NOC 2021 · 40021 · TEER 0

NOC 40021: School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education

NOC 40021 is a TEER 0 occupation. It counts as skilled work for Express Entry under FSW and CEC. It is not on any 2026 category list, so candidates compete in general and program rounds.

Last checked against official sources 2026-10-01

TEER level

FSW · CEC

Express Entry programs that accept it

2026 Express Entry categories

Official job titles under this code

Is this your code?

School principals plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or secondary school. They are employed by public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the academic affairs of a school system. They are employed by school boards.

IRCC goes by what you actually did, not by your job title: your work must match the description above and most of the main duties below. Compare them with your reference letter line by line.

Job titles filed under this code

Official example titles

board of education administrator
chief superintendent - schools
director of education - correctional institution
director of school for the hearing impaired
district school superintendent
private school headmaster/mistress
school principal
school vice-principal
secondary school principal
superintendent of elementary education
superintendent of secondary schools
superintendent of special education

Search all 51 official titles for this code →

Not this code

Close occupations that have their own code

Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training → 40020
Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers → 41405
Government managers - education policy development and program administration → 40012
Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations → 00013

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

School principals

Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through department heads or supervisors, the activities of teachers and support staff
Review programs to ensure conformance to school board or provincial standards and develop programs within limits of authority
Coordinate teaching activities of the institution by making personnel assignments, determining class size and preparing timetables
Organize and maintain procedures for the keeping of records
Prepare and administer institution or program budget
Direct and coordinate school maintenance services and the use of school facilities
May recruit and hire teachers and other staff
May teach.

Administrators of elementary and secondary education

Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through school principals, the academic affairs of a school district
Evaluate curriculum, teaching methods and community participation in programs for a school district and revise programs as required
Develop and administer programs for the education and training of students and adults
Make recommendations concerning the annual operating budget of a school district
Direct the recruitment, appointment, training, evaluation and promotion of teaching personnel.

What this code means for Express Entry

FSWAccepted

TEER 0–3 work counts toward the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

CECAccepted

One year of this work in Canada can qualify for the Canadian Experience Class.

FSTNot accepted

Not in a Federal Skilled Trades group.

This code is not on any 2026 category list. Candidates compete in general rounds and in program rounds such as Canadian Experience Class rounds. See recent rounds →

CRS points from November 3, 2026

NOC 40021 is on IRCC's high-wage occupations list at the 1.5x level. From November 3, 2026, at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of Canadian work in it adds 40 points to your Canadian work experience points in the CRS, and a valid job offer in it is worth 70 points; the higher of the two counts. No LMIA is needed.

IRCC high-wage list (list from 2023 to 2025 wage data, read 2026-10-16) · CRS calculator with the new rules

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Employment requirements

A bachelor's degree in education is required.
A master's degree in education may be required.
Several years of experience as a senior teacher or department head are required.
A teacher's certificate for the province of employment is required.
School principals may require a principal's certificate.
Administrators of elementary and secondary education may require a supervisory officer certificate.

Good to know

There is little mobility between institutional settings, for example, between elementary and secondary schools.

Codes in the same group

NOC	Occupation	TEER
40020	Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training	0

Official sources

noc.esdc.gc.caNOC 2021 Version 1.0: 40021 School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
statcan.gc.caStatistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0
canada.caIRCC: Find your National Occupational Classification (NOC)
canada.caIRCC: Express Entry, who can apply