National Occupational Classification, TEER 1
NOC 41301: Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies assist individuals and groups of clients to identify, understand and overcome personal problems and achieve personal objectives. Below are the main duties, all 65 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 41301?
NOC 41301 is the code for therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include addictions counsellor, art therapist, bereavement counsellor and child and youth counsellor. 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 $34.00 an hour.
- NOC code
- 41301
- TEER
- 1: University degree
- Broad category
- Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- Healthcare and social services
- Median wage
- $34.00 an hour
Job titles under NOC 41301
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies assist individuals and groups of clients to identify, understand and overcome personal problems and achieve personal objectives. They can be specialized to work on specific problems and they may practice psychotherapy. They are employed by counselling centres, social service agencies, group homes, government agencies, family therapy centres, and educational, health care and rehabilitation facilities, or they may work in private practice.
Main job titles
- addictions counsellor
- art therapist
- bereavement counsellor
- child and youth counsellor
- drama therapist
- family counsellor
- marriage counsellor
- movement therapist
- music therapist
- psychotherapist
- registered clinical counsellor
- registered dance therapist
- registered marriage and family therapist
- sex therapist
All 65 job titles in the NOC index
addictions counsellor, alcohol addiction counsellor, art therapist, art therapists' supervisor, art therapy consultant, art therapy teacher (except education), behavioural consultant, behavioural therapist, behaviourist, bereavement counsellor, child and family counsellor, child and youth counsellor, children's counsellor, clinical counsellor, community mental health counsellor, counselling program supervisor, counselling therapist, counsellor for persons who are intellectually impaired, couples therapist, crisis counsellor, dance therapist, dance therapists' supervisor, dance therapy researcher, dance-movement therapist, dance-movement therapy researcher, disability consultant, drama therapist, drama therapists' supervisor, drug addiction counsellor, eating disorder therapist, family counsellor, family planning counsellor, family therapist, gambling addictions counsellor, gambling addictions therapist, grief counsellor, group home counsellor, human relations officer - family and children's services, human relations officer - family therapy, marital counsellor, marriage and family therapist, marriage consultant, marriage counsellor, marriage therapist, mental health counsellor, movement therapist, music therapist, music therapists' supervisor, music therapy researcher, play therapist, preretirement counsellor, psychoeducational consultant, psychoeducator, psychotherapist, registered clinical counsellor, registered dance therapist, registered family therapist, registered marriage and family therapist, registered marriage therapist, sex therapist, sexologist, special needs counsellor, spontaneous art teacher - therapy, welfare organization counsellor, zootherapist.
Also included in this group
- behavioural consultant
- disability consultant
- play therapist
- psychoeducational consultant
- psychoeducator
Main duties of NOC 41301
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Interview clients, prepare case histories and assess problems
- Develop and implement counselling and intervention programs to assist clients in determining goals and means of attaining them
- Counsel clients, provide therapy and mediation services, and facilitate group sessions
- Liaise with community agencies or partners, and identify additional or alternative services and provide referrals
- Evaluate the effectiveness of counselling programs and interventions, and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and movement toward defined objectives
- Follow up on results of counselling programs and clients' adjustments
- Prepare assessment, progress, follow-up and court reports
- May supervise other counsellors, social service staff and assistants
- May provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counselling services, issues and methods
- May provide witness testimony in court proceedings
- May conduct research, publish research papers, educational texts and articles and deliver presentations at conferences
- May collaborate with employee assistance programs or with government organizations in health and safety or with victims of crime
- May participate in fundraising activities.
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's or master's degree in the field of counselling, therapy, mental health, psychology or a related social service discipline is required and a period of supervised clinical work with clients may be required.
- A master's degree in the field of therapy is required for art therapist, music therapist, and dance therapists.
- Membership with a provincial or federal association is usually required by employers.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for counselling therapists.
- To practise psychotherapy, a permit is required in Quebec and registration with the appropriate regulatory body is required in Ontario.
Additional information
- Counselling therapists usually become specialized in a particular area through continual training and experience.
- Progression to social service management positions is possible with additional training and experience.
Is NOC 41301 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 41301 |
|---|---|
| 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 41301 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 | $23.00 | $34.00 | $50.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $26.00 | $31.00 | $43.96 |
| Prince Edward Island | $20.00 | $31.50 | $43.34 |
| Nova Scotia | $20.00 | $30.67 | $43.00 |
| New Brunswick | $18.90 | $32.00 | $48.81 |
| Quebec | $27.30 | $38.00 | $48.00 |
| Ontario | $23.00 | $33.00 | $48.00 |
| Manitoba | $24.61 | $36.00 | $51.37 |
| Saskatchewan | $25.00 | $37.00 | $53.00 |
| Alberta | $22.45 | $38.46 | $54.00 |
| British Columbia | $25.00 | $39.50 | $51.15 |
| Yukon | $31.90 | $47.69 | $50.30 |
| Northwest Territories | $28.89 | $53.15 | $70.12 |
| Nunavut | $42.00 | $54.95 | $60.00 |
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 41301 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 41301 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 addictions counsellor?
NOC 41301, Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies, a TEER 1 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 41301?
TEER 1. Usually a university degree. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 41301 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 41301 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 41301 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $34.00 an hour, with most wages between $23.00 and $50.00. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 41301 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.
Your duties fit. Now show employers.
CVMaple turns the work you did into a Canadian resume: the right format, strong bullets and the keywords Canadian applicant tracking systems look for.
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.