NOC 32121: Medical radiation technologists
What medical radiation technologists do
Medical radiation technologists operate radiographic and radiation therapy equipment to administer radiation treatment and produce images of body structures for the diagnosis and treatment of injury and disease. They are employed in hospitals, cancer treatment centres, clinics, radiological laboratories, colleges and universities. Medical radiation technologists who are supervisors or instructors are included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Radiological technologists
- Operate X-ray, radiographic and fluoroscopic equipment, computerized tomography (CT) scanners, mammography units and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to produce radiographs or anatomic images of the human body for the diagnosis by radiologists of disease or injury
- Record and process patient data
- Perform basic verification and quality control checks on radiographic and film processing equipment
- Provide appropriate care and monitoring of the patient during the radiographic examination
- Explain procedures, position patient and equipment and apply radiation protection measures
- May train and supervise student radiographers or supervise other radiological technologists.
- Radiological technologists may specialize in areas such as computerized tomography, angiography, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, interventional radiology, dosimetry, stereotaxy or brachytherapy.
- Nuclear medicine technologists
- Prepare and administer radiopharmaceuticals, such as radionuclides and other tracer materials to patients or to biological samples
- Operate radiation detection equipment, such as gamma cameras, scanners, scintillation counters, tomodensitometers and ionization chambers, to acquire data for use by nuclear medicine physicians in the diagnosis of disease
- Perform diagnostic procedures using radioactive materials on biological specimens, such as blood, urine and faeces
- Record and process results of procedures
- Check equipment to ensure proper operation
- Provide appropriate care and monitoring of the patient during the examination
- Apply radiation protection measures
- May train and supervise student nuclear medicine technologists or supervise other nuclear medicine technologists.
- Radiation therapists
- Operate linear accelerators, cobalt 60, X-ray and other radiation therapy equipment to administer radiation treatment prescribed by radiation oncologists
- Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation
- Assist radiation oncologists and clinical physicists with preparation of radiation treatment plan
- Assist in the preparation of sealed radioactive materials such as cobalt, radium, cesium and isotopes and the construction of devices such as plaster casts and acrylic moulds to assist with administration of radiation treatment
- Provide appropriate care and monitoring of the patient's physical and psychological well-being during the entire course of treatment
- Explain procedures and side effects of radiation
- May train and supervise student radiotherapy technologists or supervise other radiotherapy technologists.
Job titles under NOC 32121
70 job titles are classified here, including mammography technician, nuclear medicine clinical instructor, nuclear medicine technologist.
- brachytherapy technologist
- chief radiographer
- chief radiotherapy technologist
- diagnostic imaging technologist
- diagnostic medical radiation technologist
- diagnostic radiography technologist
- diagnostic radiological technician
- diagnostic radiological technologist
- diagnostic radiology technologist
- dosimetrist
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologist
- magnetic resonance technologist
- mammography technician
- mammography technologist
- medical imaging technologist - nuclear medicine
- medical imaging technologist - radiodiagnosis
- medical radiation technologist
- medical radiation technologist - Canadian Armed Forces
- medical radiation technologists supervisor
- medical radiographer
- nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) technologist
- nuclear medicine chief technologist
- nuclear medicine clinical coordinator
- nuclear medicine clinical instructor
Employment requirements
- Completion of a two- to three-year college, hospital or other approved program in diagnostic radiography or magnetic resonance imaging (for radiological technologists and magnetic resonance technologists), nuclear medicine technology (for nuclear medicine technologists) or radiation therapy (for radiation therapists) or A bachelor of health sciences in radiography, nuclear medicine or radiation therapy and A period of supervised practical training are required.
- Licensure with a regulatory body is required in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
- Membership with a provincial association is required in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba.
- Certification by the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists is required in all provinces except Quebec and British Columbia.
Medical radiation 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 | $29.81/hr | $40.00/hr | $51.12/hr |
Toronto ON | $35.00/hr | $48.00/hr | $52.66/hr |
Montréal QC | $24.50/hr | $37.49/hr | $40.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $29.81/hr | $44.16/hr | $61.00/hr |
Calgary AB | $35.00/hr | $43.00/hr | $51.20/hr |
Edmonton AB | $34.00/hr | $46.00/hr | $51.79/hr |
Ottawa ON | $37.50/hr | $45.00/hr | $53.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $34.00/hr | $38.78/hr | $50.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $24.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $34.73/hr | $42.76/hr | $47.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $40.00/hr | $44.66/hr | $52.00/hr |
London ON | $35.00/hr | $45.00/hr | $52.04/hr |
Halifax NS | $31.38/hr | $39.28/hr | $41.54/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $32.00/hr | $42.50/hr | $51.00/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $32.00/hr | $41.00/hr | $47.92/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $15.35/hr | $38.00/hr | $45.07/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $36.77/hr | $38.90/hr | $48.99/hr |
Nova Scotia | $30.00/hr | $38.50/hr | $48.99/hr |
New Brunswick | $32.36/hr | $39.74/hr | $50.00/hr |
Quebec | $24.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Ontario | $35.00/hr | $45.00/hr | $52.04/hr |
Manitoba | $34.00/hr | $38.78/hr | $44.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $23.17/hr | $41.00/hr | $45.07/hr |
Alberta | $36.00/hr | $46.00/hr | $53.00/hr |
British Columbia | $32.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $53.15/hr |
Using NOC 32121 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 70 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (NOC 32104)
- Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists (NOC 32123)
- Medical laboratory technologists (NOC 32120)
- Medical sonographers (NOC 32122)
- Other medical technologists and technicians (NOC 32129)
- Pharmacy technicians (NOC 32124)
- Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists (NOC 32103)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for medical radiation technologists?
Medical radiation technologists are NOC 2021 unit group 32121. Example job titles in this group include mammography technician, nuclear medicine clinical instructor, nuclear medicine technologist, nuclear medicine technologists supervisor.
What TEER is NOC 32121?
NOC 32121 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 radiation technologists earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $40.00/hr, about $78,000 a year full-time, with a range of $29.81/hr to $51.12/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.