NOC 53123: Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers

NOC 53123 is the NOC 2021 unit group for theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers, with job titles such as fashion designer, museum exhibit designer and fur designer. It is a TEER 3 occupation in broad category 5, occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport.

TEER 3Broad category 5NOC 2021

Decode the code

Pick a level to see what each digit means.

53123

Unit group 53123: theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers. This is the code you put on your application.

NOC 53123 job description: fashion designer duties and responsibilities

  • Design and create settings, scenic environments, properties, costumes and lighting for theatre, film and video productions, operas and ballets.
  • Design and create clothing and accessories for men, women and children.
  • Plan and develop permanent and temporary or moveable exhibits and displays for museum exhibitions, trade shows, conventions, and other exhibitions.

Job titles under NOC 53123

See every job title and its code in the A–Z job title index, or all TEER 3 jobs.

Is NOC 53123 eligible for Express Entry?

By TEER, yes. TEER 3 is inside the TEER 0 to 3 range that the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class accept. You still need qualifying work experience, language test results and enough CRS points to get an invitation. Category-based draws and provincial nominee programs use their own occupation lists.

Federal program TEER requirements for NOC 53123
ProgramTEER checkWhy
Federal Skilled WorkerTEER qualifiesTEER 3 is within TEER 0 to 3
Canadian Experience ClassTEER qualifiesTEER 3 is within TEER 0 to 3
Federal Skilled TradesNot a listed tradeOnly certain trade groups qualify. Check IRCC
Spouse's open work permitNot eligibleNot on IRCC's TEER 2–3 list. SOWP rules

Category-based draws: NOC 53123 is not on any category-based selection list (checked 2026-10-16). Under NOC 2016, TEER 3 was skill level B ("NOC B").

Category-based Express Entry draws and provincial nominee programs use their own occupation lists. Check the current lists on IRCC's Express Entry page and provincial nominee page.

NOC 53123: common questions

What is NOC 53123?

NOC 53123 is the code for theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021). Its first digit, 5, is the broad category and its second digit, 3, is the TEER level. Immigration forms, job offers and LMIA applications use this five-digit code.

What TEER is NOC 53123?

NOC 53123 is TEER 3. Occupations that usually need a college program or apprenticeship of less than two years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. Under the older NOC 2016 system, TEER 3 lines up with skill level B.

Is NOC 53123 eligible for Express Entry and PR?

By TEER, yes. TEER 3 is inside the TEER 0 to 3 range that the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class accept. You still need qualifying work experience, language test results and enough CRS points to get an invitation. Category-based draws and provincial nominee programs use their own occupation lists.

Is NOC 53123 in a category-based Express Entry draw?

No. As of IRCC's list dated 2026-10-16, NOC 53123 is not in any category-based selection list (healthcare, STEM, trades, education, transport and others). You can still be invited in general and program-specific draws.

Is NOC 53123 eligible for a spousal open work permit (SOWP)?

No. For applications made since January 21, 2025, only TEER 0 and 1 jobs and a list of selected TEER 2 and 3 occupations qualify, and NOC 53123 is not on that list (IRCC page modified 2026-06-12).

What is the NOC code for a fashion designer?

Fashion designer is listed under NOC 53123, theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers. The job title alone does not decide your code: your duties should match the main duties of NOC 53123.

How do I know if NOC 53123 is my NOC code?

Compare what you actually do with the main duties listed for NOC 53123, not just your job title. IRCC expects your duties to match the lead statement and most of the main duties of the code you choose. If they fit another code better, use that one. You can paste your duties into nocfinder to see how they line up, duty by duty.

Source: ESDC NOC 2021 · IRCC program pages. Not legal advice.