NOC 32104: Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians

Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians provide technical support to veterinarians by caring for animals and assisting in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health disorders. They are employed in veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, animal shelters, humane societies, zoos, animal research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and government. Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

Express Entry eligibility

• Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): yes, TEER 2.
• 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 2: Occupations that usually need a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or supervisory duties. 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 32104

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:

• Provide nursing care and rehabilitation therapy for animals
• Handle, restrain and care for animals undergoing treatment and surgery
• Produce radiographs, collect and analyse samples and perform other laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis of animal health problems
• Assist veterinarian with animals before, during and following surgery by preparing surgical equipment, administering and monitoring anaesthetics and cleaning up after surgery
• Prepare and administer medications and vaccines under direction of a veterinarian
• Administer treatments as prescribed by a veterinarian
• Provide wound and bandage care
• Conduct specialized procedures such as animal identification and hoof trimming
• Educate and advise clients on animal health care including nutrition and home care
• Assist in laboratory research
• Perform routine animal dental procedures and assist veterinarians with animal dentistry
• May perform a variety of office management and clerical duties.

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

Example job titles

• animal health technician
• animal health technologist
• laboratory animal technician
• registered veterinary technician (RVT)
• veterinarian assistant
• veterinary technician
• veterinary technologist

Employment requirements

• Completion of a two- or three-year animal health/veterinary technology college program is required.
• Successful completion of a national registration examination may be required in some employment settings.
• Registration with provincial animal health technologists' or veterinary technicians' associations is available, and is mandatory in some provinces.

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