National Occupational Classification, TEER 3

NOC 53120: Dancers

Dancers are employed by ballet and dance companies, television and film productions and nightclubs and similar establishments. Below are the main duties, all 28 job titles it covers, what it means for Express Entry and what it pays in each province.

Updated

Match my duties with AI

All NOC codes

  • Official NOC 2021 data
  • Job Bank wages

What is NOC 53120?

NOC 53120 is the code for dancers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include ballet dancer, ballet teacher, ballroom dancing teacher and dance instructor. It is a TEER 3 occupation (usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $32.94 an hour.

NOC code
53120
TEER
3: College diploma, apprenticeship under 2 years or 6+ months of training
Broad category
Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport
Express Entry
Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
Category draws
None
Median wage
$32.94 an hour

Job titles under NOC 53120

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.

Main job titles

  • ballet dancer
  • ballet teacher
  • ballroom dancing teacher
  • dance instructor
  • dancer
  • folkloric dancer
  • interpretative dancer
  • tap dancer

All 28 job titles in the NOC index

ballerina, ballet dancer, ballet master, ballet teacher, ballroom dancing teacher, baton twirling instructor, belly dancer, chorus dancer, classical dance instructor, classical dancer, dance instructor, dance notator, dance teacher, dancer, dancing instructor, folk dance teacher, folk dancer, folkloric dance teacher, folkloric dancer, group dance teacher, group dancer, interpretative dancer, interpretive dancer, line dance teacher, line dancer, performance movement teacher, tap dance teacher, tap dancer.

Also included in this group

  • performance movement teacher

Main duties of NOC 53120

This group performs some or all of the following 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
  • Teach recreational dancing lessons such as ballroom dancing
  • Prepare dance students for specific auditions and performances.
  • Dancers may specialize in specific types of dance such as ballet, ballroom, folk, jazz or modern.

Employment requirements

  • A university degree or college diploma in dance or Graduation from a private dance school or academy may be required.
  • Talent and ability, as demonstrated during an audition, are important hiring criteria.
  • Dance teachers usually require experience as dancers.
  • Membership in a guild or union related to the occupation or type of performance may be required.

Is NOC 53120 eligible for Express Entry?

Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 3 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.

NOC 53120 and Express Entry
Program or drawNOC 53120
Federal Skilled Worker ProgramCounts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3)
Canadian Experience ClassCounts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3)
Federal Skilled Trades ProgramNot a listed trade
Occupation category draws (2026)Not on any occupation list
French-language proficiency (category draw)Open to any occupation with NCLC 7 in French

Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.

How much does NOC 53120 pay?

Job Bank wages for this occupation, per hour. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.

NOC 53120 wages by province and territory
AreaLowMedianHigh
Canada$20.10$32.94$50.00
Quebec$18.33$32.69$50.38
Ontario$20.10$31.88$47.32
Alberta$20.00$35.00$50.00
British Columbia$24.00$37.89$60.00

Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2023-2024 (Employment Insurance Survey Data). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.

Using NOC 53120 duties on your resume

Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.

For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 53120 as you write.

  • Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
  • Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
  • Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.

Turn my duties into a resume Free to start, no card.

Where this information comes from

Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.

Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NOC code for a ballet dancer?

NOC 53120, Dancers, a TEER 3 occupation in NOC 2021.

What TEER is NOC 53120?

TEER 3. Usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.

Is NOC 53120 eligible for Express Entry?

Yes. As a TEER 3 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.

Is NOC 53120 in an Express Entry category-based draw?

No. It is not on any 2026 occupation list. The French-language proficiency category is open to any occupation if you reach NCLC 7 in French. See every category.

How much does NOC 53120 pay in Canada?

The Job Bank median across Canada is $32.94 an hour, with most wages between $20.10 and $50.00. Pay varies by province: see the table above.

Where is the official description?

On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 53120 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.

Your duties fit. Now show employers.

CVMaple turns the work you did into a Canadian resume: the right format, strong bullets and the keywords Canadian applicant tracking systems look for.

Build my resume free

More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes