NOC 53122: Painters, sculptors and other visual artists

Official definition · Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0 · statcan.gc.ca ↗

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.

Median Pay$29.57/hrPrevailing median rate

TEER LevelLevel 3Express Entry pool

Priority StreamGeneral StreamCategory draws

Official Titles43 TitlesGovernment aliases

Interactive Reference Letter Tool

Official Main Duties for NOC 53122

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.

🔎 Check Your Company Job Title43 official aliases

Checklist (6 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 — officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.

Live Match Score⚠ Needs 4 More

0 of 6 selected

0%60% Recommended100%

Below 60% Target (0%)To qualify for NOC 53122, your employer letter should verify at least 4 main duties. Select 4 more to see if your experience matches.

Minimum Needed4 Duties

Current StatusIncomplete

Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 53122

Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Painters, sculptors and other visual artists is categorized under TEER 3. Occupations in this tier typically require completion of a 2- to 3-year post-secondary diploma, apprenticeship training, or specialized technical certifications.

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

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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 53122.

Former NOC 51364-Digit Legacy

Painters, sculptors and other visual artists

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 / Territory	Low Wage	Median Wage	High Wage
Canada (National Average)	$18.75	$29.57/hr	$45.09
Quebec →	$19.4/hr	$26/hr	$43/hr
Ontario →	$18.24/hr	$25.71/hr	$43.15/hr
Alberta →	$18/hr	$29/hr	$50/hr
British Columbia →	$24.5/hr	$41.26/hr	$47.34/hr

Employment Requirements

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

Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of the safe use of materials, tools and equipment are required. Art programs are offered at universities, colleges and private art schools.
A college diploma in fine arts techniques may be required.
Art instructors and teachers may be required to have a university degree or college diploma in a field related to art.

Official Job Titles for NOC 53122

43 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:

art teacher (except primary, secondary and post-secondary education)artistartistic painterportrait paintersculptorsilkscreen artistwatercolouristanimal art painteranimal art sculptorart instructorart instructor (except primary, secondary, post-secondary education)artistic printmakercharcoal artistclay modellerdecorations painter - visual artsetcher - visual artsice sculptorink sketcherInuit art sculptorlandscape painterlithographic artistmaritime art paintermetal sculptormonument sculptormural landscape artistmural painteroil painterpainter - visual artspainting teacherplastic arts artistprintmaker - visual artsprintmaking teacherscenery painterscenic painter - visual artssculptor-modellersculpture teacher (except primary, secondary, post-secondary education)sculpturing teacher (except primary, secondary, post-secondary education)silhouette artistvideo artistvisual arts artistvisual arts teacher (except primary, secondary, post-secondary education)wood block artistwood sculptor

Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)

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

Art teacher - elementary school (See 41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers)View NOC 41221→
Art teacher - secondary school (See 41220 Secondary school teachers)View NOC 41220→
Artisans and craftspersons (See 53124 Artisans and craftspersons)View NOC 53124→
Fine arts professor - university (See 41200 University professors and lecturers)View NOC 41200→
Fine arts teacher - college level (See 41210 College and other vocational instructors)View NOC 41210→
Graphic designers and illustrators (See 52120 Graphic designers and illustrators)View NOC 52120→

Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 53122 (Painters, sculptors and other visual artists)

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

Yes. Because NOC 53122 is classified as TEER 3, 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 $29.57/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, Painters, sculptors and other visual artists was categorized under NOC 5136 (Painters, sculptors and other visual artists). In NOC 2021, it transitioned to NOC 53122 under TEER 3.

Topic Cluster • Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport

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If your daily responsibilities for Painters, sculptors and other visual artists overlap with other roles, compare duties and prevailing salaries across these closely related NOC codes:

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Duties→

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Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers

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Median Pay$45/hr

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Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts

Managers in publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate operations within publishing firms, film, theatre and record production companies and broadcasting facilities. They are employed by radio and television stations, by newspaper, periodical and book publishing firms, and by film, theatre, record and video production companies.

Median Pay$50.48/hr

Duties→

Next Steps for NOC 53122

Check Your Express Entry Score & Latest Cutoffs

Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 53122, explore your TEER 3 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.

Calculate CRS Score →View Draw Trends →TEER 3 Guide →

NOC data: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0

Wages: ESDC Job Bank 2025/2026 Open Data

·Last verified: September 2026