NOC 21111: Forestry professionals
Forestry professionals conduct research, develop plans and administer and direct programs related to the management and harvesting of forest resources. They are employed by the forest industry, provincial and federal governments, consulting companies, educational institutions and other industries, or they may be self-employed.
Express Entry eligibility
- Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): yes, TEER 1.
- Canadian Experience Class: counts as skilled Canadian work (1 year in the last 3 years).
- Federal Skilled Worker Program: counts as skilled work (1 year of continuous work in the last 10 years).
- Federal Skilled Trades Program: not one of the eligible trades.
- High-wage occupation (from November 3, 2026): yes, 1.5× tier.
TEER 1: Occupations that usually need a university degree. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.
Category-based draws
NOC 21111 is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists. You can still be invited in general, Canadian Experience Class or other program draws.
Category lists checked on canada.ca on 2026-10-17. IRCC category-based selection
CRS points for work in NOC 21111
With 12+ months of Canadian work here, from November 3, 2026, by years of skilled Canadian work:
| Years in Canada | Single, today | Single, Nov 3 | With spouse, today | With spouse, Nov 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 | 80 | 35 | 75 |
| 2 | 53 | 93 | 46 | 86 |
| 3 | 64 | 104 | 56 | 96 |
| 4 | 72 | 112 | 63 | 103 |
| 5 or more | 80 | 120 | 70 | 110 |
See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations
- Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources
- Plan and direct woodlands harvesting, reforestation, silviculture and fire prevention and fire suppression programs, road building, wildlife management, environmental protection and insect and vegetation control programs
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities
- Ensure adherence to government regulations and company objectives
- Plan and conduct public relations programs, and education and extension programs related to forestry
- Develop and oversee programs for tree seedling production and woodlands nursery operations
- Conduct advanced research in the areas of tree improvement, nursery seedling production, forest soils, forest ecology, forest mensuration, forest operations and other areas
- Provide advice and recommendations, as a consultant on forestry issues, to private woodlot owners, municipal, provincial or federal governments or to companies.
For Express Entry your duties must match the lead statement and most of the main duties above.
Example job titles
- appraisal forester
- consulting forester
- district forester
- forester
- regional inventory officer - forestry
- registered professional forester (RPF)
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in forestry or forestry engineering is required.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces except Prince Edward Island and Manitoba.
- A two-year practicum of supervised work experience and professional examinations are usually required before registration.
Similar jobs with a different code
- 41401Forest economist
- 80010Forestry operations manager
- 40011Forestry policy director - government services
- 40011Forestry programs manager - government services
- 20011Research director - forestry
- 80010Woodlands manager
Common questions
- Is NOC 21111 (Forestry professionals) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
- Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 21111 is in the 1.5× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 1.5 times, but less than 2 times, the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).
- How many CRS points does NOC 21111 give?
- With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 21111, you add 40 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 104 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 21111 is worth 70 points instead. You get the higher of the two routes, never both, capped at 150 points (140 with a spouse).
- Do I need to earn 1.5× the median wage myself?
- No. The tier comes from the occupation’s national median wage, not from your own salary. What matters is that your job’s main duties match NOC 21111 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.
- Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?
- Months here combine with months in 2× occupations for the 40-point add-on, and with any high-wage occupation for the 20-point add-on.
- Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 21111?
- As a TEER 1 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
- Which category draws include NOC 21111?
- It is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists, so it does not qualify you for an occupation-based category draw.
Other 1.5× high-wage occupations
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Find any NOC code · All high-wage occupations · Source: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0
See your CRS score with NOC 21111
Quick CRS adds up every factor and shows your score under today’s rules and the rules from November 3, 2026, side by side. Free, about 3 minutes.