NOC 41320: Educational counsellors

Educational counsellors advise current and prospective students on educational issues, career planning and personal development, and coordinate the provision of counselling services to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff. They are employed by school boards and post-secondary educational institutions.

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

NOC 41320 is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists. You can still be invited in general, Canadian Experience Class or other program draws.

Category lists checked on canada.ca on 2026-10-17. IRCC category-based selection

CRS points for work in NOC 41320

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

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Counsel students regarding educational issues such as course and program selection, time tables and scheduling, school adjustment, attendance problems and study skills
• Counsel students regarding career or vocational issues including career exploration and planning, résumé preparation, job interview skills and job search strategies and make available to them a wide range of educational and occupational information
• Coordinate co-op and school-to-work transition programs, and the provision of counselling and information services, such as career information, professional development sessions and exchanges with other educational institutions, to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff
• Consult with teachers and parents or faculty and other professionals such as psychologists, speech therapists and social workers regarding various issues and concerns, and with administrators and community agencies regarding programs and referrals
• Administer and interpret standardized intelligence, personality, vocational, aptitude and interest tests
• Develop and coordinate study skills groups or workshops in high schools, colleges and universities on topics such as note-taking, test or examination anxiety and preparation strategies and time management skills
• Visit colleges and secondary schools to provide academic information to prospective students, their parents and educational counsellors
• Coordinate or participate in student orientation programs in colleges or universities
• Arrange for employers to recruit graduating college and university students, and students for co-op education work terms
• Counsel students regarding personal and social issues such as substance abuse, depression, sexuality, eating disorders, anxiety, self-esteem, family problems, relationship and interpersonal skills and anger management
• Counsel students in crisis situations such as dealing with the death of a friend or family member, suicidal tendencies and abuse situations
• May supervise peer counselling programs in school settings
• May supervise field experience for graduate students in counselling
• May teach regular classes.
• Vocational counsellors in Quebec may also provide professional orientation to individuals with a mental illness, disabilities, and those with adaptation difficulties. Those with specific training may also perform certain mental health assessments.

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

Example job titles

• academic counsellor
• career counsellor - education
• Indigenous advisor - college
• school counsellor
• student services counsellor

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's degree in counselling, career development, education or social sciences is required for counsellors in school settings.
• A master's degree in counselling psychology or a related field such as educational psychology, developmental psychology or social work is usually required.
• Educational counsellors in post-secondary settings require an undergraduate degree and may require a graduate degree. A particular academic specialization may also be required.
• In Quebec, membership in l'Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d'orientation is mandatory to use the titles ''vocational counsellor'', "guidance counsellor" and "vocational guidance counsellor".
• A teacher's certificate in the province of employment and some teaching experience is usually required for counsellors in school settings.
• Educational counsellors in colleges and universities may require licensing from a provincial regulatory body governing psychologists, educational counsellors or social workers.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 41321Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) )
• 31200School psychologist
• 41220Secondary school teachers
• 41300Social workers
• 41301Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies