NOC 51112: Technical writers
What technical writers do
Technical writers write manuals and specifications for publication or presentation. They are employed by governments, large corporations, private consulting firms, publishing firms, and other establishments, or they may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Analyze material, such as specifications, notes and drawings
- Conduct interviews and research to gather information on a specific field
- Write, review and update manuals, user guides and other documents to provide instruction and to explain clearly and concisely the installation, operation and maintenance of software and electronic, mechanical and other equipment
- Develop and maintain help documentation
- May design and develop training course material
- May help create content for software products, such as on-screen instructions and error messages.
Job titles under NOC 51112
19 job titles are classified here, including medical writer, scientific writer, technical writer.
- content writer (technical)
- handbook writer
- help file developer
- instructional designer
- manual writer
- medical writer
- on-line reference developer
- programmed-instruction writer
- proposal writer
- scientific writer
- self-instruction manual writer
- specifications writer (except construction)
- standards writer
- support materials writer
- technical writer
- technical writer - aeronautics
- technical writer - chemical processing
- technical writer - electronics equipment
- technical writer - pharmaceutical industry
Employment requirements
- A university degree in the area of specialization, such as computer science or engineering is usually required.
Technical writers 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 | $27.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $53.37/hr |
Toronto ON | $27.00/hr | $34.62/hr | $54.15/hr |
Montréal QC | $29.13/hr | $39.85/hr | $56.33/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $30.63/hr | $43.17/hr | $63.53/hr |
Calgary AB | $26.25/hr | $40.63/hr | $47.80/hr |
Edmonton AB | $27.98/hr | $38.39/hr | $58.83/hr |
Ottawa ON | $27.00/hr | $34.98/hr | $59.63/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $28.42/hr | $40.84/hr | $61.46/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $31.19/hr | $41.54/hr | $48.72/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $27.00/hr | $37.98/hr | $52.88/hr |
London ON | $27.00/hr | $34.98/hr | $59.63/hr |
Halifax NS | $26.00/hr | $34.49/hr | $50.52/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $29.92/hr | $42.73/hr | $63.42/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $28.45/hr | $36.03/hr | $51.94/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $29.70/hr | $39.82/hr | $54.52/hr |
Nova Scotia | $23.95/hr | $36.30/hr | $49.48/hr |
New Brunswick | $28.05/hr | $37.02/hr | $51.28/hr |
Quebec | $31.19/hr | $41.54/hr | $48.72/hr |
Ontario | $27.00/hr | $34.98/hr | $59.63/hr |
Manitoba | $27.08/hr | $40.17/hr | $56.61/hr |
Saskatchewan | $26.21/hr | $37.15/hr | $50.16/hr |
Alberta | $30.00/hr | $36.00/hr | $47.80/hr |
British Columbia | $28.85/hr | $43.27/hr | $57.69/hr |
Using NOC 51112 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 19 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Authors and writers (NOC 51111)
- Editors (NOC 51110)
- Journalists (NOC 51113)
- Songwriter (NOC 51121)
- Translators, terminologists and interpreters (NOC 51114)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for technical writers?
Technical writers are NOC 2021 unit group 51112. Example job titles in this group include medical writer, scientific writer, technical writer.
What TEER is NOC 51112?
NOC 51112 is TEER 1 (University degree). Usually requires a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate), or experience from a related TEER 2 occupation. 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 technical writers earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $36.06/hr, about $70,000 a year full-time, with a range of $27.00/hr to $53.37/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.