Multifactor Productivity Application

Consultation objectives

Multi factor productivity program estimates are derived by integrating multiple data sources with economic theory, and use aggregation formulas for specific variables. Prior to use, the estimates typically require some form of manipulation for which the degree of knowledge required is not necessary for analyzing the data.

The tool for productivity analysis facilitates the use of multi factor productivity estimates by codifying the necessary knowledge that is commonly used for examining productivity data.

As part of on-going efforts to improve the utility and access to the multi factor productivity program, Statistics Canada is opening a dialogue with users about this new tool. As part of this initiative, a consultation is being held to seek feedback on the tool's usability, and to make sure it meets user needs.

How to get involved

Individuals who wish to obtain more information on the consultation may contact us by emailing analyticalstudies@statcan.gc.ca.

Statistics Canada is committed to respecting the privacy of consultation participants. All personal information created, held or collected by the agency is protected by the Privacy Act. For more information on Statistics Canada's privacy policies, please consult the privacy notice.

Results

Summary results of the consultations will be published online when available.

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Date modified:: 2023-01-09

Introduction to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3

Preface

NOC 2016 Version 1.3 forms part of the NOC evergreening process. The purpose of this process is to provide an annual review and update of the current NOC to ensure it reflects current trends in the labour market. The structure of NOC 2016 Version 1.3 remains unchanged from the previous versions of the NOC 2016.

Acknowledgements

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 was published, in partnership, by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Statistics Canada. The realization of NOC 2016 Version 1.3 was dependent on a team of occupational research analysts and assistants from both ESDC and Statistics Canada.

Background
Structure and format of NOC 2016 Version 1.3
Related classifications
Relationship between NOC and ISCO-08
Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.0 update
Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.1 update
Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.2 update
Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.3 update
NOC classification criteria
Coding to NOC 2016
More information on the NOC 2016 Version 1.3

Background

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3 updates the previous versions of the NOC 2016. It is the nationally accepted taxonomy and organizational framework of occupations in the Canadian labour market. The NOC has been developed and maintained as part of a collaborative partnership between Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Statistics Canada. This update of the classification reflects ongoing occupational research and consultation to incorporate information on new occupations. These updates are non-structural in nature. Structural changes that affect the classification framework, such as the addition of new classes, occur each 10 year cycle. The NOC 2016 Version 1.3 represents an update, and uses the previous version of the NOC 2016 classification structure.

The NOC is designed to classify occupational information from statistical surveys. It is also used in a range of contexts to compile, analyze and communicate information about occupations. Occupational information is of critical importance for the provision of labour market and career intelligence, skills development, occupational forecasting, labour supply and demand analysis, employment equity and numerous other programs and services. It provides a standardized framework for organizing the world of work in a manageable, understandable and coherent system.

The basic principle of classification of the NOC is the kind of work performed. Occupations are identified and grouped primarily in terms of the work usually performed, this being determined by the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the occupation. Factors such as the materials processed or used, the industrial processes and the equipment used, the degree of responsibility and complexity of work, as well as the products made and services provided, have been taken as indicators of the work performed when combining jobs into occupations and occupations into groups.

An occupation is defined as a collection of jobs, sufficiently similar in work performed to be grouped under a common label for classification purposes. A job, in turn, encompasses all the tasks carried out by a particular worker to complete their duties.

The NOC provides a systematic classification structure that categorizes the entire range of occupational activity in Canada. Its detailed occupations are identified and grouped primarily according to the work performed, as determined by the tasks, duties and responsibilities of the occupation. The NOC 2016 Version 1.3 update incorporates new job titles and clarifies the content of unit groups. Updates to the descriptions and job titles of some unit groups reflect added information, changes in terminology to correspond with current usage and the evolution of some occupations. As part of the update, a standardized style guide was applied to the Leading Statements and Main Duties of unit groups to improve consistency and provide a better flow to the information.

NOC 2016 Version 1.3 maintains the structure of the previous versions of the NOC 2016 and provides historic comparability. No major groups, minor groups or unit groups have been added, deleted or combined, though some groups have updated content. Like previous versions of the NOC 2016, its organization is based on the dual criteria of Skill Type and Skill Level, to support relevant labour market analysis.

Structure and format of NOC 2016

The structure and format of the National Occupational Classification 2016 are based on the four-tiered hierarchical arrangement of occupational groups with successive levels of disaggregation. It contains broad occupational categories, major, minor and unit groups.

10 broad occupational categories

Each broad occupational category has a unique one-digit code number and is composed of one or more major groups.

40 major groups

Each major group has a unique two-digit^{Footnote 1} code number and is composed of one or more minor groups. The first digit of this code indicates the broad occupational category to which the major group belongs.

140 minor groups

Each minor group has a unique three-digit code number and is composed of one or more unit groups. The first two digits of this code indicate the major group to which the minor group belongs.

500 Unit Groups

Each unit group has a unique four-digit code. The first three digits of this code indicate the major and minor groups to which the unit group belongs.

For example:
0 - Management occupations
00 - Senior management occupations
001 - Legislators and senior management
0011 - Legislators
0012 - Senior government managers and officials
0013 - Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services
0014 - Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations
0015 - Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services, n.e.c.
0016 - Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities

The broad occupational category code, designated by a single digit, is repeated at all levels. Major group codes are created by adding a second digit. This digit appears in the second position at all lower levels in the structure. Minor group codes add a third digit. Finally, the 4-digit unit group codes contain the digit identifying the broad occupational group, followed by the digit identifying the major group and the digit identifying the minor group and a last digit identifying the unit group.

There are approximately 35,000 titles classified in the 500 unit groups of the NOC 2016. Some titles are clearly occupations, such as librarian and chef, while others reflect specializations within an occupational area, such as music librarian and pastry chef. Still others represent a range of jobs, such as furniture assembler and sawmill machine operator.

These titles are used to describe the work performed by many individuals holding similar jobs within an occupational area. The list of titles in the NOC is not meant to be exhaustive, but attempts to cover the most commonly used and universally understood labels that identify work in the labour market.

Abbreviations

Few abbreviations are used in this classification. Particular attention should be given to the abbreviation n.e.c. (not elsewhere classified). As an occupational qualifier it is occasionally used in the labels of major, minor and unit groups to refer to occupations not elsewhere classified (e.g., 065 Managers in customer and personal services, n.e.c.).

Language

The NOC is available separately in both official languages. It is important to note that the French version includes only titles commonly used in French and proper to the milieu and, therefore, these are not normally translations of the English titles. The classification structure is the same in both languages.

Unit group labels are presented in gender-neutral format in French identifying the masculine and feminine titles separated by a slash. Where relevant, this structure is used in English as well. The illustrative example titles and inclusions are also presented in gender-neutral format. The NOC descriptions are written using the masculine form as they refer to all workers within the included occupations. This has been done in order to lighten the text and to reduce reading burden.

Modifying terms

Modifying terms have been added to several job titles, as extensions, to designate the industrial sector or the domain of expertise. If applicable, this information is preceded by a dash at the end of the title (cashier supervisor – retail trade) to distinguish between similar titles. These modifying terms may also specify where the titles appear in the classification structure (painter – visual arts; painter – manufacture of motor vehicles). This information should be considered when coding job titles.

Format of unit group descriptions

Each NOC unit group description consists of several standardized sections which define and describe its content.

Class definitions^{Footnote 2} / Lead statement^{Footnote 3}

This section provides a general description of the content and boundaries of the unit group and indicates the main activities of occupations within the unit group. It also indicates the kinds of industries or establishments in which the occupations are found. The list of places of employment is not always exhaustive, but can assist in clarifying the occupations described and in differentiating them from occupations found in other groups.

Illustrative examples^{Footnote 2} / Example titles^{Footnote 3}

This section is a list of titles commonly used in the labour market. The titles are intended to illustrate the contents and range of the occupational group. This is not an exhaustive list of job titles.

Inclusions

This section provides a list of borderline job titles belonging to a particular NOC unit group. Inclusions are examples in classes where it might not be clear from reading both the class text and title that the example belongs in the class.

Exclusions^{Footnote 2} / Classified elsewhere^{Footnote 3}

This section clarifies the boundaries of the unit group by identifying related unit groups and similar occupations that are classified elsewhere. Unit groups or individual occupations are cited in this section when they bear a functional similarity to the unit group or when similar titles occur.

Main duties

This section lists some of the tasks or duties performed in the occupations in the unit group. Depending on the contents of the unit group, one of three formats is used.

