NOC 42202: Early childhood educators and assistants
What early childhood educators and assistants do
Early childhood educators plan, organize and implement programs for children between the ages of infancy and 12 years. Early childhood educator assistants provide care for infants and preschool- to school-age children under the guidance of early childhood educators. Early childhood educators and assistants lead children in activities to stimulate and develop their intellectual, physical and emotional growth and ensure their security and well-being. They are employed in child-care centres, daycare centres, kindergartens, agencies for exceptional children and other settings where early childhood education services are provided. Supervisors of early childhood educators and assistants are included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Early childhood educators
- Develop and implement child-care programs that support and promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children
- Lead activities by telling or reading stories, teaching songs, taking children to local points of interest and providing opportunities to express creativity through the media of art, dramatic play, music and physical activity
- Plan and maintain an environment that protects the health, security and well-being of children
- Assess the abilities, interests and needs of children and discuss progress or problems with parents and other staff members
- Observe children for signs of potential learning or behavioural problems and prepare reports for parents, guardians or supervisor
- Guide and assist children in the development of proper eating, dressing and toilet habits
- Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with co-workers and community service providers working with children
- May plan and organize activities for school-age children in child-care programs before and after regular school hours
- May supervise and coordinate activities of other early childhood educators and early childhood educator assistants.
- Early childhood educator assistants
- Support early childhood educators in carrying out programs that promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children
- Engage children in activities by telling stories, teaching songs and preparing crafts
- Prepare snacks and arrange rooms or furniture for lunch and rest periods
- Assist with proper eating, dressing and toilet habits
- Submit written observations on children to early childhood educators or supervisors
- Maintain daycare equipment and assist in housekeeping and cooking duties
- Attend staff meetings to discuss progress and problems of children
- May assist early childhood educators or supervisors in keeping records.
Job titles under NOC 42202
33 job titles are classified here, including child care worker assistant, daycare helper, daycare supervisor.
- baby-care worker
- baby-care worker assistant
- baby-care workers supervisor
- child care worker - daycare
- child care worker assistant
- daycare aide
- daycare attendant
- daycare coordinator
- daycare helper
- daycare supervisor
- daycare teacher
- daycare worker
- daycare worker assistant
- early childhood assistant
- early childhood education worker
- early childhood educator - junior kindergarten
- early childhood educator - kindergarten
- early childhood educator - preschool
- early childhood educator (ECE)
- early childhood educator (ECE) assistant
- early childhood educator assistant - junior kindergarten
- early childhood educator assistant - kindergarten
- early childhood program staff assistant
- early childhood program supervisor
Employment requirements
- Early childhood educators
- Completion of a two- to four-year college program in early childhood education or A bachelor's degree in child development is required.
- Licensing is required in Ontario and certification is required in British Columbia for early childhood educators. Licensing for early childhood educators is usually required in all other provinces and territories.
- Early childhood educator assistants
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Experience in child care is required.
- Completion of an early childhood education assistant certificate program or post-secondary courses in early childhood education may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association as an early childhood educator may be required.
Early childhood educators and assistants 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 | $16.95/hr | $22.30/hr | $30.03/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $32.97/hr |
Montréal QC | $16.10/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.03/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $20.00/hr | $23.50/hr | $29.75/hr |
Calgary AB | $16.00/hr | $20.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $15.99/hr | $19.63/hr | $29.27/hr |
Ottawa ON | $17.60/hr | $23.08/hr | $29.59/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $16.00/hr | $17.86/hr | $25.90/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $18.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.03/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $18.00/hr | $23.00/hr | $32.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
London ON | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $29.00/hr |
Halifax NS | $16.50/hr | $21.00/hr | $28.61/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $19.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $15.35/hr | $19.90/hr | $27.00/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $15.35/hr | $17.00/hr | $24.14/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00/hr | $20.00/hr | $27.33/hr |
Nova Scotia | $16.50/hr | $21.49/hr | $28.21/hr |
New Brunswick | $16.90/hr | $23.47/hr | $25.60/hr |
Quebec | $18.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.03/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Manitoba | $16.00/hr | $18.00/hr | $25.90/hr |
Saskatchewan | $15.35/hr | $18.75/hr | $26.92/hr |
Alberta | $15.60/hr | $19.00/hr | $28.85/hr |
British Columbia | $19.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Using NOC 42202 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 33 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Child-care centre administrator (NOC 40030)
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (NOC 43100)
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (NOC 41221)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for early childhood educators and assistants?
Early childhood educators and assistants are NOC 2021 unit group 42202. Example job titles in this group include child care worker assistant, daycare helper, daycare supervisor, daycare worker.
What TEER is NOC 42202?
NOC 42202 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 early childhood educators and assistants earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $22.30/hr, about $43,000 a year full-time, with a range of $16.95/hr to $30.03/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.