NOC 41221: Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers teach basic subjects such as reading, writing and arithmetic or specialized subjects such as English or French as a second language at public and private elementary schools.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 41221 (Elementary school and kindergarten 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 | 41221 |
|---|---|
| Title | Elementary school and kindergarten 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
- English as a second language elementary school teacher
- French as a second language elementary school teacher
- French immersion teacher - elementary school
- kindergarten teacher
- primary school teacher
- remedial teacher - elementary school
- special education teacher - elementary school
- special education teacher - primary school
Main duties
- Prepare courses for presentation to students according to approved curriculum
- Teach students using a systematic plan of lessons, discussions, audio-visual presentations and field trips
- Lead students in activities to promote their physical, mental and social development and their school readiness
- Assign and correct homework
- Prepare, administer and correct tests
- Evaluate the progress of students and discuss results with students, parents and school officials
- Identify children's individual learning needs
- Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
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 41220 — Secondary school 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 41220 Secondary school teachers · NOC 41300 Social workers →
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 41221 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 41221 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 41221 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 41221?+
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.