A series of statements that can be applied to all occupations in the unit group. This format was selected for unit groups that contain a single core occupation, such as 1242 Legal administrative assistants and 2146 Aerospace engineers. This format was also selected for unit groups that contain a range of related titles that nevertheless share a set of common duties, such as 1411 General office support workers and 9417 Machining tool operators.
Two or more sub-sets of occupations with a series of statements that apply to each component. This format was selected for unit groups that consist of two or more sub-components which, while similar enough to be in the same unit group, can be described separately. Examples of unit groups with this format are 3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists and 5125 Translators, terminologists and interpreters.
A series of brief descriptive statements that are linked to specific occupations within a group. This format was selected for unit groups that contain a series of occupations which, while similar enough to be in the same unit group, can be described separately. Examples of unit groups with this format include 4423 By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers, n.e.c. and 5226 Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts.

For some unit groups, a statement appears at the end of the tasks performed or main duties section, identifying specializations that exist within the occupational area encompassed by the unit group.

Employment requirements

This section describes the employment requirements for the unit group. Several types of requirements are identified in this section and are listed in the following order.

Type and level of formal education: for example, secondary school, college diploma, university degree. Efforts were made to be as specific as possible, though many unit groups have a range of acceptable educational requirements.
Specific training: for example, apprenticeship training, on-the-job training, training courses specific to an occupation.
Experience in another occupation: for example, supervisors usually require several years of experience in the occupation that they supervise.
Licences, certificates or registration: for example, regulatory requirements to practice in a regulated profession, special licenses to operate certain kinds of vehicles.
Other requirements: for example, athletic ability or artistic talent.

Note: Some occupations are designated as regulated professions and trades. Regulations are subject to change and may vary across jurisdictions. The most reliable information on regulatory requirements for occupations is found on the Web sites of provincial regulatory organizations and licensing authorities.

The Employment requirements section does not attempt to describe personal suitability requirements that are assessed by employers as part of the hiring process.

Some occupations have very definite employment requirements while for others, there is no consensus or a range of acceptable requirements exist. To reflect this variation in the labour market, this section describes employment requirements using the following terminology:

"... is required" - to indicate a definite requirement;
"... is usually required" - to indicate something that is usually required by the majority of employers, but not always required by all employers; and
"... may be required" - to indicate something that may be required by some employers, but on a less frequent basis.

Note: For reasons of brevity, in this section the term college includes the following types of post-secondary institutions: community colleges, CÉGEPS, technical institutes, trade schools and agricultural colleges. Where relevant, in some provinces, it may also include private training organizations, music conservatories and other non-degree granting institutions.

Additional information

This section appears in some unit group descriptions. It provides information on the following:

progression to other occupations (such as supervisory or management positions) based on transferability of skills from acquired occupational experience;
mobility patterns, such as inter- and intra-occupational transferability of skills (for example, identifying occupations that are part of internal lines of progression or specializations within a subject matter area);
trends and forthcoming changes in the unit group's employment requirements; and
other information to clarify and define the unit group.

Related classifications

The classification of occupations does not stand alone but must be understood as being related to other classifications, such as the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and that of Class of Worker. Each of these classifications supplements the NOC 2016 in presenting a rounded picture of the nature of a person's job.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

The industrial qualifier which may accompany the job title:

Indicates the type of economic activity with which the job is usually associated. (It is important to note that the assignment of an industrial qualifier does not necessarily limit a job to that industry. These qualifiers are merely indicative of the possible areas of activity in which the job may be found.)
Permits the assignment of similar titles to different occupation groups where the duties vary between industries.
Aids in defining the specific occupations and helps the coder grasp the underlying principles of this classification.

The industry in which the individual is employed is determined by the kind of economic activity of the establishment. The establishment is usually a factory, mine, farm, store, other place of business or an institution for which a number of basic production variables can be compiled.

It is important to note the conceptual differences between an industry classification and an occupation classification. An establishment can employ individuals performing completely different occupations, and these are classified to appropriate occupational groups, but the industrial classification of each individual employed in the establishment should be the same and is determined by the nature of the product made or service rendered. In other words, the nature of the factory, business or service in which the person is employed does not determine the classification of the occupation, except to the extent that it enables the nature of the duties to be more clearly defined.

Class of Worker

Class of worker refers to an individual's employment relationship to the business in which he or she works, as employee or self-employed, including unpaid family worker, and thus provides another means of describing the work. The NOC 2016 does not indicate the class of worker classification for each occupation since many occupations contain both jobs held by employees and jobs of self-employed individuals. However, a general rule has been established for coding purposes and is discussed in full under the section on Coding.

Relationship between NOC and ISCO-08

The NOC is comparable to the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) published by the International Labour Organization (ILO). While the NOC was originally developed in Canada in the 1980s, ISCO was also being reviewed and updated to produce ISCO-88. Communication between the NOC and ISCO research teams led to similarities, such as a similar conceptual framework that includes the Skill Type and Skill Level dimensions. The similarities between the NOC and ISCO increased in later structural revision (ISCO-08 and NOC 2011) cycles. However, certain conceptual differences between the NOC 2016 and ISCO-08 limit comparability. For instance, differences in skill level definitions and classification structure exist between NOC 2016 and ISCO-08, especially in the trades occupations. Subsistence occupations included in ISCO are not part of the NOC. For countries and regions in which subsistence activities are virtually non-existent, the ILO affirms that such activities may be excluded without loss of international comparability.

The concordance between NOC 2011 and ISCO 2008 can be used for purposes of showing the relationship between NOC 2016 and ISCO 2008 since the structure is the same in both NOC 2011 and NOC 2016.

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.0 update

The purposes for the 2016 revision of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) are: to update the classification to incorporate emerging occupations and new job titles while maintaining historical comparability; to remove redundant or obsolete job titles to optimize readability and navigation of the NOC; to incorporate editorial changes; to integrate the concept of Inclusions at the unit group level; and to add NOC major and minor groups definitions.

The structure of NOC 2016 Version 1.0 remains unchanged from that of NOC 2011. No major groups, minor groups or unit groups have been added, deleted or combined, though some groups have new names or updated content.

Job titles changes at the unit group and minor group levels and updates to the definitions of some unit groups reflect added information, correction of terminology to correspond with current usage and the evolution of some occupations and where they are classified.

Many new job titles have been added to NOC 2016 version 1.0, which arise as the division of labour in Canadian society evolves, creating new jobs and new specializations, and as technological change brings with it new terminology. Some of the titles added to reflect such changes are: geodesist, medical archivist, crime scene examiner, corrosion technologist, video game tester and biomass plant technicians. Other added titles are modified versions, or alternatives, that appeared in previous versions of the NOC and have been added to help users find particular occupations. For example, power plant stationary engineer appeared in earlier versions of the NOC; operating engineer - power plant has been added.

To clarify the boundaries between occupations, a few titles have been re-assigned to a different unit group in NOC 2016. The impact of this on the comparability of data between 2011 and 2016 is negligible. For example, Admission director – health care has been moved from Managers in health care (0311) to Other administrative services managers (0114). This change will have a minimal impact on the unit groups affected, and provides a more appropriate placement. In all other cases where titles have been moved, this was done to clarify the boundaries and improve content description of these unit groups. For example, the titles 'tax collector' and 'collector of taxes' were being coded in Employment insurance, immigration, border services and revenue officers (1228) rather than in Collectors (1435).

With the transition to a paperless environment and content digitalization, significant format changes were made to the list of job titles contained in the NOC. To optimize the use of the NOC, redundant or obsolete job titles were removed. In the past, titles appeared in both in natural order (e.g., travel agent) and in inverted order (e.g., agent, travel). Inverted titles used a comma as a separator in the title string making it easier to find titles in a paper publication. As this concept became outdated and redundant in web publications and data files, more than 4000 quasi-duplicates entries were removed for the NOC 2016.

The NOC is structured in accordance with the Generic Statistical Information Model (GSIM): Statistical Classifications Model. In order to comply with the demands of GSIM, the NOC was revised with the addition of Inclusions, to supplement the existing Illustrative examples and Exclusions. Inclusions are borderline cases for the unit group. They are presented separately in order to clarify the contents of the class. Note that creation of Inclusions do not change the boundaries of any NOC unit group. Moreover, definitions were developed for the NOC major and minor groups.

More information on these changes is available in the following tables which summarize the changes of note between NOC 2011 and NOC 2016.

Table 1 – Modified unit group titles
NOC unit group	From 2011	To 2016
0433	Commissioned officers of the Canadian Forces	Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces
1432	Payroll clerks	Payroll administrators
4313	Non-commissioned ranks of the Canadian Forces	Non-commissioned ranks of the Canadian Armed Forces
7313	Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics	Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
9213	Supervisors, food, beverage and associated products processing	Supervisors, food and beverage processing
9232	Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators	Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing
9461	Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated products processing	Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
9465	Testers and graders, food, beverage and associated products processing	Testers and graders, food and beverage processing
9617	Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing	Labourers in food and beverage processing

Some job titles were moved from one unit group to another to better define the content of the unit groups.

