National Occupational Classification, TEER 2
NOC 42202: Early childhood educators and assistants
Early childhood educators plan, organize and implement programs for children between the ages of infancy and 12 years. Below are the main duties, all 33 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 42202?
NOC 42202 is the code for early childhood educators and assistants in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include child care worker assistant, daycare helper, daycare supervisor and daycare worker. It is a TEER 2 occupation (usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or a supervisory role), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, and IRCC lists it for the education category draw. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $22.30 an hour.
- NOC code
- 42202
- TEER
- 2: College diploma or apprenticeship of 2+ years
- Broad category
- Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- Education
- Median wage
- $22.30 an hour
Job titles under NOC 42202
Early childhood educators plan, organize and implement programs for children between the ages of infancy and 12 years. Early childhood educator assistants provide care for infants and preschool- to school-age children under the guidance of early childhood educators. Early childhood educators and assistants lead children in activities to stimulate and develop their intellectual, physical and emotional growth and ensure their security and well-being. They are employed in child-care centres, daycare centres, kindergartens, agencies for exceptional children and other settings where early childhood education services are provided. Supervisors of early childhood educators and assistants are included in this unit group.
Main job titles
- child care worker assistant
- daycare helper
- daycare supervisor
- daycare worker
- early childhood assistant
- early childhood education worker
- early childhood educator - preschool
- early childhood educator (ECE)
- early childhood educator (ECE) assistant
- early childhood program staff assistant
- early childhood supervisor
- preschool helper
- preschool supervisor
All 33 job titles in the NOC index
baby-care worker, baby-care worker assistant, baby-care workers supervisor, child care worker - daycare, child care worker assistant, daycare aide, daycare attendant, daycare coordinator, daycare helper, daycare supervisor, daycare teacher, daycare worker, daycare worker assistant, early childhood assistant, early childhood education worker, early childhood educator - junior kindergarten, early childhood educator - kindergarten, early childhood educator - preschool, early childhood educator (ECE), early childhood educator (ECE) assistant, early childhood educator assistant - junior kindergarten, early childhood educator assistant - kindergarten, early childhood program staff assistant, early childhood program supervisor, early childhood supervisor, educator assistant - junior kindergarten, infant daycare workers supervisor, infants' daycare worker, nursery school aide, nursery school helper, nursery school teacher, preschool helper, preschool supervisor.
Also included in this group
- daycare teacher
- educator assistant - junior kindergarten
- nursery school teacher
Main duties of NOC 42202
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Early childhood educators
- Develop and implement child-care programs that support and promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children
- Lead activities by telling or reading stories, teaching songs, taking children to local points of interest and providing opportunities to express creativity through the media of art, dramatic play, music and physical activity
- Plan and maintain an environment that protects the health, security and well-being of children
- Assess the abilities, interests and needs of children and discuss progress or problems with parents and other staff members
- Observe children for signs of potential learning or behavioural problems and prepare reports for parents, guardians or supervisor
- Guide and assist children in the development of proper eating, dressing and toilet habits
- Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with co-workers and community service providers working with children
- May plan and organize activities for school-age children in child-care programs before and after regular school hours
- May supervise and coordinate activities of other early childhood educators and early childhood educator assistants.
Early childhood educator assistants
- Support early childhood educators in carrying out programs that promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children
- Engage children in activities by telling stories, teaching songs and preparing crafts
- Prepare snacks and arrange rooms or furniture for lunch and rest periods
- Assist with proper eating, dressing and toilet habits
- Submit written observations on children to early childhood educators or supervisors
- Maintain daycare equipment and assist in housekeeping and cooking duties
- Attend staff meetings to discuss progress and problems of children
- May assist early childhood educators or supervisors in keeping records.
Employment requirements
- Early childhood educators
- Completion of a two- to four-year college program in early childhood education or A bachelor's degree in child development is required.
- Licensing is required in Ontario and certification is required in British Columbia for early childhood educators. Licensing for early childhood educators is usually required in all other provinces and territories.
- Early childhood educator assistants
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Experience in child care is required.
- Completion of an early childhood education assistant certificate program or post-secondary courses in early childhood education may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association as an early childhood educator may be required.
Additional information
- Progression to senior positions, such as daycare supervisor, is possible with several years of experience or with experience and advanced ECE qualification levels.
Is NOC 42202 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 2 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.
| Program or draw | NOC 42202 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Education 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 42202 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 | $16.95 | $22.30 | $30.03 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00 | $20.00 | $27.33 |
| Prince Edward Island | $16.50 | $21.55 | $31.33 |
| Nova Scotia | $16.50 | $21.49 | $28.21 |
| New Brunswick | $16.90 | $23.47 | $25.60 |
| Quebec | $18.00 | $24.00 | $30.03 |
| Ontario | $17.60 | $22.00 | $31.00 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $18.00 | $25.90 |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | $18.75 | $26.92 |
| Alberta | $15.60 | $19.00 | $28.85 |
| British Columbia | $19.00 | $24.00 | $30.00 |
| Yukon | $20.00 | $30.00 | $33.50 |
| Northwest Territories | $17.99 | $26.65 | $37.15 |
| Nunavut | $19.00 | $25.00 | $41.39 |
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 42202 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 42202 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.
- See a Canadian resume example for this job.
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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 early childhood educator (ECE) or assistant (ECA)?
NOC 42202, Early childhood educators and assistants, a TEER 2 occupation.
What TEER is NOC 42202?
TEER 2. Usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or a supervisory role. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 42202 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes. As a TEER 2 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 42202 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
Yes. IRCC’s 2026 list puts it in the education 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 42202 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $22.30 an hour, with most wages between $16.95 and $30.03. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 42202 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.