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NOC 51120: Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations

Official definition ยท Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0 ยท statcan.gc.ca โ†—

Producers, directors, choreographers and professionals in related occupations oversee and control the technical and artistic aspects of film, television, video game, radio, dance and theatre productions. They are employed by film production companies, radio and television stations, video game companies, broadcast departments, advertising companies, sound recording studios, record production companies and dance companies. They may also be self-employed.

Median Pay$41.03/hrPrevailing median rate
TEER LevelLevel 1Express Entry pool
Priority StreamGeneral StreamCategory draws
Official Titles57 TitlesGovernment aliases
Interactive Reference Letter Tool

Official Main Duties for NOC 51120

Select the duties you perform in your actual job. Under IRCC guidelines, you must perform at least 60% of these duties for a successful work permit or PR reference letter.

57 official aliases
Checklist (14 official duties):Click each to toggle
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IRCC Reference Letter Rule:

Your employer reference letter must confirm you performed the main actions described in the duties above. Avoid copying words directly from the NOC description โ€” officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.

Live Match Scoreโš  Needs 9 More
0%
0 of 14 selected
0%60% Recommended100%
Below 60% Target (0%)To qualify for NOC 51120, your employer letter should verify at least 9 main duties. Select 9 more to see if your experience matches.
Minimum Needed9 Duties
Current StatusIncomplete

Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 51120

Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations is categorized under TEER 1. Occupations in this tier typically require a university degree (bachelorโ€™s, masterโ€™s, or doctorate) or substantial managerial tenure.

Express Entry Alignment

Qualifies directly for the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry. Work experience must be full-time (or equivalent part-time) and continuous for at least one year.

Target Category Status

Currently evaluated under standard General and CEC invitation rounds, or targeted through provincial in-demand lists such as Ontario (OINP), British Columbia (BC PNP), or Alberta (AAIP).

NOC 2016 to NOC 2021 Transition & Equivalency

Open Full NOC Converter Toolโ†’

Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, this occupation was mapped under the following 4-digit code(s). When preparing your Express Entry profile or work reference letters, you must use the new 5-digit code NOC 51120.

Former NOC 51314-Digit Legacy
Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
VC1 - Code Change
Job Bank Open Data (2025/2026)

Regional Wages Across Canada

Legal Benchmark for LMIA

Under Canadian immigration law, an employer hiring you under an LMIA must pay you at least the median wage listed below for your province.

Province / TerritoryLow WageMedian WageHigh Wage
Canada (National Average)$22$41.03/hr$70
Newfoundland and Labrador โ†’$25.17/hr$35.85/hr$51.6/hr
Prince Edward Island โ†’$18.37/hr$35.16/hr$49.85/hr
Nova Scotia โ†’$20.08/hr$31.68/hr$54.48/hr
New Brunswick โ†’$23.56/hr$34.53/hr$50.44/hr
Quebec โ†’$22.22/hr$40/hr$58.79/hr
Ontario โ†’$18.27/hr$39.9/hr$56.65/hr
Manitoba โ†’$24.29/hr$38.94/hr$54.81/hr
Saskatchewan โ†’$20/hr$26.85/hr$33.65/hr
Alberta โ†’$23.96/hr$35.97/hr$49.45/hr
British Columbia โ†’$24.58/hr$41.99/hr$69.53/hr

Employment Requirements

These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:

  • Producers, directors and film editors
  • A university degree or college diploma in the performing arts, broadcasting, journalism, business administration, theatre production or film studies and experience in a technical or production occupation in motion pictures, broadcasting or theatre are usually required.
  • Choreographers
  • A university degree or college diploma in dance, or a period of study at a school of dance and extensive training with a dance company are usually required.
  • Record producers
  • A university degree or college diploma in music or the recording arts and experience in a technical or production occupation in the recording arts are usually required.
  • Directors of photography
  • A university degree or college diploma in film studies or cinematography and experience in camera operation or another technical occupation in video or motion picture production are usually required.
  • Demonstrated creative ability is required for all occupations in this unit group.

Official Job Titles for NOC 51120

57 Titles Listed

If your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:

artistic director - motion picturechoreographercyber-choreographerdirector - motion picturedirector of photographyfilmmakermultimedia audio producerproducer - performing artsproducer-directorradio producerrecord producerstage director - performing artstechnical director - broadcastingtelevision producerart director - graphic designart director - motion pictures, broadcasting and performing artsassistant directorassistant director - motion pictures, broadcasting and performing artsaudiovisual (AV) producerbroadcasting directorbroadcasting producerbroadcasting sports directorcasting directorcinematographerdirector - motion pictures, broadcasting and performing artsfilm directorfilm editorfilm producerfloor director - performing artsmotion picture directormotion picture producermotion picture production directormovie directormovie producerperforming arts artistic directorproduction designer - motion pictures, broadcasting and performing artsproduction director - motion pictureprogram director - broadcastingradio directorrecording directorstage producertechnical director - motion pictures, broadcasting and performing artstechnical producertechnical producer - motion pictures, broadcasting and performing artstelevision directortelevision director-producervideo directorvideo game art directorvideo game producervideo games project managervideo illustrator - multimedia workvideo makervideo producervisual effects (VFX) production managervisual effects producervisual effects project managervisual effects technical director - motion pictures

Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)

Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:

  • Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts (See 50011 Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts)View NOC 50011โ†’
  • Photographers and support occupations in arts and culture (See 5311 Photographers and support occupations in arts and culture)
  • Technical occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts (See 5211 Technical occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts)

Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 51120 (Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations)

Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.

Yes. Because NOC 51120 is classified as TEER 1, it qualifies for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry.
For an LMIA work permit, your employer must offer at least the median wage of $41.03/hr (or the prevailing median rate in your specific Canadian province of employment).
Under Section 75(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), your employment reference letter must confirm you perform the actions in the lead statement and a substantial number (recommended at least 60%) of the official main duties listed above. You do not need to perform 100% of the duties.
Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations was categorized under NOC 5131 (Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations). In NOC 2021, it transitioned to NOC 51120 under TEER 1.
Next Steps for NOC 51120

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Last verified: September 2026