Table 3 – Placement of titles in unit groups
Titles	NOC 2011 unit group	NOC 2016 Version 1.0 unit group
admission director – health care	0311	0114
tax collector; collector of taxes	1435	1228
fire suppression crew foreman/woman - forestry	8211	2223
prevention officer - occupational health and safety	4165	2263

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.1 update

The NOC 2016 Version 1.1 was released in December 2017. This version was created, in conjunction with ESDC, to address updates requested following the May 2017 Public Consultation invitation to participate in the update of NOC. The summary of the changes made to this version can be viewed at the following link: Notice of release of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.1.

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.2 update

The NOC 2016 Version 1.2 was released in December 2018 and created, in conjunction with ESDC. This update of the classification was completed in response to the legalization of cannabis for non-medical use. This has resulted in twenty five new job titles being created in NOC 2016 V1.2 to reflect new occupations in the cannabis industries.

The summary of the changes made to this version can be viewed at the following link: Notice of release of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.2.

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.3 update

The NOC 2016 Version 1.3 will be updated in December 2019 and has been developed in conjunction with ESDC. This update of the classification was completed in response to evergreening process, of keeping up with the labour market trends.

The summary of the changes made to this version can be viewed at the following link: Notice of release of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3.

NOC classification criteria

The two major attributes of jobs used as classification criteria in developing the NOC are skill type and skill level. A description of skill levels is presented first as the definitions of skill types incorporate some information related to the concept of skill level. Other factors, such as industry and occupational mobility, are also taken into consideration.

Skill level

Skill level is defined first of all by the amount and type of education and training required to enter and perform the duties of an occupation. In determining skill level, the experience required for entry, and the complexity and responsibilities typical of an occupation are also considered in relation to other occupations.

Four skill level categories are identified in the NOC. Each major, minor and unit group is assigned to one of the skill levels.

The skill level categories are broad aggregates, reflecting four commonly accepted educational, training or preparatory routes for entering employment. Requirements for individual unit groups or occupations may overlap between the boundaries of the skill levels. For example, some occupations can be entered with either a university degree or a college diploma. When the entry requirements for a unit group or occupation reflect a range of possible educational and training specifications, skill level placement of the group was determined by considering several factors. These include the requirements most generally demanded by employers, the minor group context, complexity of overall responsibilities and knowledge requirements as well as further training and specialization acquired on the job.

The classification describes the educational and training requirements for occupations. However, the education and experience of particular job incumbents may not correspond exactly to the level described. Individuals may be over-qualified for their work or they may work in occupations for which the entry requirements have changed after they became employed.

It is important to note that the skill level categories are not intended to designate socio-economic status or prestige. Rather they are intended to reflect actual occupational entry requirements. These requirements are expressed in terms of the formal educational system and other types of training specified by employers.

Management occupations, while considered a skill type, are assigned to the skill level A category. These occupations are at the top of organizational hierarchies and as such, are characterized by high levels of responsibility, accountability and subject matter expertise gained through either formal education or extensive occupational experience. Management occupations span the entire classification structure and are found in all sectors or areas of the labour market. A range of factors are taken into consideration as determinants for employment in management occupations.

The skill level categories of the NOC are outlined and defined below.

NOC skill level criteria - education/training and other criteria

Skill level A

University degree (bachelor's, master's or doctorate)

Skill level B

Two to three years of post-secondary education at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP
or
Two to five years of apprenticeship training
or
Three to four years of secondary school and more than two years of on-the-job training, occupation-specific training courses or specific work experience
Occupations with supervisory responsibilities are also assigned to skill level B.
Occupations with significant health and safety responsibilities (e.g., fire fighters, police officers and licensed practical nurses) are assigned to skill level B.

Skill level C

Completion of secondary school and some short-duration courses or training specific to the occupation
or
Some secondary school education, with up to two years of on-the-job training, training courses or specific work experience

Skill level D

Short work demonstration or on-the-job training
or
No formal educational requirements

Skill level is referenced in the code for all occupations with the exception of management occupations. For all non-management occupations the second digit of the numerical code corresponds to skill level. Skill levels are identified as follows: level A – 0 or 1; level B – 2 or 3; level C – 4 or 5; and level D – 6 or 7.

Skill type

Skill type is defined as the type of work performed, although other factors related to skill type are also reflected in the NOC. One of these factors is similarity with respect to the educational discipline or field of study required for entry into an occupation. Another factor is the industry of employment where experience within an internal job ladder or within a specific industry is usually a prerequisite for entry. The 10 skill types, 0 to 9, are presented below and are also identified in the first digit of the NOC numerical code for all occupations.

The ten broad occupational categories of the NOC are based on skill type.

0. Management occupations

This skill type category contains legislators, senior management occupations and middle management occupations. While management occupations are defined as a skill type, they are also found throughout all other skill type areas of the classification. The first digit of the code for all management occupations is 0.

These occupations are considered to be at the top of the organizational hierarchy of workplaces or businesses. Decision-making that affects the organization as a whole, or departments within organizations, is undertaken by management. As such, management is characterized by high levels of responsibility, accountability and subject matter expertise. Expertise is acquired through either formal education or extensive occupational experience. For these reasons all management occupations in the NOC 2016 are also included within skill level A.

1. Business, finance and administration occupations

This category contains occupations that are concerned with providing financial and business services, administrative and regulatory services and clerical supervision and support services. Some occupations in this category are unique to the financial and business service sectors; however, most are found in all industries.

Often, occupations at skill levels A and B are supplied from educational programs specific to the profession or occupation. Some occupations at skill level B are also supplied from experienced workers in related administrative support occupations.

2. Natural and applied sciences and related occupations

This category contains professional and technical occupations in the sciences, including physical and life sciences, engineering, architecture and information technology.

Occupations in this skill type category require post-secondary education in an appropriate scientific discipline. Progression from occupations in skill level B to occupations in skill level A is usually dependent on completion of additional formal education.

3. Health occupations

This category includes occupations concerned with providing health care services directly to patients and occupations that provide support to professional and technical staff. Most occupations in this skill type category require post-secondary education in a related health care program. Progression from occupations in skill level B to occupations in skill level A is usually dependent on completion of additional formal education. Occupations in skill level C require short training programs.

4. Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services

This skill type category includes a range of occupations that are concerned with law, teaching, counselling, conducting social science research, developing government policy, and administering government and other programs.

Occupations in this skill type category usually require completion of a related post-secondary program. Progression from occupations in skill level B to occupations in skill level A is not usually possible without completion of additional formal education.

5. Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

This skill type category includes professional and technical occupations related to art and culture, including the performing arts, film and video, broadcasting, journalism, writing, creative design, libraries and museums. It also includes occupations in recreation and sport.

This category is characterized by occupations which are linked by subject matter to formal post-secondary educational programs but which have, for the most part, a range of acceptable qualifications. Occupations in this category are also characterized by a requirement for creative talent, such as for designers and performers, or for athletic ability. Unit groups for occupations that usually require university graduation in a professional discipline, such as journalism or library science, have been classified in skill level A. Most others have been classified in skill level B in recognition of the wide range of entry routes that are possible.

6. Sales and service occupations

This skill type category contains sales occupations, personal and protective service occupations and occupations related to the hospitality and tourism industries.

Occupations in skill level B of this category can be linked, for the most part, to formal post-secondary or occupation-specific training programs. Others are characterized by periods of formal on-the-job training other than apprenticeship. Progression from occupations in skill level C or D to those in skill level B usually require completion of related training programs. Some progression through experience is possible for supervisory positions.

7. Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations

This skill type category includes construction and mechanical trades, trades supervisors and contractors and operators of transportation and heavy equipment. These occupations are found in a wide range of industrial sectors, with many occurring in the construction and transportation industries.

This category includes most of the apprenticeable trades, including all of those related to the construction industry. Other occupations in this category usually require completion of college or other programs combined with on-the-job training. Progression to supervisory or self-employed contractor status is possible with experience. There is limited mobility or transferability of skills among occupations in this category due to specific apprenticeship, training and licensing requirements for most occupations.

8. Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations

This category contains supervisory and equipment operation occupations in the natural resource-based sectors of mining, oil and gas production, forestry and logging, agriculture, horticulture and fishing. Most occupations in this category are industry specific and do not occur outside of the primary industries.

Occupations within skill level B of this category generally require completion of college or other post-secondary training programs. Some, however, are characterized by industry-based training and progression through experience.

9. Occupations in manufacturing and utilities

This category contains supervisory and production occupations in manufacturing, processing and utilities.

Occupations in this category are characterized by internal progression and on-the-job training. Workers typically start out in these occupations at entry-level positions and progress to increasingly higher skilled occupations through experience. Mobility between employers or industries may be limited by seniority provisions of collective agreements. The occupations in skill level B of this category are increasingly technical in nature and post-secondary training programs are required for some.

