Official definition
This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in conducting research and analyses in education, sociology, psychology, language, economics, law, and other social sciences and humanities.
Canadian industry
541720 Research and development in the social sciences and humanities
Recherche et développement, en sciences humaines et en sciences sociales
Official classification fields for this page
Official classification fields taken from the current StatCan source bundle.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Official title | Research and development in the social sciences and humanities |
| Classification | NAICS Canada 2022 Version 1.0 |
| Publishing authority | Statistics Canada |
| Hierarchical level | Canadian industry |
| Parent code | 54172 - Research and development in the social sciences and humanities |
| International correspondence | M7220 |
| Source | https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects/standard/naics/2022/v1/index |
| Source verification | 2026-05-05 |
Canada-wide tax and filing context
Canada-wide business, tax, and filing context from the local country pack and tax pack.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Tax authority | Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) |
| Business identifier | Business Number (BN): 9-digit identifier with program account suffixes such as RT0001 for GST/HST, RP0001 for payroll, and RC0001 for corporate income tax. |
| Filing requirements | Business Number registration; Form T2125 (Statement of Business or Professional Activities) attached to T1; Form T2 (Corporation Income Tax Return); Form T5013; Form GST34 |
| Sector authority | No cluster authority recorded in the local country pack. |
Exclusions
- marketing research (See 541910 Marketing research and public opinion polling)
Examples
- archeological sites, excavations
- behavioural research and development services
- cognitive research and development services
- demographic research and development services
- economic research and development services
- education research and development services
- humanities research and development services
- social science research and development services
- sociological research and development services
- archeological expeditions, noncommercial
- archeological research and development services
- archeological sites, excavations
- behavioural research and development services
- business research and development services
- cognitive research and development services
- demographic research and development services
- economic research and development services
- education research and development services
- historic and cultural preservation research and development services
- humanities research and development services
- language research and development services
- learning disability research and development services
- psychology research and development services
- research and development in the social sciences and humanities
- social science research and development services
- social science research, noncommercial
- sociological research and development services
- sociological research, noncommercial
Who is this code for
This code typically applies to:
Also relevant for
archeological sites, excavationsbehavioural research and development servicescognitive research and development servicesdemographic research and development serviceseconomic research and development services
Source: STATCAN_TITLE, 2026-05-05
Classification Confidence Score
5 of 6 factors passing
8/ 10
Verified official source — naics-scian-2022-structure-v1-eng.csv (2026-05-05)
International crosswalk — ISIC Rev. 4 mapping: M7220
Previous edition migration — NAICS 2017 to 2022 continuity confirmed
Complete hierarchy — 5 levels confirmed in hierarchy
Size or threshold documented — SME thresholds documented in federal tax pack
Trade or export match — No direct HS code correspondence in current bundle
Legacy crosswalk — Legacy system (SIC 1980) retired in this region
Business Profiles
When you might need code 541720
These role examples come from the official title and example wording attached to this code.
01
541720
Research and development in the social sciences and humanities
Use this page when the business is directly described by the official title or definition for 541720 Research and development in the social sciences and humanities. It is the closest source-backed checkpoint before BN registration, GST/HST review, banking onboarding, or internal classification work.
02
541720
archeological sites, excavations
Use this page when the activity is described in the official StatCan example wording as archeological sites, excavations. Compare the definition, exclusions, and nearby codes here before attaching 541720 Research and development in the social sciences and humanities to a business file.
03
541720
behavioural research and development services
Use this page when the activity is described in the official StatCan example wording as behavioural research and development services. Compare the definition, exclusions, and nearby codes here before attaching 541720 Research and development in the social sciences and humanities to a business file.
04
541720
cognitive research and development services
Use this page when the activity is described in the official StatCan example wording as cognitive research and development services. Compare the definition, exclusions, and nearby codes here before attaching 541720 Research and development in the social sciences and humanities to a business file.
Business categories in this branch
A rotating set of business activity examples linked to this part of the Canadian hierarchy.
In this section
- 541720Research and development in the social sciences and humanities
Commonly confused with
541910 — Marketing research and public opinion polling
marketing research (See 541910 Marketing research and public opinion polling)
ISIC Rev. 4 correspondence
M7220Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities
US NAICS reference541720 - Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Source row
541720Research and development in the social sciences and humanities
This page mirrors the source row from the structure CSV and the matching rows from the elements and crosswalk files.
Frequently asked questions
What does code 541720 cover?
Research and development in the social sciences and humanities: This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in conducting research and analyses in education, sociology, psychology, language, economics, law, and other social sciences and humanities.
Which level of the hierarchy is 541720?
It is a canadian industry page in the NAICS Canada 2026 hierarchy.
What is the parent of 541720?
It rolls up to 54172 Research and development in the social sciences and humanities.
Should I stop at 541720 or go lower?
This page already points to the exact six-digit Canadian industry in the current site structure.
Are official inclusion notes attached to 541720?
No inclusion rows are attached to this page in the local elements file.
Are there exclusion notes for 541720?
Yes. 1 exclusion note(s) help separate this page from nearby codes.
Does 541720 include illustrative examples?
Yes. 28 example row(s) are available for boundary checking.
What kinds of businesses often start from this page?
Examples in this branch include Research work, Legal advisory, Design services, Accounting support, Software consulting, Engineering services.
Is there an ISIC mapping for 541720?
Yes. The page shows M7220 Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities.
Does this page show a US NAICS reference?
Yes. A same-code US reference is attached: Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
Why are both English and French titles shown?
NAICS Canada is bilingual, so the page keeps both language titles visible for comparison and lookup.
Where does the page text come from?
From the local StatCan structure file, elements file, ISIC crosswalk, and the bundled US 6-digit reference workbook.