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Policy Advisor, Policy Consultant, Program Officer, Research Analyst, Research Officer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Policy analysts review and analyze political, economic, and social events. They raise public awareness of issues and shape government or organizational policy. Policy analysts may specialize in areas such as:
Duties vary depending on the employer and policy area. In general, policy analysts:
In government settings, policy analysts:
Policy analysts typically work regular business hours in an office setting. They may need to work evenings or weekends to meet deadlines, attend meetings, and finish reports. Policy analysts sometimes travel to attend conferences and meetings.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in co-ordinating information to conduct research and to develop policies and programs in the natural and applied science fields
Interest in consulting to advise governments on policies related to scientific field
Interest in administering programs
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Interest in conducting research and developing models to analyze, explain and forecast economic behaviour and patterns; in devising methods to collect and analyze data; and in studying the nature of money, credit and credit instruments, and the operations of banks and other financial institutions in order to develop monetary policies and forecasts of financial activity
Interest in co-ordinating information to monitor economic data and regional and local economic trend; to forecast the production and consumption of renewable resources and supply, consumption and depletion of non-renewable resources; to forecast production and consumption of specific products and services based on records of past production and consumption and general economic and industry-specific conditions; and to prepare forecasts of income and expenditure, interest rates and exchange rates
Interest in consulting to advise government agencies on policies to increase economic activities; in conducting research on market conditions in local, regional and national areas to set sales and pricing levels for goods and services, and to assess market potential and future trends
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Interest in co-ordinating information to develop programs, legislation and proposals based on analyses, and to evaluate pilot projects
Interest in implementing and administering social programs and projects
Interest in consulting with government officials to advise on social policy issues
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Interest in co-ordinating information to assess economic, demographic and social trends for the development of housing policies
Interest in administering and implementing housing programs
Interest in consulting to report on the implications of economic, demographic and social developments for housing policies
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Interest in producing newsletters, magazines and other documents to provide information to members of associations and organizations, and to the public; and in designing health projects and programs
Interest in co-ordinating information to maintain, update and manage health care information databases, to assess compliance to health standards and identify remedial action if necessary, and to conduct evaluations and assessments of health projects and programs
Interest in consulting with clients in private organizations, and government departments and agencies; in providing advice to senior managers and officials on issues such as health promotion, regulations, standards and financing; and in implementing health projects and programs
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Interest in conducting research, developing the structure, content and objectives of new programs, and creating teaching materials and other resources for program delivery
Interest in co-ordinating information to conduct statistical analyses; and in administering educational policies and programs; may administer specialized testing and assessment programs
Interest in consulting to provide ongoing professional development and training to teachers; may supervise the work of other policy researchers, consultants and program officers
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Interest in consulting with governments and organizations involved in recreation, sports and fitness to conduct research and write policies
Interest in co-ordinating information to develop policies
Interest in conducting background research and analyses to develop recreational, sports and fitness policies
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Policy analysts need:
They should have an interest in current events and enjoy collaborating with others.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 47 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 32 |
|---|---|
| Health benefits: Dental plan | 31 |
| Health benefits: Vision care benefits | 28 |
| Green Job: Involves duties and responsibilities that lead to positive environmental outcomes | 21 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 15 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 15 |
| Construction Specialization: Flexibility | 15 |
| Tasks: Report and document investigations and conclusions/recommendations | 15 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 15 |
| Construction Specialization: Accurate | 15 |
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 10 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 7 |
|---|---|
| Health benefits: Dental plan | 7 |
| Health benefits: Disability benefits | 6 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 6 |
| Tasks: Conduct research | 6 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 6 |
| Construction Specialization: Initiative | 6 |
| Health benefits: Paramedical services coverage | 5 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 5 |
| Current analysis | 5 |
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 94 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Attention to detail | 55 |
|---|---|
| Construction Specialization: Dependability | 54 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 52 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 52 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 52 |
| Construction Specialization: Accurate | 52 |
| Construction Specialization: Reliability | 51 |
| Construction Specialization: Client focus | 47 |
| Construction Specialization: Values and ethics | 47 |
| Construction Specialization: Effective interpersonal skills | 44 |