Industry

Industry and occupation are separate variables which can be cross-tabulated to provide detailed information on employment. However, many occupations are found almost solely within one particular industry. For example, mining and automobile assembly occupations occur each within their respective industrial sectors.

During the original research and development of the NOC, it was realized that in many industries, occupational mobility is determined more by internal job ladders than by functional specialization. In consequence, some unit groups include workers of a particular skill level within a specific industry. Although the occupational breakdown resembles in part an industrial breakdown, the variables remain separate and distinct.

Industry was used in the development of classification categories for senior management occupations, for occupations in natural resources, agriculture and related production and for occupations in manufacturing and utilities.

Occupational mobility

In developing the NOC, an effort was made to consider mobility or transferability of skills between occupations. The objective was to develop unit groups where the potential for mobility, or substitution of workers, would be greater within the group than between groups. Movement within groups usually follows when the group is homogeneous in skill level and skill type, indicating increased potential for transferability of competencies and development of specialization. Movement between groups, or inter-occupational mobility, usually reflects a change in skill level (e.g., vertical mobility) or a change in skill type (e.g., acquisition of new responsibilities and diversified skills).

The degree of occupational mobility that exists for unit groups varies. Many unit group descriptions include a statement that indicates the potential for, and type of, mobility that characterizes the unit group.

Other classification considerations

In addition to the previously mentioned criteria, other factors were considered in determining the boundaries between unit groups and the contents of each group. These additional factors were the size of the unit groups and the codability or operational feasibility of the groups. Codability relates to the ease of accurately coding or assigning reported job titles from survey respondents to the occupational groups of the classification.

The size (or estimated number of workers) of the unit group was considered for reasons of statistical reliability and confidentiality. Generally, unit groups which contain fewer than 1,000 Canadian workers have not been delineated.

Because the NOC structure is used to code responses to Census of Population, Labour Force Surveys and other surveys, it must provide a set of unit groups that can be used for this operational application. The insufficient precision of some survey responses and ambiguities of language were given consideration in finalizing the unit groups.

Issues and conventions of the NOC

Some of the many issues that were encountered in the development of the NOC and the conventions adopted in response are discussed in the following paragraphs.

Management occupations

Management occupations present a special problem for reliable coding of occupational survey responses. In many cases there is little indication of the level of responsibility, the size of the enterprise or division managed, or the field of specialization.

To be of practical use, a classification of managers must be a compromise between the theoretically optimal and the practical solutions.

Senior management occupations (in major group 00) have been divided on the basis of industry of employment into six unit groups.

Middle and other management occupations are divided into three major groups, 18 minor groups and 42 unit groups on the basis of specialization (e.g., Purchasing managers) or industry of employment (e.g., Postal and courier services managers). In certain cases (e.g., Managers in transportation) groups defined by industry also contain managers in that specialization regardless of their industry of employment.

Supervisors

Supervisors and foremen/women have generally been classified in skill level B.

In most cases, professional and technical occupations are supervised by managerial or professional personnel respectively. However, where supervisors are identified for professional and technical groups, they are generally classified in the same unit groups as the occupations supervised.

Supervisors in the following occupational categories have been classified in supervisor unit groups or minor groups separate from the workers supervised:

administrative services occupations
nursing occupations
sales and service occupations
trades and transport and equipment operators
occupations in natural resources and agriculture
occupations in manufacturing and utilities.

Most minor and unit groups in the occupational categories listed above have a corresponding supervisory group. Occasionally, as in minor group 431, Occupations in front-line public protection services, supervision is provided by managers and there are no corresponding supervisory groups in major group 43.

Trades

All apprenticeable trades are included in skill level B. Their inclusion does not imply an exact equivalence of skill between all trades, but rather that they occupy a range that lies within the boundaries of this skill level category. Information on entry requirements is provided within each unit group description.

Inspectors, testers and graders

Generally, inspectors who require post-secondary education have been classified in separate unit groups in skill level B or with technicians and technologists, also in skill level B. Other non-technical inspectors, testers, graders and samplers have been included either in separate unit groups covering occupations in processing industries or in unit groups of assemblers and fabricators in manufacturing industries. This is reflective of patterns of employment found within industries and the increasing responsibility for quality control that is placed on manufacturing production workers.

Apprentices and trainees

Apprentices and trainees have been classified in the same unit groups as the occupations for which they are training. Similarly, interns, residents and articling students are classified with their respective professional groups.

This convention has been adopted of necessity to prevent a proliferation of unit groups of apprentices. It is not intended to imply equivalence or interchangeability of apprentices or trainees with fully qualified workers.

Coding to NOC 2016

The NOC provides an overall structure for classifying occupations according to kind of work performed. The lists of example titles are merely indicative of the types of occupations that fit within specific unit groups. The lists of example titles are not exhaustive nor are they intended to be.

When coding an occupation, all the relevant facts about the job and its environment should be obtained. These include the kind of work performed, the most important activities or duties, the job titles, the kind of business, industry or service, and the class of worker described earlier. The more complete and comprehensive the information the coder is able to assemble about the duties performed by a worker on a particular job, the easier it will be to determine the appropriate classification.

To code an occupation, it is possible to start with either the classification structure or the search tool.

Coding and the NOC 2016 classification structure

When using the NOC for coding, it is best to exploit the hierarchical nature of the classification. First the broad occupational category (skill type) which seems most likely to contain the job should be identified. Next the most appropriate major group within the broad occupational category should be found. Skill level can also provide a guide to locating major groups by considering titles with terms such as "technical", "supervisor", "helper", and "labourer". The process should be continued to find the most appropriate minor group within the major group selected. Finally the most appropriate unit group within the minor group selected should be identified. The unit group definition should be read carefully before deciding if this unit group offers the best possible classification. In addition, the example titles listed for the unit group should be examined to ensure that the choice is actually the best.

As indicated previously, the first two digits of each code convey meaning with respect to the group's skill type and skill level category.

For all occupations, including management, the first digit of each code identifies the major, minor and unit group as belonging to one of the skill type categories. However, all management occupations are also included as part of skill level A.

For all non-management occupations, the second digit of each code identifies the major, minor and unit group as belonging to one of the four skill level categories.

For management occupations, the first two digits also convey meaning. The first digit is always 0 to convey management, while the second digit conveys the skill type category in which the management occupation is found.

The following charts summarize and illustrate the meanings embedded in the coding system.

Meaning embedded in the coding system - first digit
The skill type category is…	when the first digit is…
Management occupations	0
Business, finance and administration occupations	1
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations	2
Health occupations	3
Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services	4
Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport	5
Sales and service occupations	6
Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations	7
Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations	8
Occupations in manufacturing and utilities	9

Meaning embedded in the coding system - second digit
The skill level category is…	when the second digit is…
Skill Level A	0 or 1
Skill Level B	2 or 3
Skill Level C	4 or 5
Skill Level D	6 or 7

Important note:

For management, the first digit is always 0. Senior managers in major group 00 are generally managers of middle managers, therefore the second digit is also 0. For middle management occupations, the second digit represents the skill type categories, from 1 to 9, as above. All management occupations are included in skill level A.

Examples of codes and their meaning

9231
The first digit indicates skill type category 9 : Occupations unique to processing, manufacturing and utilities
The second digit indicates skill level category B

6533
The first digit indicates skill type category 6: Sales and service occupations
The second digit indicates skill level category C

0212
The first digit 0 always indicates a management occupation
All management occupations are part of skill level A
The second digit indicates management in skill type category 2 : Natural and applied sciences and related occupations

Coding procedures for problem responses

The procedure described above assumes responses contain sufficient information for coding. Unfortunately, depending upon the survey methods used, some responses may be problematic. This occurs when the information in the response is either vague or contradictory. Experience at Statistics Canada suggests the following approaches to resolving such problems.

1) Coding vague responses

It is suggested that vague responses be coded only to the level within the classification that is possible. Of course, before doing so, any information that is available about the respondent should be consulted.

2) Using education in coding

This is especially useful in coding occupational responses that are vague. The most reliable way of using education is as an exclusionary edit. Certain occupations require a minimum education and it is possible to exclude vague responses from being coded to such occupations if the respondent does not have the minimum education required. Great care must be taken when using education in occupational coding and it should only be used as a last resort.

3) Coding when the response contains contradictory information

Sometimes the responses will give a title and a description of work performed that are contradictory. A response "labourer, driving dump truck" is contradictory in terms of the classification, as driving a truck is not considered elemental work. This response should be coded as a truck driver in 7511 Transport truck drivers.

In general, it is best to let the description of the work performed predominate over titles when coding.

Some titles can be misleading. Titles that have manager as part of the title are sometimes not managers. For example, project managers and case managers are usually not managers and must be coded based on a description of their work. Special care must be given to responses that have manager, labourer, or consultant as part of the title as these terms have a variety of meanings in the workplace.

