National Occupational Classification, TEER 1
NOC 31120: Pharmacists
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. Below are the main duties, all 15 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 31120?
NOC 31120 is the code for pharmacists in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include clinical pharmacist, community pharmacist, hospital pharmacist and industrial pharmacist. 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 healthcare and social services category draw. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $55.49 an hour.
- NOC code
- 31120
- TEER
- 1: University degree
- Broad category
- Health occupations
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- Healthcare and social services
- Median wage
- $55.49 an hour
Job titles under NOC 31120
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. They are employed in retail pharmacies and health center pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They are employed in pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.
Main job titles
- clinical pharmacist
- community pharmacist
- hospital pharmacist
- industrial pharmacist
- pharmacist
- retail pharmacist
All 15 job titles in the NOC index
clinical pharmacist, community pharmacist, dispensary department supervisor - hospital, drug information pharmacist, druggist, health care institution pharmacist, hospital druggist, hospital pharmacist, industrial pharmacist, intern pharmacist, pharmacist, pharmacist consultant, pharmacy officer - Canadian Armed Forces, registered pharmacist, retail pharmacist.
Main duties of NOC 31120
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists
- Check prescriptions for proper dosage
- Compound prescribed pharmaceutical products by calculating, measuring and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity
- Dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to customers or to other health care professionals and advise them on indications, contra-indications, adverse effects, drug interactions and dosage
- Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs
- Ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biologicals and other drugs and pharmaceuticals
- Order and maintain stock of pharmaceutical supplies
- Advise customers on selection and use of non-prescription medication
- Renew existing prescriptions in limited circumstances
- May adapt the formulation, regimen, duration or route of administration of medication
- May supervise and coordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and other staff.
Industrial pharmacists
- Participate in research for the development of new drugs
- Formulate new drug products developed by medical researchers
- Test new drug products for stability and to determine absorption and elimination patterns
- Coordinate clinical investigations of new drugs
- Control the quality of drug products during production to ensure that they meet standards of potency, purity, uniformity, stability and safety
- Develop information materials concerning the uses, properties and risks of particular drugs
- Evaluate labelling, packaging and advertising of drug products
- Promote pharmaceutical products to health professionals.
Employment requirements
- A university degree in pharmacy and a period of supervised practical training are required.
- Licensure is required in all provinces and territories for community and hospital pharmacists.
Is NOC 31120 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 31120 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Healthcare and social services 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 31120 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 | $40.00 | $55.49 | $67.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $33.00 | $51.00 | $59.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $46.88 | $55.50 | $62.50 |
| Nova Scotia | $41.25 | $51.00 | $58.97 |
| New Brunswick | $46.15 | $52.00 | $65.00 |
| Quebec | $41.03 | $63.00 | $75.00 |
| Ontario | $37.00 | $53.85 | $65.00 |
| Manitoba | $50.00 | $56.00 | $69.23 |
| Saskatchewan | $35.18 | $55.33 | $62.00 |
| Alberta | $41.24 | $55.00 | $62.00 |
| British Columbia | $40.87 | $52.00 | $64.00 |
| Yukon | $43.61 | $64.71 | $82.88 |
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 31120 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 31120 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.
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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 clinical pharmacist?
NOC 31120, Pharmacists, a TEER 1 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 31120?
TEER 1. Usually a university degree. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 31120 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 31120 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
Yes. IRCC’s 2026 list puts it in the healthcare and social services 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 31120 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $55.49 an hour, with most wages between $40.00 and $67.00. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 31120 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.