Employment Equity NOC Update

Summary#

These final rules, SOR/2023-267, update the schedule used for employment equity reporting so it matches the new national job classification. The change aligns the Employment Equity Regulations with the 2021 NOC and takes effect on January 1, 2024.

What it does#

• Replaces the unit groups in Column II of Schedule II so they match the 2021 NOC unit groups.
• Links all 516 NOC unit groups to the 14 Employment Equity Occupational Groups used for reporting.
• Removes a note that was at the end of Schedule II.
• Requires employers to use the updated 2021 NOC groupings when they report for the 2024 calendar year and after.
• Does not add any new reporting obligations or costs for employers.
• The Labour Program will update the Workplace Equity Information Management System (WEIMS) and send reference materials to employers to help the switch.

Who's affected#

• Employers required to report under the Employment Equity Act, mainly federally regulated private‑sector employers. That includes businesses in areas such as banking and finance, telecommunications, and road, air, maritime and rail transportation.
• Human resources and payroll staff who do employment equity reporting and who map employees to occupational groups.
• Workers may be categorized slightly differently for reporting, since some NOC codes changed; there is no change to individual rights or benefits.

Why it matters#

• It makes employment equity reporting match the same job classification other federal programs now use. That reduces confusion and inconsistent data across government surveys and programs.
• Better-aligned data makes it easier to track representation and pay gaps for the four designated groups: women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities.
• The change is administrative (not a new legal burden) and should make yearly reporting smoother for employers and clearer for analysts.