4) Coding responses containing two or more occupations

Where two or more occupations are reported in reply to a question on occupation, the first one mentioned should be coded unless there is additional information to suggest otherwise.

Classification rules to consider when coding

Managers

Managers are usually classified to the broad occupational category 0 Management Occupations. Within this category the senior managers that are the top of a management hierarchy as denoted by terms such as president, chief executive officer, etc. are classified in major group 00 Senior management occupations.

Managers with a management specialty, such as human resource management, are classified according to specialty in major group 01-05 Specialized middle management occupations. However, senior managers with a specialist responsibility would be classified with senior management in major group 00 Senior management occupations.

An attempt has been made to isolate many of the managers of small businesses by classifying managers of retail stores, restaurants, hotels and similar businesses in a separate major group 06 Middle management occupations in retail and wholesale trade.

All other managers are classified according to the type of business managed within major group 07-09 Middle management occupations in trades, transportation, production and utilities.

Proprietors

As a general rule, the class of worker status, that is, whether the respondent works for wages or is self-employed, is not considered for classification purposes. An exception is made for proprietors in retail trade, food and accommodation services and residential home building. These are classified as managers to the following unit groups:

0621 - Retail and wholesale trade managers
0631 - Restaurant and food service managers
0632 - Accommodation service managers
0712 - Home building and renovation managers

Contractors

Contractors are classified in several areas of the classification. General contractors in construction are classified in unit group 0711 Construction managers. Renovation contractors and home building contractors are classified in unit group 0712 Home building and renovation managers.

Contractors specializing in a specific trade such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc., are classified together with supervisors to the appropriate unit group for that trade. That is, a plumbing contractor is classified to unit group 7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades.

Supervisors and foremen/women

Supervisors are classified to separate unit groups for supervisors where they exist. These are found in the following minor groups for supervisors:

121 - Administrative services supervisors
621 - Retail sales supervisors
631 - Service supervisors
720 - Contractors and supervisors, industrial, electrical and construction trades and related workers
730 - Contractors and supervisors, maintenance trades and heavy equipment and transport operators
821 - Supervisors, logging and forestry
822 - Contractors and supervisors, mining, oil and gas
825 - Contractors and supervisors, agriculture, horticulture and related operations and services
921 - Supervisors, processing and manufacturing occupations
922 - Supervisors, assembly and fabrication

This unit group for supervisors is found outside of the supervisor minor groups:

3011 - Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors

Where a separate unit group does not exist, supervisors are classified with the workers supervised. For example, in most professional major groups there are no separate unit groups for supervisors, the one exception being unit group 3011 Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors.

Technical occupations follow a similar rule and there are no separate unit groups for supervisors in this area.

Even where separate supervisory unit groups exist, "lead hands" are not classified to them as previous research has indicated that supervision is usually only a minor part of such jobs.

Apprentices

Apprentices are classified within the groups for tradesmen/women. For example an apprentice carpenter is classified to the appropriate trade group, unit group 7271 Carpenters.

Helpers

Helpers are usually considered as labourers. Most helpers will be found in the building trades such as carpenter's helper, mason's helper, roofer's helper, etc. These jobs are not to be confused with formal apprenticeships and are not classified as tradesmen/women but are classified to unit group 7611 Construction trades helpers and labourers.

Labourers

Labourers are classified in separate unit groups in the following major groups:

76 - Trades helpers, construction labourers and related occupations
86 - Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers
96 - Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities

Sample questions for obtaining additional occupational information

The following questions indicate the type of information and the format that could be used to obtain the facts necessary to classify an occupation.

a) For whom did you work?

Name of firm, government agency, etc.
Department, section or plant.

b) What kind of business, industry or service was this?

Give full description; for example, paper box manufacturing, road construction, retail shoe store, secondary school, dairy farm.

c) What was your work or occupation?

Give full description; for example, police officer, trapper, primary school teacher, community health nurse, truck driver, artisan, hairdresser.

d) In this work, what were your main activities?

For example, law enforcement, skinning animals, teaching Grade 2, treating patients, driving a truck, carving soapstone, cutting hair.

e) In this job or business, were you mainly:

Working for wages, salary, tips or commission?
Working without pay for your spouse or another relative in a family farm or business?
Self-employed without paid help (alone or in a partnership)?
Self-employed with paid help (alone or in a partnership)?

More information on the NOC 2016 Version 1.3

For information on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and its use for programs and services such as, immigrating to Canada, labour market information, job searches and working in Canada, please contact Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3

Release date: December 20, 2019

Status

National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 was approved as a departmental standard on May 16, 2016.

NOC 2016 Version 1.3

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3 is an update of the National Occupational Classification 2016 Version 1.2. This update replaces the previous version and is part of our evergreening process, to update the NOC classification on a yearly basis, to remain current with the labour market. The NOC has been developed and is maintained as part of a collaborative partnership between Employment and Social Development Canada and Statistics Canada.

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Annual Survey of Research and Development Expenditures and Personnel in Canadian Higher Education Sector Organizations

Reporting Guide

This guide is designed to assist you as you complete the Annual Survey of Research and Development Expenditures and Personnel in Canadian Higher Education Sector Organizations. If you need more information, please call the Statistics Canada Help Line at the number below.

Help Line: 1-877-949-9492

Your answers are confidential.

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act.

Statistics Canada will use information from this survey for statistical purposes.

Note:

If this organization performs in-house research and development (R&D) and outsources R&D, complete all questions.
If this organization performs in-house R&D and does not outsource R&D, complete questions 1-5, 8-26.
If this organization outsources R&D and does not perform in-house R&D, complete questions 1-3, 5-7, 17, 18 & 23-26.
If this organization does not perform in-house R&D and does not outsource R&D, complete questions 1-3, 5, 17, 18, 23, 24 & 26.

For this survey

'In-house R&D' refers to
- Expenditures within Canada for R&D performed within this organization by:
  - employees (permanent, temporary or casual)
  - self-employed individuals or contractors who are working on-site on this organization's R&D projects
'Outsourced R&D' refers to
- Payments made within or outside Canada to other companies, organizations or individuals to fund R&D performance:
  - grants
  - fellowships
  - contracts

Reporting period information

For this survey, this organization's fiscal year end date should fall on or before August 31 of the Questionnaire's reporting period.

Definitions and Concepts

Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.

R&D is performed in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. There are three types of R&D activities: basic research, applied research and experimental development.

Activities included and excluded from R&D

Inclusions

Prototypes

Include design, construction and operation of prototypes, provided that the primary objective is to make further improvements or to undertake technical testing. Exclude if the prototype is for commercial purposes.

Clinical Trials

Include clinical trial phases 1, 2, and 3. Include clinical trial phase 4 only if it brings about a further scientific or technological advance.

New computer software or significant improvements/modifications to existing computer software

Includes technological or scientific advances in theoretical computer sciences; operating systems e.g., improvement in interface management, developing new operating system or converting an existing operating system to a significantly different hardware environment, programming languages, and applications if a significant technological change occurs.

Contracts

Include all contracts which require R&D. For contracts which include other work, report only the R&D costs.

Research work in the social sciences

Include if projects are employing new or significantly different modelling techniques or developing new formulae, analyzing data not previously available or applying new research techniques, development of community strategies for disease prevention, analysis of the effectiveness of health interventions, or health education.

Exclude:

routine analytical projects using standard techniques and existing data
routine market research
routine statistical analysis intended for on-going monitoring of an activity

Exclusions

Routine analysis in the social sciences including policy-related studies, management studies and efficiency studies

Exclude analytical projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies, principles and models of the related social sciences to bear on a particular problem (e.g., commentary on the probable economic effects of a change in the tax structure, using existing economic data; use of standard techniques in applied psychology to select and classify industrial and military personnel, students, etc., and to test children with reading or other disabilities).

Consumer surveys, advertising, market research

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies intended for commercialization of the results of R&D.

Routine quality control and testing

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies not intended to create new knowledge, even if carried out by personnel normally engaged in R&D.

Engineering

Exclude engineering unless it is in direct support of R&D.

Design and drawing

Exclude design and drawing unless it is in direct support of R&D.

Patent and license work

Exclude all administrative and legal work connected with patents and licenses.

Cosmetic modifications or style changes to existing products

Exclude if no significant technical improvement or modification to the existing products has occurred.

General purpose or routine data collection

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies intended for on-going monitoring of an activity.

Routine computer programming, systems maintenance or software application

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies intended to support on-going operations.

Routine mathematical or statistical analysis or operations analysis

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies intended for on-going monitoring of an activity.

Activities associated with standards compliance

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies intended to support standards compliance.

Specialized routine medical care such as routine pathology services

Exclude projects of a routine nature, with established methodologies intended for on-going monitoring of an activity where results do not further scientific, technological advance, or understanding of the effectiveness of a technology.

