NOC 53122: Painters, sculptors and other visual artists
Painters, sculptors and other visual artists create original paintings, drawings, sculptures, engravings and other artistic works. They are usually self-employed. This unit group also includes art instructors and teachers, who are usually employed by art schools.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 53122 (Painters, sculptors and other visual artists) 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 | 53122 |
|---|---|
| Title | Painters, sculptors and other visual artists |
| 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
- art teacher (except primary, secondary and post-secondary education)
- artist
- artistic painter
- portrait painter
- sculptor
- silkscreen artist
- watercolourist
Main duties
- Painters
- Create drawings, paintings and other artwork using oils, pastels, watercolours, charcoal, ink and other media.
- Sculptors
- Create sculptures, statues and other three-dimensional artwork by shaping, carving and working with materials such as clay, ice, paper, stone, wood or metal.
- Art instructors and teachers
- Teach students the techniques and methods of drawing, painting, sculpting and other forms of artistic expression.
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 53120 — Dancers
- NOC 53121 — Actors, comedians and circus performers
- 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 53121 Actors, comedians and circus performers · NOC 53123 Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers →
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 53122 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 53122 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 53122 a high-wage occupation?+
No. NOC 53122 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 53122?+
None of IRCC's current category-based selection lists include NOC 53122. Candidates can still be invited in general, program-specific (such as CEC) or PNP rounds.