Is NOC 31303 (Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?

Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 31303 is in the 2× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 2 times the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).

How many CRS points does NOC 31303 give?

With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 31303, you add 70 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 134 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 31303 is worth 100 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 2× 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 31303 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.

Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?

To get the 70-point add-on, all 12 months must be in 2× occupations. Months here also count toward the 40-point (1.5×) and 20-point (1.3×) add-ons when combined with other high-wage jobs.

Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 31303?

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 31303?

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

2× median wageTEER 1NOC 2021 Version 1.0

NOC 31303: Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

Physician assistants and midwives provide primary health care and treatment in conjunction with physicians and in collaboration with other health professionals. Physician assistants provide a range of health services to patients delivering preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Midwives provide full-course care to women and their babies during the pre- and post-natal period. This unit group also includes professionals such as genetic counsellors, orthoptists and pathologists' assistants, who work in collaboration with primary health occupations. Genetic counsellors assess individual or family risk of genetic conditions, and provide information to individuals, families and healthcare providers to promote informed choice. Orthoptists diagnose and treat binocular disorders. Pathologists' assistants assist at autopsies and examinations of surgical specimens, or perform autopsies under a pathologist's supervision. Physician assistants usually work under physicians in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Midwives are employed in hospitals, clinics, birthing centres or in private practice. Genetic counsellors usually work in private practice, hospitals, clinics and research institutes. Orthoptists work under an ophthalmologist, particularly in private practices or clinics. Pathologists' assistants are usually employed in hospitals 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): yes, 2× 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 31303

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 31303
Years in Canada	Single, today	Single, Nov 3	With spouse, today	With spouse, Nov 3
1	40	110	35	105
2	53	123	46	116
3	64	134	56	126
4	72	142	63	133
5 or more	80	150	70	140

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Physician assistants
Conduct patient interviews, physical assessments and take medical histories
Perform or order diagnostic tests and interpret results
In consultation with a supervising physician, formulate and implement treatment plans and monitor patients' progress
Perform and assist in minor surgery
Provide health maintenance education
May participate in research activities
May prescribe from a limited list of medications.
Midwives
Provide primary, full-course, care to women and their babies during pregnancy, such as physical examinations, screening and diagnostic tests to monitor the health of mother and baby and make referrals to medical specialists as required
Manage labour and spontaneous normal deliveries
Care for, assess and monitor the health of newborns and refer infants to appropriate medical services as required
Provide advice and guidance regarding care for newborns and young infants.
Genetic counsellors
Provide information and support to families affected by or at risk of a genetic disorder
Gather and analyze family history and inheritance patterns, calculate risks of recurrence, and provide information about genetic testing and related procedures
Develop, implement or coordinate action plans and refer individuals and families to other health professionals
Design and conduct genetics training programs for other healthcare professionals or the general public
May conduct research in the field of medical genetics and genetic counselling.
Orthoptists
Work alongside ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat eye disorders by performing specialized eye tests to measure and assess defective binocular vision or abnormal eye movement in patients
Prescribe treatment such as eye exercises or patching regimens.
Pathologists' assistants
Prepare for autopsies by obtaining patients' medical records and arranging for radiographic examinations
Prepare, assist with or perform autopsies and surgical specimen examinations under pathologists' supervision
Assist with preparation of provisional autopsy report
Dissect, examine, weigh, photograph and X-ray organs and specimens, collect tissue samples for chemical analysis and record findings
Discard specimens according to established safety procedures
Clean and maintain instruments, equipment and supplies
Develop and maintain processes for laboratory quality control
May prepare bodies for release to funeral homes following completion of autopsies
May supervise and train junior resident pathologists and morgue attendants.

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

Example job titles

genetic counsellor
midwife
orthoptist
pathology assistant
physician assistant

Employment requirements

Physician assistants
Physician assistants require completion of a university degree in a physician assistant program.
Physician assistants require registration with a regulatory body in Manitoba and New Brunswick.
Midwives
Midwives require completion of an undergraduate university degree program in midwifery or its equivalent and a period of supervised practical training.
Registration with a regulatory body is required for midwives in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Genetic counsellors
Genetic counsellors usually require a master's degree in genetic counselling and the certification with the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC).
Orthoptists
A bachelor's degree and completion of a two-year accredited training program in orthoptics are required.
Certification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council is required.
Continuing education is required for recertification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council.
Pathologists' assistants
Pathologists' assistants usually require completion of a master's degree in a pathologists' assistant program.
Certification by the Canadian Certification Council of Pathologists' Assistants, the American Society for Clinical Pathology - Board of Certification, or Pathologists' Assistant Certification Examination is usually required by employers.
Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Pathologists, is voluntary, but may be required by some employers.

Similar jobs with a different code

Common questions

Is NOC 31303 (Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?: Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 31303 is in the 2× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 2 times the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).
How many CRS points does NOC 31303 give?: With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 31303, you add 70 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 134 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 31303 is worth 100 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 2× 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 31303 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.
Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?: To get the 70-point add-on, all 12 months must be in 2× occupations. Months here also count toward the 40-point (1.5×) and 20-point (1.3×) add-ons when combined with other high-wage jobs.
Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 31303?: 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 31303?: It is on IRCC’s list for the Healthcare and social services category, so you can also be invited in those category draws.

Other 2× 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 31303

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