In-house R&D expenditures within Canada (Q4 – Q11)

In-house R&D expenditures are composed of current in-house R&D expenditures and capital in-house R&D expenditures.

Current in-house R&D expenditures

Include:

wages, salaries, benefits and fringe benefits, materials and supplies
services to support R&D, including on-site R&D consultants and contactors
necessary background literature
minor scientific equipment
associated administrative and overhead costs

Wages, salaries of permanent, temporary and casual R&D employees

Include benefits and fringe benefits of employees engaged in R&D activities. Benefits and fringe benefits include bonus payments, holiday or vacation pay, pension fund contributions, other social security payments, payroll taxes, etc.

Services to support R&D

Include:

payments to on-site R&D consultants and contractors working under the direct control of your organization
other services including indirect services purchased to support in-house R&D such as security, storage, repair, maintenance and use of buildings and equipment
computer services, software licensing fees and dissemination of R&D findings

R&D materials

Include:

water, fuel, gas and electricity
materials for creation of prototypes
reference materials (books, journals, etc.)
subscriptions to libraries and data bases, memberships to scientific societies, etc.
cost of outsourced (contracted out or granted) small R&D prototypes or R&D models
materials for laboratories (chemicals, animals, etc.)
all other R&D-related materials

All other current R&D costs including overhead

Include administrative and overhead costs (e.g., office, lease/rent, post and telecommunications, internet, legal expenditures, insurance), prorated if necessary to allow for non-R&D activities within the organization

Exclude:

interest charges
value-added taxes (goods and services tax (GST) or harmonized sales tax (HST))

Capital in-house R&D expenditures

Capital in-house R&D expenditures are the annual gross amount paid for the acquisition of fixed assets that are used repeatedly, or continuously in the performance of R&D for more than one year. Report capital in-house R&D expenditures in full for the period when they occurred.

Include costs for software, land, buildings and structures, equipment, machinery and other capital costs.

Exclude capital depreciation.

Software

Include applications and systems software (original, customized and off-the-shelf software), supporting documentation and other software-related acquisitions.

Land acquired for R&D including testing grounds, sites for laboratories and pilot plants.
Buildings and structures that are constructed or purchased for R&D activities or that have undergone major improvements, modifications, renovations and repairs for R&D activities.
Equipment, machinery and all other capital

Include major equipment, machinery and instruments, including embedded software, acquired for R&D activities.

Outsourced (contracted out or granted) R&D expenditures (Q12 - Q16)

Include payments made through contracts, licenses, grants donations, endowments and fellowships to another company, university, hospital, consortia, organization or individual to purchase or fund R&D activities.

Exclude expenditures for on-site R&D contractors.

Companies include all incorporated for-profit businesses and government business enterprises providing products in the market at market rates.
Private non-profit organizations include voluntary health organizations, private philanthropic foundations, associations, consortia, accelerators, and societies and research institutes. They are not-for-profit organizations that serve the public interest by supporting activities related to public welfare (such as health, education, the environment).
Industrial research institutes or associations include all non-profit organizations that serve the business sector, with industrial associations frequently consisting of their membership.
Hospitals include establishments, licensed as hospitals, primarily engaged in providing diagnostic and medical treatment services, and specialized accommodation services to in-patients. These establishments have an organized medical staff of physicians, nurses and other health professionals, technologists and technicians. Hospitals use specialized facilities and equipment that form a significant and integral part of the production process. Hospitals may also provide a wide variety of out-patient services as a secondary activity.
Universities include hospitals and clinics when they are affiliated with a university and provide education services or when R&D activity is under the direct control of a university.
Federal government includes all federal government departments and agencies. It excludes federal government organization enterprises providing products in the market.
Provincial or territorial governments include all provincial or territorial government ministries, departments and agencies. It excludes provincial or territorial government organization enterprises providing products in the market.
Provincial or territorial research organizations are organizations created under provincial or territorial law which conduct or facilitate research on behalf of the province or territory.
Other organizations – individuals, non-university educational organizations, for profit accelerators and incubators, foreign governments including ministries, departments and agencies of foreign governments.

Sources of funds for in-house R&D expenditures in 2018 (Q19-20)

Include Canadian and foreign sources.

Exclude:

payments for outsourced (contracted out or granted) R&D, which should be reported in question 13
capital depreciation

Funds from this organization
Amount contributed by this organization to R&D performed within Canada. Include interest payments, fundraising and other income.
Companies
Funds received from incorporated for-profit organizations and government organization enterprises providing products in the market at market rates
Federal government grants or funding
Funds received from the federal government in support of R&D activities not connected to a specific contractual deliverable.
Federal government contracts
Funds received from the federal government in support of R&D activities connected to a specific contractual deliverable.

Geographic distribution of provincial or territorial government funds from grants and contracts

Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick.
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut

In-house R&D expenditures by fields of research and development in 2018 (Q21)

Exclude:

payments for outsourced (contracted out or granted) R&D, which should be reported in question 13
capital depreciation

Medical and health sciences

Basic medicine, clinical medicine, health sciences, medical biotechnology, other medical sciences.

Basic medicine: anatomy and morphology (plant science under Biological science), human genetics, immunology, neurosciences, pharmacology and pharmacy and medicinal chemistry, toxicology, physiology and cytology, pathology.
Clinical medicine: andrology, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, cardiac and cardiovascular systems, haematology, anaesthesiology, orthopaedics, radiology and nuclear medicine, dentistry, oral surgery and medicine, dermatology, venereal diseases and allergy, rheumatology, endocrinology and metabolism and gastroenterology, urology and nephrology, and oncology.
Health sciences: health care sciences and nursing, nutrition and dietetics, parasitology, infectious diseases and epidemiology, occupational health.
Medical biotechnology: health-related biotechnology, technologies involving the manipulation of cells, tissues, organs or the whole organism, technologies involving identifying the functioning of DNA, proteins and enzymes, pharmacogenomics, gene-based therapeutics, biomaterials (related to medical implants, devices, sensors).
Other medical sciences: forensic science, other medical sciences.

Other fields of research and development

Natural and formal sciences: mathematics, physical sciences, chemical sciences, earth and related environmental sciences, biological sciences and other natural sciences.

Exclude computer sciences, information sciences and bioinformatics

Engineering and technology: civil engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and communications technology, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, materials engineering, medical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, nanotechnology, other engineering and technologies.

Exclude software engineering and technology

Software-related sciences and technologies: software engineering and technology, computer sciences, information technology and bioinformatics.
Agricultural sciences: agriculture, forestry and fisheries sciences, animal and dairy sciences, veterinary sciences, agricultural biotechnology, other agricultural sciences.
Social sciences and humanities: Psychology, educational sciences, economics and business, other social sciences, humanities.

In-house R&D personnel in 2018 (Q24 – Q26)

Include:

permanent, temporary and casual R&D employees
independent on-site R&D consultants and contractors working in your organization's offices, laboratories, or other facilities
employees engaged in R&D-related support activities

Researchers and research managers are composed of:

Scientists, social scientists, engineers and researchers are professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge. They conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models, techniques instrumentation, software or operational methods. They may be certified by provincial or territorial educational authorities, provincial, territorial or national scientific or engineering associations.
Senior research managers plan or manage R&D projects and programs. They may be certified by provincial or territorial educational authorities, provincial, territorial or national scientific or engineering associations.

R&D technical, administrative and support staff are composed of:

Technicians and technologists and research assistants are persons whose main tasks require technical knowledge and experience in one or more fields of engineering, the physical and life sciences, or the social sciences, humanities and the arts. They participate in R&D by performing scientific and technical tasks involving the application of concepts, operational methods and the use of research equipment, normally under the supervision of researchers. They may be certified by provincial or territorial educational authorities, provincial, territorial or national scientific or engineering associations.
Other R&D technical, administrative support staff include skilled and unskilled craftsmen, and administrative, secretarial and clerical staff participating in R&D projects or directly associated with such projects.

On-site R&D consultants and contractors are individuals hired 1) to perform project-based work or to provide goods at a fixed or ascertained price or within a certain time or 2) to provide advice or services in a specialized field for a fee and, in both cases, work at the location specified and controlled by the contracting company or organization.

Full-time equivalent (FTE)

R&D may be carried out by persons who work solely on R&D projects or by persons who devote only part of their time to R&D, and the balance to other activities such as testing, quality control and production engineering. To arrive at the total effort devoted to R&D in terms of personnel, it is necessary to estimate the full-time equivalent of these persons working only part-time in R&D.

Full-time equivalent (FTE) = Number of persons who work solely on R&D projects + the time of persons working only part of their time on R&D.

Example calculation: If out of four scientists engaged in R&D work, one works solely on R&D projects and the remaining three devote only one quarter of their working time to R&D, then: FTE = 1 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1.75 scientists.

Technology and technical assistant payments in 2018 (Q27 – Q29)

Definitions (equivalent to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office)

Patent
Government grant giving the right to exclude others from making, using or selling an invention.
Copyright
Legal protection for literary, artistic, dramatic or musical works, computer programs, performer's performances, sound recordings, and communication signals.
Trademark
A word, symbol or design, or combination of these, used to distinguish goods or services of one person or organization from those of others in the marketplace.
Industrial design
Legal protection against imitation of the shape, pattern, or ornamentation of an object.
Integrated circuit topography
Three-dimensional configurations of the elements and interconnections embodied in an integrated circuit product.
Original software
Computer programs and descriptive materials for both systems and applications. Original software can be created in-house or outsourced and includes packaged software with customization.
Packaged or off-the-shelf software
Packaged software purchased for organizational use and excludes software with customization.
Databases
Data files organized to permit effective access and use of the data including access clinical trial registries and administrative health data for research purposes. Includes partnerships supporting the development of databases, such as patient or clinical trial registries or biobanks, to be used for research purposes (e.g., developing a national bladder cancer patient registry with Bladder Cancer Canada for future research).

Other
Technical assistance, industrial processes and know-how including technology transfer and know how such as batch pilot production, method develop, and validation related to technology or manufacturing transfer.

Statistics Canada's Website Evaluation 2020

Consultation objectives

In January and February 2020, Statistics Canada conducted its annual website evaluation by collecting feedback from visitors on a number of topics, including:

satisfaction
success in task completion

Methodology

A pop-up intercept was used from January 6 to February 5, 2020, to invite website users to complete a short questionnaire. In total, 10,309 visitors participated in the consultation.

Respondent profile

In order to better understand our respondents' profile, a few demographic questions (e.g., occupational profile, statistical proficiency, frequency of visits, etc.) were included in the short questionnaire.

When asked their occupational profile, 67% of respondents indicated that they were employed, 26% said that they were students, and the remainder either said they were retired (4%) or they selected "Other" (3%) from the list of options.

Of those employed, almost half (49%) were from the private sector and nearly one third (27%) worked in government.

Respondents were asked how they would define their statistical proficiency: 22% said they had a high proficiency (can manipulate datasets and do univariate or multivariate analysis); 57% said medium (can analyze and interpret data tables and turn them into useable information); 15% said low (can calculate a percentage and can display in a graph); and 6% indicated that they have no statistical proficiency at all.

Respondents were asked about the frequency of their visits to the website: 27% were frequent visitors (visited the website six or more times in the last six months) and 73% were infrequent visitors (visited the website fewer than six times in the last six months).

Results

Overall satisfaction

In 2020, 73% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the Statistics Canada website, in line with 2019.

Information sought

The consultation revealed that 50% of visitors were looking for data and data tables on a specific topic; 11% searched for studies, articles or publications on a specific topic; 10% came to fill out a survey; and 29% were looking for various things such as reference information, information on a specific location and standard classifications.

Task completion success

As in 2019, the results from 2020 showed that more than three quarters (78%) of respondents completed their task successfully.

Among successful respondents, 78% took less than 6 minutes to find the information they were seeking and 80% reported that finding information was easy.

Frequent visitors indicated a higher success rate in completing their tasks (85%) than infrequent visitors (76%).

Students had the most success in finding information at 83% and respondents from the provincial/territorial government sector had an 82% rate of success.

Among all visitors, the success level was highest for respondents looking for information in The Daily,at 96%.

How to get involved

This consultation is now closed, but individuals who wish to obtain more information or to take part in a future consultation project should contact Statistics Canada by sending an email to statcan.consultations@statcan.gc.ca.

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For more information on Statistics Canada's privacy policies, please consult the Privacy notice.

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Date modified:: 2023-01-09

Heat Energy Pre-Contact

Survey purpose

The purpose of this pre-contact questionnaire is to collect information about heat energy production in Canada. Your answers will help determine if your establishment qualifies for a potential new survey being considered for this industry, or if new questions should be added to an existing survey instead.

The information you provide may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Coverage Statement

I would like to confirm the coverage that the Heat Energy Pre-Contact is seeking:

Please answer the following questions for this company's cogeneration or heating plants.

Business activity

1. Verify or provide the current main activity of the business or organization identified by the legal and operating name above.

Note: The described activity was assigned using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

Note: Press the help button (?) for additional information, including a detailed description of this activity complete with example activities and any applicable exclusions.

This is the current main activity.
This is not the current main activity.

Energy generation

The following questions are focused on Heat Energy Generation and Co-generation (the generation of both electricity and heat).

Heat energy is defined as a product generated for the purpose of a business's internal use or for sale. It does not include heat by-products, such as waste heat.

Co-generation is defined as the simultaneous generation of both electricity and heat from the same fuel, for the business's internal use or for sale.

1. Does this business generate one of the following?

Does it generate:

Electricity only
Co-generation (electricity and heat)
Heat only
None of the above

Purpose

2. What is the purpose of this generation?

Select all that apply.

Is it:

To generate electricity for internal use
To generate electricity for sale
To generate heat for internal use
To generate heat for sale

Cooling

3. If this business generates heat does it also provide cooling?

Amount of heat generated

4. Does this business measure the amount of heat it generates?

District Energy Systems

5. Does this business consider itself to be a District Energy System?

A District Energy System is a closed system linking two or more buildings together.

Fuels used

6. Which fuels were used to generate heat?

Select all that apply.

Was it:

Bituminous coal
Sub-bituminous coal
Lignite
Wood e.g., bark, hog-fuel
Petroleum coke
Agriculture biomass
Other biomass e.g., biomass from food processing
Other biomass – type unknown
Municipal and other waste
Biodiesel
Ethanol
Other biofuel
Light fuel oil
Heavy fuel oil
Propane
Diesel
Spent pulping liquor
Orimulsion
Natural gas
Coke oven gas
Methane (land fill)
Refined fuel gas
Other fuels used to generate heat

Retail Trade Survey (Monthly): CVs for Total sales by geography - October 2019

CVs for Total sales by geography - October 2019
Table summary
This table displays the results of Annual Retail Trade Survey: CVs for Total sales by geography - October 2019. The information is grouped by Geography (appearing as row headers), Month and Percent (appearing as column headers).
Geography	Month
	201910
	Percent
Canada	0.6
Newfoundland and Labrador	2.5
Prince Edward Island	0.8
Nova Scotia	1.8
New Brunswick	1.4
Quebec	1.1
Ontario	1.3
Manitoba	0.7
Saskatchewan	1.8
Alberta	1.0
British Columbia	1.3
Yukon Territory	0.9
Northwest Territories	0.1
Nunavut	2.4

Food Price Data Hub

This data hub offers access to a centralized collection of information on food prices in Canada.

Follow:

Consumer Price Index (CPI): Statistics Canada's primary measure of inflation

Selected geographical area: ~ ' ' ~ Canada ~ ''; ?>

Food purchased from stores - Canada
(April 2025)

3.8%

(12-month change)

Description: Consumer Price Index for food purchased from stores, 12-month percentage change

Consumer Price Index for food purchased from stores, 12-month % change
	Index for food purchased from stores	All-items index
March 2020	2.4	0.9
April 2020	4.0	-0.2
May 2020	3.5	-0.4
June 2020	3.0	0.7
July 2020	2.4	0.1
August 2020	1.6	0.1
September 2020	1.3	0.5
October 2020	2.3	0.7
November 2020	1.6	1.0
December 2020	0.5	0.7
January 2021	0.1	1.0
February 2021	1.3	1.1
March 2021	1.3	2.2
April 2021	0.1	3.4
May 2021	0.9	3.6
June 2021	0.7	3.1
July 2021	1.0	3.7
August 2021	2.6	4.1
September 2021	4.2	4.4
October 2021	3.9	4.7
November 2021	4.7	4.7
December 2021	5.7	4.8
January 2022	6.5	5.1
February 2022	7.4	5.7
March 2022	8.7	6.7
April 2022	9.7	6.8
May 2022	9.7	7.7
June 2022	9.4	8.1
July 2022	9.9	7.6
August 2022	10.8	7.0
September 2022	11.4	6.9
October 2022	11.0	6.9
November 2022	11.4	6.8
December 2022	11.0	6.3
January 2023	11.4	5.9
February 2023	10.6	5.2
March 2023	9.7	4.3
April 2023	9.1	4.4
May 2023	9.0	3.4
June 2023	9.1	2.8
July 2023	8.5	3.3
August 2023	6.9	4.0
September 2023	5.8	3.8
October 2023	5.4	3.1
November 2023	4.7	3.1
December 2023	4.7	3.4
January 2024	3.4	2.9
February 2024	2.4	2.8
March 2024	1.9	2.9
April 2024	1.4	2.7
May 2024	1.5	2.9
June 2024	2.1	2.7
July 2024	2.1	2.5
August 2024	2.4	2.0
September 2024	2.4	1.6
October 2024	2.7	2.0
November 2024	2.6	1.9
December 2024	1.9	1.8
January 2025	1.9	1.9
February 2025	2.8	2.6
March 2025	3.2	2.3
April 2025	3.8	1.7

Notes:

Stores include grocery stores, which comprise major grocery retailers and independent grocery stores.
See Representative Products of the Consumer Price Index for the list of products that make up the Consumer Price Index's basket of goods and services.

