NOC 41301: Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies

Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies assist individuals and groups of clients to identify, understand and overcome personal problems and achieve personal objectives. They can be specialized to work on specific problems and they may practice psychotherapy. They are employed by counselling centres, social service agencies, group homes, government agencies, family therapy centres, and educational, health care and rehabilitation facilities, or they may work in private practice.

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 41301

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:

• Interview clients, prepare case histories and assess problems
• Develop and implement counselling and intervention programs to assist clients in determining goals and means of attaining them
• Counsel clients, provide therapy and mediation services, and facilitate group sessions
• Liaise with community agencies or partners, and identify additional or alternative services and provide referrals
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counselling programs and interventions, and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and movement toward defined objectives
• Follow up on results of counselling programs and clients' adjustments
• Prepare assessment, progress, follow-up and court reports
• May supervise other counsellors, social service staff and assistants
• May provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counselling services, issues and methods
• May provide witness testimony in court proceedings
• May conduct research, publish research papers, educational texts and articles and deliver presentations at conferences
• May collaborate with employee assistance programs or with government organizations in health and safety or with victims of crime
• May participate in fundraising activities.

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

Example job titles

• addictions counsellor
• art therapist
• bereavement counsellor
• child and youth counsellor
• drama therapist
• family counsellor
• marriage counsellor
• movement therapist
• music therapist
• psychotherapist
• registered clinical counsellor
• registered dance therapist
• registered marriage and family therapist
• sex therapist

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's or master's degree in the field of counselling, therapy, mental health, psychology or a related social service discipline is required and a period of supervised clinical work with clients may be required.
• A master's degree in the field of therapy is required for art therapist, music therapist, and dance therapists.
• Membership with a provincial or federal association is usually required by employers.
• Registration with a regulatory body is required in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for counselling therapists.
• To practise psychotherapy, a permit is required in Quebec and registration with the appropriate regulatory body is required in Ontario.

Similar jobs with a different code

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• 42201Social and community service workers
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