FOREWORD 2011

PREFACE

This publication represents the third revision of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system and the National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S). The NOC was jointly developed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Statistics Canada and has been maintained in partnership since the first edition published in 1991/92. However, until this revision, NOC and NOC-S differed in their major group structures and, consequently, in their coding systems. The publication of NOC 2011 on this twentieth anniversary of the classification system reflects the unification of the two versions. With the adoption of NOC 2011 all differences between the classifications used by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and by Statistics Canada have been eliminated. Furthermore, this has been accomplished while maintaining the advantages of both former classification versions.

NOC 2011 would not have been possible without the significant contribution of a number of individuals and groups. Their commitment to excellence is evident in this revised edition of the foundational system used for describing occupations in the Canadian labour market and for managing the collection and reporting of occupational statistics. The collaborative partnership between the two departments has ensured that the quantitative and qualitative information on occupations is reliable, timely and relevant for a wide range of audiences.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This major, structural revision of the NOC was accomplished under the guidance of Alice Born, Director of Standards Division, Statistics Canada and Christian Boucher, Director, Labour Market Information (LMI) Division of the Temporary Foreign Worker and Labour Market Information Directorate, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Subject matter expertise was provided from Statistics Canada by Debra Mair of Standards Division and Sandra Swain of Labour Statistics Division. From Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, subject matter expertise was provided by Clara Hamory and Ian McRae of LMI Division. Service Canada’s Regional Labour Market Information Directors, their staff and provincial colleagues, as well as Statistics Canada’s Methods and Standards Committee and its Advisory Committee on Labour and Income Statistics, provided important input to the development of NOC 2011. The many stakeholders who responded to the public online consultation for the 2011 Revision of the NOC, hosted by both departments, provided valuable input which is much appreciated.

The realization of NOC 2011 was dependent on the direct involvement and hard work of a team of occupational research analysts and assistants from both Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Statistics Canada. The overall process also included consultations with an Interdepartmental Committee of representatives from several government departments that are key users of the NOC. The professionalism and dedication of all those involved in the revision process is reflected in the results of this project which has unified the two variants of the classification while maintaining the advantages of both systems. This success is attributable to the co-operation between these stakeholders and to the partnership between Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Statistics Canada.

Statistics Canada’s Internet version of this publication was created jointly by Sylvain Boucher and Niloufar Zanganeh. Their Systems Engineering Division and Administrative and Dissemination Systems Division were responsible for their systems development of the PDF and HTML versions. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s NOC content development was undertaken by the analysts of LMI Division’s Occupational Research unit and Web development by Lyne Philion, Linda Trudel and Jules-André Léger with the help of the Skills and Labour Market Information team of Innovation, Information and Technology Branch.

Both Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada wish to acknowledge the valuable input of other individuals and groups too numerous to name. Research consultants, academics, professional associations, sector organizations, educators as well as employers and workers throughout the Canadian labour market provided occupational information and advice that informed this revision process. Their contribution has ensured that the quality and integrity of NOC 2011 has been maintained and it will continue to be the authoritative foundational reference and framework for occupational data and descriptive information.