Is NOC 31120 (Pharmacists) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?

Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 31120 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 31120 give?

With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 31120, 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 31120 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 31120 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 31120?

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 31120?

It is on IRCC’s list for the Healthcare and social services category, so you can also be invited in those category draws.

1.5× median wageTEER 1NOC 2021 Version 1.0

NOC 31120: Pharmacists

Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. They are employed in retail pharmacies and health center pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They are employed in pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.

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

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 31120

With 12+ months of Canadian work here, from November 3, 2026, by years of skilled Canadian work:

Canadian work CRS points with 12 or more months in NOC 31120
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:

Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists
Check prescriptions for proper dosage
Compound prescribed pharmaceutical products by calculating, measuring and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity
Dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to customers or to other health care professionals and advise them on indications, contra-indications, adverse effects, drug interactions and dosage
Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs
Ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biologicals and other drugs and pharmaceuticals
Order and maintain stock of pharmaceutical supplies
Advise customers on selection and use of non-prescription medication
Renew existing prescriptions in limited circumstances
May adapt the formulation, regimen, duration or route of administration of medication
May supervise and coordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and other staff.
Industrial pharmacists
Participate in research for the development of new drugs
Formulate new drug products developed by medical researchers
Test new drug products for stability and to determine absorption and elimination patterns
Coordinate clinical investigations of new drugs
Control the quality of drug products during production to ensure that they meet standards of potency, purity, uniformity, stability and safety
Develop information materials concerning the uses, properties and risks of particular drugs
Evaluate labelling, packaging and advertising of drug products
Promote pharmaceutical products to health professionals.

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

Example job titles

clinical pharmacist
community pharmacist
hospital pharmacist
industrial pharmacist
pharmacist
retail pharmacist

Employment requirements

A university degree in pharmacy and a period of supervised practical training are required.
Licensure is required in all provinces and territories for community and hospital pharmacists.

Similar jobs with a different code

Common questions

Is NOC 31120 (Pharmacists) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?: Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 31120 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 31120 give?: With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 31120, 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 31120 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 31120 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 31120?: 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 31120?: It is on IRCC’s list for the Healthcare and social services category, so you can also be invited in those category draws.

Other 1.5× high-wage occupations

More in professional occupations in health

Find any NOC code · All high-wage occupations · Source: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0

See your CRS score with NOC 31120

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