Source: Table 18-10-0004-03

Consumer Price Index data visualization tool

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) data visualization tool provides dynamic and customizable access to current and historical CPI data.

Average Retail Food Prices Data Visualization Tool

Monthly Average Food Retail Prices Dashboard

The Average Retail Food Prices Data Visualization Tool allows users to explore average prices by building their own grocery basket.

Find data on

More related subjects: Food

Monthly Canadian average retail price of selected food items

Milk, 2 litres

$5.38
(April 2025)

White bread, 675 grams

$3.48
(April 2025)

White rice, 2 kilograms

$9.82
(April 2025)

Butter, 454 grams

$5.55
(April 2025)

Ground beef, per kilogram

$14.17
(April 2025)

Chicken breasts, per kilogram

$13.51
(April 2025)

Eggs, 1 dozen

$4.92
(April 2025)

Apples, per kilogram

$5.85
(April 2025)

Bananas, per kilogram

$1.66
(April 2025)

Potatoes, per kilogram

$4.81
(April 2025)

Tomatoes, per kilogram

$4.69
(April 2025)

Vegetable oil, 3 litres

$8.62
(April 2025)

Notes:

Users should exercise caution when comparing average prices over time. Factors such as product rotation, quality and quantity changes, and shifting consumer preferences can contribute to price differences from one month to another. Users should also use caution when comparing average prices across different provinces, because of variations in brands, quality and size among geographic areas.
Average retail prices are available by province in Table 18-10-0245-01 (Monthly average retail prices for selected products).
The Methodological Supplement for the Monthly Average Retail Prices Table provides more information on the collection and interpretation of these data.

Source: Table 18-10-0245-01

International price indexes

Find inflation data for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Food supply chain prices, 12-month change

Production

Information on production

Crops
(September 2024)

-13.1% decrease

Livestock and animal products
(September 2024)

3.3% increase

Farm input: Machinery fuel
(Fourth quarter 2024)

-8.6% decrease

Farm input: Fertilizer
(Fourth quarter 2024)

-2.7% decrease

Farm input: Animal feed
(Fourth quarter 2024)

-12.7% decrease

Sources:

Table 18-10-0258-01
Table 32-10-0098-01

Processing and packaging

Information on processing and packaging

Crop products
(April 2025)

3.8% decrease

Animals and animal products

(April 2025)

2.7% increase

Plastic bags

(April 2025)

0.3% decrease

Plastic bottles

(April 2025)

2.4% increase

Paperboard containers

(April 2025)

4.2% increase

Sources:

Table 18-10-0266-01
Table 18-10-0268-01

Transportation, wholesale and retail

Information on transportation, wholesale and retail

Truck transportation
(December 2024)

0.4% decrease

Motor gasoline
(April 2025)

-14.6% increase

Diesel fuel
(April 2025)

-5.1% increase

Food wholesale markup
(December 2024)

3.2% decrease

Grocery stores markup
(December 2024)

0.3% increase

Sources:

Personal Inflation Calculator

The Personal Inflation Calculator is an interactive tool that allows you to estimate your personal inflation rate based on your household expenses.

An Overview of Canada's Consumer Price Index

The video An Overview of Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) defines the CPI and looks at what it measures and how it is used.

Agriculture and Food Statistics

Agriculture and Food Statistics is a one-stop shop for statistical information on agriculture and food.

Eh Sayers podcast

Eh Sayers - Why Should You Care About Inflation?

Why food inflation is such a hard nut to crack. The latest data indicate that food prices have mostly stabilized... but why does it feel like the cost of feeding your family is still going up? Listen to the podcast to learn more!

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supports the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector through initiatives that promote innovation and competitiveness.

Feedback

What do you want to see on this page? Email infostats@statcan.gc.ca to let us know.

Income, pensions, spending and wealth statistics

Income, pensions, spending and wealth Statistics

Follow:

Bringing together data, tools and reports to provide you with the latest information on income, pensions, spending and wealth in Canada.

Find data on

Key indicators

Selected geographical area: ~ ' ' ~ Canada ~ ''; ?>

Median after-tax income, economic families and persons not in an economic family - Canada
(2023)

$74,200
Active Registered Pension Plan Membership - Canada
(2023)

6,927,094.0

3.2%

(annual change)
Average annual spending on goods and services per household - Canada
(2023)

$76,750
Average total income for top 1% tax filers - Canada
(2022)

$586,900

5.1%

(annual change)

Features

The assets, debts and net worth of Canadian families, 2023

Rising prices and the impact on the most financially vulnerable: A profile of those in the bottom family income quintile

Pandemic benefits cushion losses for low income earners and narrow income inequality – after-tax income grows across Canada except in Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador

Income in retirement expectations versus reality — Income in retirement: Expectations versus reality

Dimensions of Poverty Hub

The Dimensions of Poverty Hub brings together data on the 12 indicators of Canada's Official Poverty Dashboard from the Government of Canada.

Income Explorer

This interactive chart is comprised of two visualizations to show statistics of selected income sources by various characteristics and geographies.

T1 Family File data visualizations

Explore sub-provincial income data with our T1 Family File (T1FF) interactive data visualization tools:

Releases

The Daily - Income, pensions, spending and wealth

Find income, pensions, spending and wealth data and analytical products released in The Daily.

Quality of Life Framework for Canada

Statistics Canada's Quality of Life Hub provides important information on quality of life in Canada for all, bringing together key economic, social and environmental datasets.

Sustainable Development Goals

Browse Canada's statistics for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals

Pension satellite account: Interactive tool

The Pension satellite account: Interactive tool contains information on different pension types, contributions, investment income, withdrawals and revaluations.

Gender, diversity and inclusion statistics

A focal point for data produced by Statistics Canada's Centre for Gender, diversity and inclusion statistics.

Housing statistics

The Housing statistics portal brings together data, tools and reports to provide you with the latest information on housing in Canada.

Feedback

What do you want to see on this page? Email statcan.cisws-csrbs.statcan@statcan.gc.ca to let us know.

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Date modified:: 2025-06-13

Multifactor Productivity Application

Consultation objectives

How to get involved

Results

Introduction to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3

Preface

Acknowledgements

Background

Structure and format of NOC 2016

Abbreviations

Language

Modifying terms

Format of unit group descriptions

Class definitionsFootnote 2 / Lead statementFootnote 3

Illustrative examplesFootnote 2 / Example titlesFootnote 3

Inclusions

ExclusionsFootnote 2 / Classified elsewhereFootnote 3

Main duties

Employment requirements

Additional information

Related classifications

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

Class of Worker

Relationship between NOC and ISCO-08

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.0 update

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.1 update

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.2 update

Overview of the NOC 2016 Version 1.3 update

NOC classification criteria

Skill level

NOC skill level criteria - education/training and other criteria

Skill type

0. Management occupations

1. Business, finance and administration occupations

2. Natural and applied sciences and related occupations

3. Health occupations

4. Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services

5. Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

6. Sales and service occupations

7. Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations

8. Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations

9. Occupations in manufacturing and utilities

Industry

Occupational mobility

Other classification considerations

Issues and conventions of the NOC

Management occupations

Supervisors

Trades

Inspectors, testers and graders

Apprentices and trainees

Coding to NOC 2016

Coding and the NOC 2016 classification structure

Coding procedures for problem responses

1) Coding vague responses

2) Using education in coding

3) Coding when the response contains contradictory information

4) Coding responses containing two or more occupations

Classification rules to consider when coding

Managers

Proprietors

Contractors

Supervisors and foremen/women

Apprentices

Helpers

Labourers

Sample questions for obtaining additional occupational information

More information on the NOC 2016 Version 1.3

National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3

Status

NOC 2016 Version 1.3

HTML format

CSV format

Correspondence tables

Statistical methods statistics

Statistical methods Statistics

Statistical methodsStatistics

Follow:

Find data on

Features

Class definitions^{Footnote 2} / Lead statement^{Footnote 3}

Illustrative examples^{Footnote 2} / Example titles^{Footnote 3}

Exclusions^{Footnote 2} / Classified elsewhere^{Footnote 3}

Statistical methods
Statistics

Food Price
Data Hub

Crops
(September 2024)

Livestock and animal products
(September 2024)

Farm input: Machinery fuel
(Fourth quarter 2024)

Farm input: Fertilizer
(Fourth quarter 2024)

Farm input: Animal feed
(Fourth quarter 2024)