Employment and Social Development Canada has reported that:

On January 31, 2012, and Statistics Canada replaced the 2006 edition of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) with a 2011 version.

NOC codes reflect federal employment standards and are used widely for immigration. They describe, amongst other things, job duties, recommended qualifications, and prevailing regional wages for over 40,000 jobs in 500 occupational groups.

The NOC matrix is updated approximately every five years, drawing from new data gleaned in Canada’s national census as well as consultations with leading economic stakeholders.

Foreign workers who plan to or are in the process of applying through an economically driven immigration program (such as Federal Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Programs, or temporary work permits) may be directly affected by these changes.

For individuals whose Federal Skilled Worker applications were received at the Centralized Intake Office before January 31, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has confirmed that they will be assessed according to the old NOC system. Those received after should conform to the 2011 guidelines.

The exact impact of these new changes on specific immigration programs is currently under review by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and updates are expected to be published throughout the upcoming year as they become available.