NOC 32109: Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment

Other technical workers in therapy and assessment perform various technical therapy and assessment functions. Some may assist professionals such as audiologists, speech-language pathologists, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. They are employed in hospitals, clinics, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, community health centres, educational institutions, hearing aid retail stores, in the private practices of the professionals they assist, or they may be self-employed.

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 32109

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:

• Hearing instrument practitioners
• Examine adult clients to assess hearing loss using diagnostic evaluation and electro acoustic testing
• Recommend and dispense or sell appropriate type of hearing instrument
• Take earmold impressions for use in the manufacture of hearing devices
• Fit, adjust and make minor modifications to hearing instruments
• Educate clients in appropriate use, care and maintenance of hearing instruments
• Communicate with audiologist or other health care professionals regarding patients' condition
• Perform follow-up examinations and readjustments.
• Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants
• Assist speech-language pathologists and audiologists during assessment of patients
• Carry out treatment programs, document results and develop materials for use with patients, under the supervision of speech-language pathologists or audiologists
• Document patient rehabilitation progress
• Check and maintain therapeutic equipment and materials.
• Ophthalmic medical technologists and technicians
• Take patients' general medical and ophthalmic history
• Conduct specialized testing such as refractometry, ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography or ocular motility testing to aid ophthalmologists in assessing patients' vision
• Instruct patient on diagnostic test and record, interpret and troubleshoot results
• Assist ophthalmologists in performing ophthalmic procedures and surgeries
• Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications as directed by ophthalmologists
• Prepare specimens for culture and staining
• Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment
• May instruct and supervise other ophthalmic staff and perform various administrative duties
• May participate in research activities.
• Physical rehabilitation therapists
• Collect and analyse information from clients' file upon referral from the physiotherapist or physician.
• Develop, implement and monitor treatment plans of clients in collaboration with the physiotherapist or physician.
• Use a variety of therapeutic modalities such as manual techniques (e.g. massage), exercises, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy and thermotherapy (ice or heat) to achieve treatment objectives.
• Advise clients on postures, lifestyle and exercises to help them improve their physical condition.
• Physiotherapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants
• Under the direction of physiotherapists and/or occupational therapists, carry out treatment programs such as thermotherapy, traction, hydrotherapy and electrotherapeutic techniques to rehabilitate patients with various injuries or disabilities to maximize their ability to independently manage daily activities.

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

Example job titles

• audiology technician
• communicative disorders assistant
• hearing instrument practitioner
• hearing instrument specialist
• occupational therapy assistant
• ophthalmic technician
• ophthalmic technologist
• physical rehabilitation therapist
• physical therapist assistant (PTA)
• physiotherapy assistant
• physiotherapy technician
• rehabilitation assistant
• speech aide
• speech technician
• speech therapy assistant

Employment requirements

• Hearing instrument practitioners require completion of a two or three-year college diploma in a hearing instrument specialist program, and a period of supervised training.
• Licensure with a regulatory body is required for hearing instrument practitioners in all provinces except in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Ontario. Ontario requires membership with the Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario (AHIP). Hearing instrument practitioners can prescribe and dispense hearing instruments except in Ontario where dispensing is dependent on a prescription from a physician or audiologist.
• Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants require completion of a three- to four-year college program.
• Ophthalmic medical technicians require completion of a one-year hospital based ophthalmic technician training program or a minimum of one year on-the-job training working as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.
• Ophthalmic medical technologists require completion of a two-year hospital-based training program in ophthalmic medical technology, or a 4 year bachelor's degree program in Ophthalmic Medical Technology or a minimum of two years of on-the-job training working as a Certified Ophthalmic technician under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.
• Certification by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology may be required by employers.
• Physical rehabilitation therapists, who are only found in Quebec, require completion of a three-year physiotherapy or rehabilitation techniques college program and a period of internship.
• A permit to practice issued by the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ) is required for physical rehabilitation therapists.
• Physiotherapy assistants require completion of a two-year physical therapy assistant (PTA) college program, or a two-year rehabilitation therapy assistant program and supervised practical training.
• Occupational therapy assistants require completion of a two-year occupational therapy assistant (OTA) college program.

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