NOC 31111: Optometrists

Optometrists examine eyes to assess and diagnose ocular diseases and disorders. They prescribe and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses and recommend treatments such as exercises to correct vision problems or ocular disorders. They work in private practice, hospitals, clinics, community health centres, rehabilitation centres, the optical industry, government and universities.

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): no. No high-wage add-on, and a job offer in it earns no CRS points.

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

• Healthcare and social services

  At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in this occupation within the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad.

Category lists checked on canada.ca on 2026-10-17. IRCC category-based selection

CRS points for work in NOC 31111

Skilled Canadian work in this occupation earns the standard points, the same before and after November 3, 2026, with no high-wage add-on:

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Examine patients' eyes, conduct tests and use ophthalmoscopes, biomicroscopes and other specialized instruments to determine ocular health and visual efficiency
• Prescribe and provide treatment (excluding surgery) to maintain, improve and correct vision and manage other ocular diseases and disorders
• Prescribe, dispense and fit eyeglasses, contact lenses and other visual aids
• Educate, counsel and advise patients on contact lens use and care, ocular hygiene, surgical and non-surgical options, and preventive care and maintenance related to occupation and lifestyle
• Refer patients to ophthalmologists or other physicians and surgeons for treatment of ocular diseases or conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration and systemic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure
• Collaborate with ophthalmologists and other healthcare professionals to provide pre- and post-operative care for patients undergoing eye surgeries such as laser vision correction
• May prescribe from a limited list of medications
• Conduct research and promote advancement in the visual sciences.
• Optometrists may specialize in fitting visual aids for people who are partially blind, fitting contact lenses or correcting special vision problems.

For Express Entry your duties must match the lead statement and most of the main duties above.

Example job titles

• doctor of optometry (OD)
• optometrist

Employment requirements

• Three years of university undergraduate studies or, in Quebec, completion of a college program in sciences and a four- to five-year university program in optometry are required.
• Licensing by the provincial or territorial regulatory governing body is required.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 32129Ocularist
• 31101Ophthalmologist
• 32100Opticians
• 33109Optometric technician
• 33109Optometrist assistant
• 31303Orthoptist
• 31209Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating