform and interpret blood group, type and compatibility tests for transfusion purposes
- Validate, document and report test results
- Establish procedures for the analysis of specimens and for medical laboratory experiments
- Conduct quality control assessment of testing techniques
- May supervise and train other medical laboratory technical staff, students and helpers
- May assist pathologists during autopsies.
- Medical laboratory technologists may specialize in areas such as clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology, histotechnology, transfusion medicine or immunohematology, cytotechnology, cytogenetics and molecular genetics.
Job titles under NOC 32120
32 job titles are classified here, including clinical genetics technologist, cytogenetics technologist - medical laboratory, histology technologist.
- advanced registered medical laboratory technologist
- anatomical pathology technologist
- autopsy technologist
- blood bank technologist
- clinical genetics technologist
- clinical laboratory technologist
- combined laboratory and x-ray technician
- combined laboratory and x-ray technologist
- cytogenetics technologist - medical laboratory
- cytology technologist
- electron microscopy technologist - medical laboratory
- hematology technologist - medical laboratory
- histology technologist
- histology technologist - medical laboratory
- histopathology technologist
- histotechnologist - medical laboratory
- immunology technologist - medical laboratory
- medical laboratory biochemistry technologist
- medical laboratory charge technologist
- medical laboratory cytotechnologist
- medical laboratory microbiology technologist
- medical laboratory technologist
- medical laboratory technologist - anatomical pathology
- medical laboratory technologist - core laboratory
Employment requirements
- A two- or three-year college program in medical laboratory technology is required and a period of supervised practical training may be required.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
- Certification by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is usually required by employers.
- Combined laboratory and X-ray technicians require completion of a combined laboratory X-ray technology program.
- Some employers may require a university science degree for specialized medical laboratory technologists.
Medical laboratory technologists 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 | $25.13/hr | $39.00/hr | $49.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $18.57/hr | $40.50/hr | $50.00/hr |
Montréal QC | $29.72/hr | $35.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $28.30/hr | $40.32/hr | $45.70/hr |
Calgary AB | $18.00/hr | $45.79/hr | $50.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $25.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $75.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $23.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $36.00/hr | $38.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $29.72/hr | $35.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $28.85/hr | $44.00/hr | $48.78/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $33.10/hr | $43.39/hr | $52.31/hr |
London ON | $33.33/hr | $45.00/hr | $51.28/hr |
Halifax NS | $29.90/hr | $38.15/hr | $41.71/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $32.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $59.01/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $22.89/hr | $39.22/hr | $49.00/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $31.34/hr | $38.70/hr | $45.47/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $32.00/hr | $38.00/hr | $42.10/hr |
Nova Scotia | $30.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $42.56/hr |
New Brunswick | $30.50/hr | $35.78/hr | $44.95/hr |
Quebec | $29.72/hr | $35.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Ontario | $23.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Manitoba | $36.00/hr | $38.00/hr | $41.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $32.00/hr | $38.00/hr | $44.90/hr |
Alberta | $25.00/hr | $45.79/hr | $50.00/hr |
British Columbia | $30.00/hr | $41.00/hr | $45.90/hr |
Using NOC 32120 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 32 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Biological technologists and technicians (NOC 22110)
- Chemical technologists and technicians (NOC 22100)
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for medical laboratory technologists?
Medical laboratory technologists are NOC 2021 unit group 32120. Example job titles in this group include clinical genetics technologist, cytogenetics technologist - medical laboratory, histology technologist, medical laboratory cytotechnologist.
What TEER is NOC 32120?
NOC 32120 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 medical laboratory technologists earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $39.00/hr, about $76,000 a year full-time, with a range of $25.13/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.