NOC 41220: Secondary school teachers
Secondary school teachers prepare and teach academic, technical, vocational or specialized subjects at public and private secondary schools. Secondary school teachers who are heads of departments are included in this unit group.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 41220 (Secondary school teachers) is a TEER 1 occupation, so it counts as skilled work for Express Entry. It is on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 2: +40 CRS for 12+ months of Canadian work, or 70 for a job offer. It is eligible for Education category draws.
TEER
TEER 1
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Level 2
+40 work · 70 job offer
Category draws
Education
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 41220 |
|---|---|
| Title | Secondary school teachers |
| Broad category | Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services |
| TEER | TEER 1 — usually requires a university degree |
Category-based draws
- Education occupations — have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous (in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation); in Canada or abroad).
CRS points for this occupation
Under the Labour Market Integration factor, IRCC gives you the higher of: your Canadian work-length points plus 40 for 12+ months of qualifying work in a Level 2 occupation, or 70 points for a valid job offer in it. How job offer points work.
Example job titles
- adult education teacher - secondary school
- biology teacher - secondary school
- commerce teacher - secondary school
- English as a second language (ESL) high school teacher
- English teacher - secondary school
- French as a second language teacher - secondary school
- history teacher - secondary school
- librarian-teacher - high school
Main duties
- Prepare subject material for presentation to students according to an approved curriculum
- Teach students using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop and field studies
- Assign and correct homework
- Prepare, administer and correct tests
- Evaluate progress, determine individual needs of students and discuss results with parents and school officials
- Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
- Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops
- May teach and evaluate students through distance or online courses
Your duties should match the lead statement and most of the main duties to use this NOC — check the full profile on the official NOC site.
Related occupations
- NOC 41200 — University professors and lecturers
- NOC 41201 — Post-secondary teaching and research assistants
- NOC 41210 — College and other vocational instructors
- NOC 41221 — Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
- NOC 41100 — Judges
- NOC 41101 — Lawyers and Quebec notaries
- NOC 41300 — Social workers
- NOC 41301 — Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
- NOC 41302 — Religious leaders
- NOC 41310 — Police investigators and other investigative occupations
← NOC 41210 College and other vocational instructors · NOC 41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 1 also matters for work permits: see the spousal open work permit (TEER rules for spouses of workers), LMIA explained and the Atlantic Immigration Program (job offers in TEER 0–4).
Sources: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 V1.0; IRCC high-wage occupations; IRCC category-based selection; IRCC who can apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is NOC 41220 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 41220 is a TEER 1 occupation. IRCC counts work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations as skilled work experience for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, as long as all other program requirements are met.
Is NOC 41220 a high-wage occupation?+
Yes. It's on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 2. From November 3, 2026, 12+ months of qualifying Canadian work in it adds 40 CRS points, or a valid job offer in it is worth 70 points (whichever is higher).
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 41220?+
As published by IRCC: Education occupations. Candidates generally need have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous.