NOC 53120: Dancers
Dancers are employed by ballet and dance companies, television and film productions and nightclubs and similar establishments. This unit group also includes dance teachers who are usually employed by dance academies and dance schools.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 53120 (Dancers) is a TEER 3 occupation, so it counts as skilled work for Express Entry. It is not on IRCC's high-wage list. It isn't on any current category-based draw list.
TEER
TEER 3
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Not listed
No extra CRS points
Category draws
None
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 53120 |
|---|---|
| Title | Dancers |
| Broad category | Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport |
| TEER | TEER 3 — usually requires a college diploma or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or 6+ months of on-the-job training |
Example job titles
- ballet dancer
- ballet teacher
- ballroom dancing teacher
- dance instructor
- dancer
- folkloric dancer
- interpretative dancer
- tap dancer
Main duties
- Dancers
- Practise and rehearse dance routines under direction or instruction to achieve desired interpretation and presentation
- Perform dances as soloists or as members of groups before live audiences or for film or television
- Train and exercise to maintain the required levels of ability and fitness
- May choreograph their own performances.
- Dance teachers
- Teach dance technique and artistic interpretation to amateur and professional individuals and groups
- Teach the techniques, cultural origins and symbolic meanings of Aboriginal, ethnic and folkloric dances
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 53100 — Registrars, restorers, interpreters and other occupations related to museum and art galleries
- NOC 53110 — Photographers
- NOC 53111 — Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators
- NOC 53121 — Actors, comedians and circus performers
- NOC 53122 — Painters, sculptors and other visual artists
- NOC 53123 — Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers
- NOC 53124 — Artisans and craftspersons
- NOC 53125 — Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products
- NOC 53200 — Athletes
- NOC 53201 — Coaches
← NOC 53111 Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators · NOC 53121 Actors, comedians and circus performers →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 3 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 53120 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 53120 is a TEER 3 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 53120 a high-wage occupation?+
No. NOC 53120 isn't on IRCC's Express Entry high-wage occupations list, so it doesn't earn the extra high-wage or job offer CRS points. Canadian work-length points can still apply for TEER 0–3 work.
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 53120?+
None of IRCC's current category-based selection lists include NOC 53120. Candidates can still be invited in general, program-specific (such as CEC) or PNP rounds.