NOC 32124: Pharmacy technicians
What pharmacy technicians do
Pharmacy technicians perform technical functions relating to prescriptions including gathering patients' information, product preparation, product distribution and inventory control. They work closely with pharmacists to provide pharmaceutical care to clients. Pharmacy technicians are employed in retail and hospital pharmacies, long-term care facilities and by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Pharmacy technicians who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Assist pharmacists to maintain inventories of medications and prescription records of pharmaceutical products
- Assess prescriptions for completeness and ensure information is accurate
- Gather and enter client information in databases and prepare medications for clients in collaboration with pharmacists
- Compound pharmaceutical products such as intravenous injections, oral solutions, ointments and creams
- Process payment of prescriptions and other pharmacy services including direct billing to third party insurers
- Provide instructions on how to use health aids, and medical devices such as drug administration devices and monitoring devices
- May help with scheduling and workflow.
Job titles under NOC 32124
7 job titles are classified here, including pharmacy technician, pharmacy technician supervisor.
- certified pharmacy technician
- pharmaceutical technician
- pharmacy technician
- pharmacy technician supervisor
- registered pharmacy technician
- regulated pharmacy technician
- senior pharmacy technician
Employment requirements
- Pharmacy technicians usually require a two-year pharmacy technician college program or completion of a two- to three-year college program in pharmaceutics and supervised practical training.
- Completion of the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) certification exams is required for pharmacy technicians.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required for pharmacy technicians in all provinces except Quebec.
Pharmacy 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 | $17.50/hr | $24.83/hr | $34.20/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $25.60/hr | $34.75/hr |
Montréal QC | $17.00/hr | $20.00/hr | $27.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $19.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $33.33/hr |
Calgary AB | $18.50/hr | $26.75/hr | $38.98/hr |
Edmonton AB | $18.50/hr | $29.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $18.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $16.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $35.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $17.00/hr | $20.00/hr | $27.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $18.00/hr | $26.45/hr | $36.80/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $25.00/hr | $33.45/hr |
London ON | $21.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $34.20/hr |
Halifax NS | $17.00/hr | $25.67/hr | $30.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $21.00/hr | $26.88/hr | $33.00/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $15.50/hr | $25.00/hr | $36.92/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $15.50/hr | $25.00/hr | $36.92/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $18.75/hr | $26.94/hr | $31.85/hr |
Nova Scotia | $17.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $18.00/hr | $26.94/hr | $31.85/hr |
Quebec | $17.00/hr | $20.00/hr | $27.00/hr |
Ontario | $18.00/hr | $26.45/hr | $36.80/hr |
Manitoba | $18.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $38.82/hr |
Saskatchewan | $15.50/hr | $25.00/hr | $36.92/hr |
Alberta | $18.50/hr | $26.75/hr | $38.98/hr |
British Columbia | $20.00/hr | $31.00/hr | $34.18/hr |
Using NOC 32124 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 7 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Pharmacy clerk (NOC 64100)
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (NOC 33103)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for pharmacy technicians?
Pharmacy technicians are NOC 2021 unit group 32124. Example job titles in this group include pharmacy technician, pharmacy technician supervisor.
What TEER is NOC 32124?
NOC 32124 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 pharmacy technicians earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $24.83/hr, about $48,000 a year full-time, with a range of $17.50/hr to $34.20/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.