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Advocate, Case Worker / Manager, Community Developer, Counsellor, Evaluator, Health Professional, Mediator, Navigator, Social Policy Analyst
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
Social workers promote social change and enhance people’s well-being. They help individuals develop problem-solving skills and feel self-empowered. Specific duties and client populations vary from setting to setting. Social workers may work in:
They may also work in:
Working conditions vary widely. Social workers often divide their time between face-to-face client contact and desk time completing assessments, case studies, plans, and reports. Direct practice may include interviewing clients in their homes and conducting family counselling sessions and group work. This may be interspersed with meetings and coordinating services with other professionals and community agencies.
Positions involved in community work, health care, advocacy, and crisis intervention and investigation may require work on evenings or weekends. Social workers can expect to put in non-regular hours to lead counselling sessions, seminars, and workshops.
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 mentoring in order to counsel and provide therapy to clients to help them develop skills to deal with and resolve their social and personal problems; in serving on interdisciplinary teams of professionals working with client groups; in assisting in community development; and in providing mediation services
Interest in co-ordinating information to plan programs of assistance including referral to agencies that provide financial assistance, legal aid, housing, medical treatment and other services; in conducting social research; and in developing prevention and intervention programs to meet community needs
Interest in investigating cases of child abuse and neglect and in taking authorized protective action; may supervise other social workers
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.
Social work is a demanding profession. It requires:
Social workers should enjoy working with and counselling people, finding innovative solutions to problems, and taking responsibility for their work.
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 80 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Nov 11, 2021 and Nov 28, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 47 |
|---|---|
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 42 |
| Construction Specialization: Effective interpersonal skills | 42 |
| Security and Safety: Criminal record check | 41 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 40 |
| Construction Specialization: Dependability | 40 |
| Attention to detail | 38 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 37 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 37 |
| Construction Specialization: Client focus | 36 |
Social workers must have a diploma, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree in social work . Some employers require a minimum of a bachelor of social work (BSW) degree.
Applicants for social work positions often must undergo a criminal record check and vulnerable sector record check. They should also expect to provide a valid driver’s license and their own vehicle.
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.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Social workers help individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations develop skills and resources. Their goal is to enhance social functioning and social environments.
Under Alberta’s Health Professions Act [pdf] and the Social Workers Profession Regulation [pdf], social workers must meet identified educational requirements and register with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Registration is necessary if you wish to provide professional services directly to the public, teach social work practice to ACSW members or social work students, or supervise registered members who provide services to the public. The College authorizes some registered members to perform restricted activities defined in the Regulation. Only registered members may use the protected titles Social Worker or Registered Social Worker. To use the protected title Clinical Social Worker, registered members must meet additional requirements.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Social Worker.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Social workers work for:
Social workers may advance to supervisory or administrative positions based on their level of education and work experience. Some social workers go into private practice in their areas of specialization. With a graduate degree, a social worker can move into post-secondary teaching and research positions.
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.
Social workers
2016 NOC: 4152
86.3% 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.
Salaries for social workers vary a great deal depending on the employer and the worker’s qualifications.
For information about current collective agreements in the public and not-for-profit sectors, see the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website.
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.
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 | $19.73 | $41.58 | $29.57 | $28.27 |
| Overall | $20.47 | $53.39 | $37.73 | $42.12 |
| Top | $23.28 | $55.25 | $41.70 | $47.16 |
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 | $67,970 |
|---|---|
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $66,874 |
| Public Administration | $93,936 |
Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) website: www.acsw.ab.ca
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) website: www.aswb.org
Canadian Association of Social Work (CASW) website: www.casw-acts.ca
Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) website: caswe-acfts.ca
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) website: www.cswe.org
Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: www.hsaa.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.
