National Occupational Classification, TEER 1
NOC 21300: Civil engineers
Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction or repair of buildings, earth structures, powerhouses, roads, airports, railways, rapid transit facilities, bridges, tunnels, canals, dams, ports and coastal installations and systems related to highway and transportation services, water distribution and sanitation. Below are the main duties, all 73 job titles it covers, what it means for Express Entry and what it pays in each province.
Updated
- Official NOC 2021 data
- Job Bank wages
What is NOC 21300?
NOC 21300 is the code for civil engineers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include bridge engineer, civil engineer, construction engineer and construction project engineer. It is a TEER 1 occupation (usually a university degree), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, and IRCC lists it for the STEM category draw. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $48.56 an hour.
- NOC code
- 21300
- TEER
- 1: University degree
- Broad category
- Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- STEM
- Median wage
- $48.56 an hour
Job titles under NOC 21300
Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction or repair of buildings, earth structures, powerhouses, roads, airports, railways, rapid transit facilities, bridges, tunnels, canals, dams, ports and coastal installations and systems related to highway and transportation services, water distribution and sanitation. Civil engineers may also specialize in foundation analysis, building and structural inspection, surveying, geomatics and municipal planning. They are employed by engineering consulting companies, in all levels of government, by construction firms and in many other industries, or they may be self-employed.
Main job titles
- bridge engineer
- civil engineer
- construction engineer
- construction project engineer
- environmental engineer
- geodetic engineer
- geomatics engineer
- highway engineer
- hydraulics engineer
- municipal engineer
- public works engineer
- sanitation engineer
- structural engineer
- surveying engineer
- traffic engineer
- transportation engineer
- water management engineer
All 73 job titles in the NOC index
airport engineer, appraisal engineer, architectural engineer, asphalt engineer, bridge engineer, building envelope engineer, buildings and bridge engineer, cartographic engineer, chief civil engineer, civil engineer, civil engineer project manager, civil engineering project manager, civil environmental engineer, civil inspection engineer, civil pipeline engineer, civil structural engineer, coastal engineer, concrete engineer, construction engineer, construction project engineer, consulting civil engineer, county engineer, dams engineer, district engineer, drainage design engineer, environmental engineer, erecting engineer, foundation engineer, geodetic engineer, geomatics engineer, highway engineer, hydraulics engineer, hydrographic engineer, hydrological engineer, irrigation and drainage engineer, irrigation engineer, land drainage engineer, mapping engineer, material testing civil engineer, municipal engineer, navigation and positioning engineer, noise abatement engineer, ocean engineer, photogrammetric engineer, pollution control engineer, precision survey engineer, public health engineer, public works engineer, rail transportation traffic engineer, reclamation engineer, remote sensing engineer, river and canal works engineer, sanitary engineer, sanitation engineer, sewage control engineer, soil engineer, solid waste management engineer, spatial information systems engineer, structural design engineer, structural engineer, structural engineering project manager, survey engineer, surveying engineer, traffic engineer, traffic operations engineer, transportation engineer, tunnel engineer, urban road system engineer, water and sewer engineer, water management engineer, water resources engineer, water systems engineer, water treatment engineer.
Also included in this group
- spatial information systems engineer
Main duties of NOC 21300
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Confer with clients and other members of the engineering team and conduct research to determine project requirements
- Plan and design major civil projects such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, water and waste management systems and structural steel fabrications
- Develop construction specifications and procedures
- Evaluate and recommend appropriate building and construction materials
- Interpret, review and approve survey and civil design work
- Conduct field services for civil works
- Ensure construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations
- Establish and monitor construction work schedules
- Conduct feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies or other investigations
- Monitor air, water and soil quality and develop procedures to clean up contaminated sites
- Conduct technical analyses of survey and field data for development of topographic, soil, hydrological or other information and prepare reports
- Act as project or site supervisor for land survey or construction work
- Prepare contract documents and review and evaluate tenders for construction projects
- Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers and review and approve designs, calculations and cost estimates.
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
- A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is offered by the Canada Green Building Council and may be required by some employers.
Additional information
- There is considerable mobility between civil engineering specializations at the less senior levels.
- Supervisory and senior positions in this unit group require experience.
- Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
Is NOC 21300 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 1 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.
| Program or draw | NOC 21300 |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Canadian Experience Class | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | Not a listed trade |
| Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations (category draw) | On the eligible list |
| French-language proficiency (category draw) | Open to any occupation with NCLC 7 in French |
Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 21300 pay?
Job Bank wages for this occupation, per hour. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $32.00 | $48.56 | $72.12 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $35.11 | $51.15 | $74.82 |
| Prince Edward Island | $32.00 | $36.30 | $54.09 |
| Nova Scotia | $30.14 | $47.34 | $77.14 |
| New Brunswick | $30.00 | $44.36 | $73.56 |
| Quebec | $33.65 | $49.74 | $69.23 |
| Ontario | $30.50 | $48.08 | $72.12 |
| Manitoba | $24.76 | $49.50 | $73.50 |
| Saskatchewan | $28.85 | $42.00 | $62.00 |
| Alberta | $34.00 | $51.69 | $76.92 |
| British Columbia | $32.48 | $47.12 | $72.12 |
| Yukon | $30.26 | $46.18 | $65.83 |
| Northwest Territories | $45.96 | $61.75 | $86.35 |
Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2023-2024 (Labour Force Survey). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.
Using NOC 21300 duties on your resume
Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.
For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 21300 as you write.
- Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
- Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
- Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.
Turn my duties into a resume Free to start, no card.
Where this information comes from
Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for a bridge engineer?
NOC 21300, Civil engineers, a TEER 1 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 21300?
TEER 1. Usually a university degree. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 21300 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes. As a TEER 1 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.
Is NOC 21300 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
Yes. IRCC’s 2026 list puts it in the STEM category. You need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same part-time) in it within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 21300 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $48.56 an hour, with most wages between $32.00 and $72.12. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 21300 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.
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More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
- TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
- Express Entry Category Draws: NOC Codes: Every NOC code on the 2026 healthcare, STEM, trades, education and other lists.
- Canadian Resume Examples by Job: Real examples for cashiers, caregivers, trades, tech, students and more.
- Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.