Preface
This publication represents the third revision of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system and the National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S). The NOC was jointly developed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Statistics Canada and has been maintained in partnership since the first edition published in 1991/1992. However, until this revision, NOC and NOC-S differed in their major group structures and, consequently, in their coding systems. The publication of NOC 2011 on this twentieth anniversary of the classification system reflects the unification of the two versions. With the adoption of NOC 2011 all differences between the classifications used by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and by Statistics Canada have been eliminated. Furthermore, this has been accomplished while maintaining the advantages of both former classification versions.
NOC 2011 would not have been possible without the significant contribution of a number of individuals and groups. Their commitment to excellence is evident in this revised edition of the foundational system used for describing occupations in the Canadian labour market and for managing the collection and reporting of occupational statistics. The collaborative partnership between the two departments has ensured that the quantitative and qualitative information on occupations is reliable, timely and relevant for a wide range of audiences.