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 27 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 15 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Produce reports | 14 |
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 13 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 13 |
| Tasks: Conduct evaluations and assessments of health projects and programs | 12 |
| Tasks: Develop people resources and networks for health information and other wellness issues | 12 |
| Control Systems: Addiction or substance abuse | 12 |
| Security and Safety: Criminal record check | 12 |
| Tasks: Interpret trends and developments on health issues | 11 |
| Tasks: Develop policies, standards and guidelines | 11 |
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 33 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 20 |
|---|---|
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 20 |
| Tasks: Produce reports | 19 |
| Tasks: Administer education policies and programs | 19 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 18 |
| Tasks: Perform administrative tasks | 18 |
| Tasks: Develop teaching materials and other resources for program delivery | 17 |
| Construction Specialization: Effective interpersonal skills | 16 |
| Tasks: Evaluate curriculum programs and recommend improvements | 14 |
| Construction Specialization: Flexibility | 13 |
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 24 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Co-ordinate special events | 15 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Perform administrative tasks | 14 |
| Tasks: Supervise professional staff, program leaders and instructors and volunteer staff | 13 |
| Tasks: Provide expert advice and consulting services in the design, development and administration of sports, fitness and recreation programs and activities | 13 |
| Tasks: Prepare research papers, educational texts or articles | 12 |
| Tasks: Write proposals and press statements for corporations, industry and the fitness community | 12 |
| Tasks: Conduct research and develop government policies related to recreation, sports, fitness and athletic safety and standards | 8 |
| Experience: 1 year to less than 2 years | 8 |
| Personal Suitability: Excellent oral communication | 5 |
| Personal Suitability: Team player | 5 |
Some entry-level policy analyst positions require only a bachelor’s degree. However, a master’s or doctoral degree is often required for professional advancement. A wide range of university majors can prepare someone for a career as a policy analyst. Common fields of study include policy studies, political science, sociology, economics, law, public policy, and international relations. A security background check may be needed to work in this occupation.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Policy analysts may work for:
Experienced policy analysts may advance to positions as senior managers or directors.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers
2016 NOC: 4161
75.5% of people in this occupational group work in:
Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts
2016 NOC: 4162
76.6% of people in this occupational group work in:
Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers
2016 NOC: 4164
85.4% of people in this occupational group work in:
Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers
2016 NOC: 4165
80.2% of people in this occupational group work in:
Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers
2016 NOC: 4166
78.4% of people in this occupational group work in:
Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers
2016 NOC: 4167
84.4% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $25.00 | $65.00 | $40.41 | $38.67 |
| Overall | $33.16 | $74.78 | $50.28 | $49.22 |
| Top | $34.31 | $100.84 | $62.90 | $58.36 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $95,293 |
|---|---|
| Oil & Gas Extraction | $124,968 |
| Construction | $49,181 |
| Manufacturing | $132,716 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $105,721 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $90,208 |
| Educational Services | $88,648 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $71,152 |
| Public Administration | $91,008 |
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $21.63 | $67.50 | $38.63 | $36.00 |
| Overall | $28.85 | $71.43 | $46.81 | $43.27 |
| Top | $36.06 | $73.05 | $56.41 | $59.55 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $92,580 |
|---|---|
| Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related) | $86,250 |
| Public Administration | $89,698 |
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $23.08 | $43.90 | $34.75 | $36.05 |
| Overall | $26.10 | $54.40 | $41.66 | $41.29 |
| Top | $30.77 | $62.20 | $44.15 | $47.04 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $81,494 |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $37,986 |
| Educational Services | $65,165 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $97,826 |
| Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related) | $66,040 |
| Public Administration | $85,819 |
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $27.41 | $45.45 | $34.75 | $32.63 |
| Overall | $31.55 | $54.88 | $43.89 | $45.19 |
| Top | $34.71 | $72.71 | $51.17 | $50.69 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $82,268 |
|---|---|
| Educational Services | $68,768 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $80,958 |
| Public Administration | $87,168 |
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $23.18 | $42.95 | $33.76 | $36.05 |
| Overall | $23.81 | $60.58 | $42.03 | $43.59 |
| Top | $25.03 | $65.72 | $45.08 | $47.29 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $77,573 |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $48,389 |
| Educational Services | $81,805 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $87,602 |
| Public Administration | $87,369 |
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $16.00 | $40.05 | $26.98 | $23.13 |
| Overall | $17.50 | $53.55 | $32.26 | $28.57 |
| Top | $20.00 | $53.55 | $34.45 | $32.97 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $58,132 |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $35,858 |
| Educational Services | $48,138 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $60,901 |
| Public Administration | $79,593 |
Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) website: rmalberta.com
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) website: www.appam.org
Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) website: www.ipac.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2020. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
