Historical note: this uses the old NOC 2016 code (2131, civil engineers) and 2022-era provincial lists; under NOC 2021 the code differs and demand lists have changed — verify current streams.
A civil engineer asked which provinces offered realistic chances for their NOC. The thread's sober assessment:
- Broad provincial demand was weak. Members' blunt view: no province had civil engineering on its in-demand list at the time, and waiting passively on this NOC alone was not a good strategy.
- The exception: BC PNP Tech. One member corrected the gloom — 2131 was among the 29 professions listed for BC PNP Tech fast-track processing. The catch, as always with BC: you need a qualifying job offer from a BC employer to use it.
- Saskatchewan was the wildcard. Its occupation list changed often enough that members noted it 'sometimes surprises you' — worth monitoring even when your code isn't currently listed.
- Practical play for low-demand NOCs: rather than waiting, pursue employer contact in provinces with relevant streams (BC for tech-listed roles), watch volatile lists like Saskatchewan's, and keep the Express Entry profile competitive on CRS since federal draws don't depend on occupation demand.
The transferable lesson: 'is my NOC in demand' has a different answer per province and per month — check the specific stream lists (and their job-offer requirements) rather than asking about demand in the abstract.