Canada job guide
Medical laboratory technologist in Canada: your Express Entry path
Picture yourself in a Canadian hospital lab, running the tests doctors rely on, with a new life for your family. Medical laboratory technologists (NOC 32120, TEER 2) are on IRCC's 2026 healthcare and social services list: 12 months of work in the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad, puts you in the healthcare draws as well as the regular rounds. Registration is required in eight provinces, and the assessment for people trained abroad is changing in 2026.
At a glance
- Occupation
- Medical laboratory technologists · NOC 32120 · TEER 2
- Express Entry group
- Healthcare and social services
- Latest healthcare round
- September 4, 2026, cut-off 475
- Median wage in Canada
- $39.00 an hour Job Bank, wages updated November 19, 2025
Your way into the Express Entry pool
Every invitation needs a profile in the Express Entry pool. Lab technologists usually qualify through:
- Federal Skilled Worker. Experience must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job; this one is TEER 2.
- Canadian Experience Class. For skilled work experience already gained in Canada.
The healthcare draws
These draws rank only people with recent experience in one of the 37 listed health and social services jobs. The panel above shows the latest one and its cut-off. You need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same part-time) in this occupation within the last 3 years. The months do not have to be in a row, and the work must match the NOC description of the job.
Getting registered: what is changing
The NOC says registration is required in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and that employers usually want certification from the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS).
- Ontario: the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario says internationally educated technologists complete a Prior Learning Assessment carried out by the Canadian Alliance of Medical Laboratory Professionals Regulators (CAMLPR). It accepts CSMLS exams taken on or before 30 March 2026; after that, new graduates take CAMLPR's exams.
- Alberta: the CSMLS Prior Learning Assessment for general technologists is now only for people living in Alberta, on behalf of the Alberta regulator, and it takes no new applications after 31 December 2026.
Because these routes are moving, check your province's regulator before you start.
What lab technologists earn
The panel above shows Job Bank's median hourly wage for this occupation across Canada, with pay by province and region on Job Bank.
What to do next
Frequently asked questions
- Do I still apply to CSMLS for my assessment?
For general technologists, the CSMLS Prior Learning Assessment is now only for people living in Alberta, and it closes to new applications after 31 December 2026. In Ontario the assessment is done by CAMLPR.
- Is registration needed in every province?
The NOC lists eight provinces where it is required. Employers elsewhere usually still want CSMLS certification.
- Does my lab experience abroad count?
Yes. The healthcare and social services category counts experience in Canada or abroad.
Last updated October 21, 2026