NOC 65201: Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations

NOC 65201 is the NOC 2021 unit group for food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations, with job titles such as food counter attendant, kitchen helper and food service helper. It is a TEER 5 occupation in broad category 6, sales and service occupations.

TEER 5Broad category 6NOC 2021

Decode the code

Pick a level to see what each digit means.

65201

Unit group 65201: food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations. This is the code you put on your application.

NOC 65201 job description: food counter attendant duties and responsibilities

  • Take customers' orders
  • Clean, peel, slice and trim foodstuffs using manual and electric appliances
  • Use deep fryer, grill, oven, dispensers and other equipment to prepare fast food items such as sandwiches, hamburgers, fries, salads, ice cream dishes, milkshakes and other beverages
  • Portion, assemble, and wrap food or place it directly on plates for service to patrons, and package take-out food
  • Use equipment to prepare hot beverages such as coffee and tea specialties
  • Serve customers at counters or buffet tables
  • Stock refrigerators and salad bars and keep records of the quantities of food used
  • May receive payment for food items purchased.
  • Wash and peel vegetables and fruit
  • Wash work tables, cupboards and appliances
  • Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers
  • Unpack and store supplies in refrigerators, cupboards and other storage areas
  • Sweep and mop floors, and perform other duties to assist cook and kitchen staff.
  • Clear and clean tables and trays in eating establishments
  • Bring clean dishes, flatware and other items to serving areas and set tables
  • Replenish condiments and other supplies at tables and in serving areas
  • Remove dishes before and after courses
  • Perform other duties such as scraping and stacking dishes, carrying linen to and from laundry area and running errands.
  • Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots and pans using dishwasher or by hand
  • Place dishes in storage area
  • Scour pots and pans, and may clean and polish silverware.

Job titles under NOC 65201

See every job title and its code in the A–Z job title index, or all TEER 5 jobs.

Is NOC 65201 eligible for Express Entry?

Not through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program, which all need TEER 0 to 3. Some provincial nominee streams and federal pilots accept TEER 5 jobs, so check your province's current list.

Federal program TEER requirements for NOC 65201
ProgramTEER checkWhy
Federal Skilled WorkerNot eligibleTEER 5 is outside TEER 0 to 3
Canadian Experience ClassNot eligibleTEER 5 is outside TEER 0 to 3
Federal Skilled TradesNot a listed tradeOnly certain trade groups qualify. Check IRCC
Spouse's open work permitNot eligibleTEER 4 and 5 do not qualify. SOWP rules

Category-based draws: NOC 65201 is not on any category-based selection list (checked 2026-10-16). Under NOC 2016, TEER 5 was skill level D ("NOC D").

Category-based Express Entry draws and provincial nominee programs use their own occupation lists. Check the current lists on IRCC's Express Entry page and provincial nominee page.

NOC 65201: common questions

What is NOC 65201?

NOC 65201 is the code for food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021). Its first digit, 6, is the broad category and its second digit, 5, is the TEER level. Immigration forms, job offers and LMIA applications use this five-digit code.

What TEER is NOC 65201?

NOC 65201 is TEER 5. Occupations that usually need a short work demonstration and no formal education. Under the older NOC 2016 system, TEER 5 lines up with skill level D.

Is NOC 65201 eligible for Express Entry and PR?

Not through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program, which all need TEER 0 to 3. Some provincial nominee streams and federal pilots accept TEER 5 jobs, so check your province's current list.

Is NOC 65201 in a category-based Express Entry draw?

No. As of IRCC's list dated 2026-10-16, NOC 65201 is not in any category-based selection list (healthcare, STEM, trades, education, transport and others). You can still be invited in general and program-specific draws.

Is NOC 65201 eligible for a spousal open work permit (SOWP)?

No. For applications made since January 21, 2025, only TEER 0 and 1 jobs and a list of selected TEER 2 and 3 occupations qualify, and NOC 65201 is not on that list (IRCC page modified 2026-06-12).

What is the NOC code for a food counter attendant?

Food counter attendant is listed under NOC 65201, food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations. The job title alone does not decide your code: your duties should match the main duties of NOC 65201.

How do I know if NOC 65201 is my NOC code?

Compare what you actually do with the main duties listed for NOC 65201, not just your job title. IRCC expects your duties to match the lead statement and most of the main duties of the code you choose. If they fit another code better, use that one. You can paste your duties into nocfinder to see how they line up, duty by duty.

Source: ESDC NOC 2021 · IRCC program pages. Not legal advice.