21220 Cybersecurity specialists

What this occupation covers

Cybersecurity specialists develop, plan, recommend, implement, improve and monitor security measures to protect an organization's computer networks, connected devices and information to prevent unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of the information or of the systems on which the information resides. They are employed in information technology consulting firms and in information technology units throughout the public and private sectors.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 7 main duties for this code.

• Confer with clients to identify and document requirements, assess physical and technical security risks to data, software and hardware
• Apply encryption protocols, and manage keys to ensure security of data is maintained while at rest and in transit
• Monitor access and credentials for information and systems
• Install, test and operate security software and tools such as anti-virus and automated threat detection/prevent systems to ensure security measures are in place and working as intended
• Monitor for cyber attacks, intrusions and unusual, unauthorised or illegal activity
• Plan and carry out security measures in response to cybersecurity events and incidents in accordance with an organization's incident response plan to protect information, data and systems
• Document computer security and emergency measures policies, procedures, and tests.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 7 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 21221 Business systems specialists
• 20012 Computer and information systems managers
• 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
• 21230 Computer systems developers and programmers
• 21223 Database analysts and data administrators
• 21222 Information systems specialists
• 21232 Software developers and programmers
• 21231 Software engineers and designers
• 21233 Web designers
• 21234 Web developers and programmers

Excluded from this code

• Business systems specialists (See 21221 Business systems specialists)
• Computer and information systems managers (See 20012 Computer and information systems managers)
• Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (See 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers))
• Computer systems developers and programmers (See 21230 Computer systems developers and programmers)
• Database analysts and data administrators (See 21223 Database analysts and data administrators)
• Information systems specialists (See 21222 Information systems specialists)
• Software developers and programmers (See 21232 Software developers and programmers)
• Software engineers and designers (See 21231 Software engineers and designers)
• Web designers (See 21233 Web designers)
• Web developers and programmers (See 21234 Web developers and programmers)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

application security engineer · communicator research operator - Canadian Armed Forces · cyber operator - Canadian Armed Forces · cybersecurity analyst · cybersecurity consultant · cybersecurity specialist · informatics security analyst · informatics security consultant · information technology (IT) project manager - cybersecurity · information technology (IT) security analyst · Information technology (IT) security architect · information technology (IT) security consultant · information technology (IT) security specialist · Internet security analyst · network security analyst · network security engineer · systems security analyst · systems security engineer · systems security planner

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's degree in computer science, computer security, computer systems engineering, information systems or completion of a college program in information technology, network administration or other computer science related program is usually required.
• Certification or training provided by software vendors may be required by some employers.