Is NOC 41221 (Elementary school and kindergarten teachers) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?

Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 41221 is in the 1.5× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 1.5 times, but less than 2 times, the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).

How many CRS points does NOC 41221 give?

With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 41221, you add 40 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 104 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 41221 is worth 70 points instead. You get the higher of the two routes, never both, capped at 150 points (140 with a spouse).

Do I need to earn 1.5× the median wage myself?

No. The tier comes from the occupation’s national median wage, not from your own salary. What matters is that your job’s main duties match NOC 41221 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.

Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?

Months here combine with months in 2× occupations for the 40-point add-on, and with any high-wage occupation for the 20-point add-on.

Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 41221?

As a TEER 1 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

Which category draws include NOC 41221?

It is on IRCC’s list for the Education category, so you can also be invited in those category draws.

1.5× median wageTEER 1NOC 2021 Version 1.0

NOC 41221: Elementary school and kindergarten teachers

Elementary school and kindergarten teachers teach basic subjects such as reading, writing and arithmetic or specialized subjects such as English or French as a second language at public and private elementary schools.

Express Entry eligibility

Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): yes, TEER 1.
Canadian Experience Class: counts as skilled Canadian work (1 year in the last 3 years).
Federal Skilled Worker Program: counts as skilled work (1 year of continuous work in the last 10 years).
Federal Skilled Trades Program: not one of the eligible trades.
High-wage occupation (from November 3, 2026): yes, 1.5× tier.

TEER 1: Occupations that usually need a university degree. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.

Category-based draws

Education
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in this occupation within the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad.

Category lists checked on canada.ca on 2026-10-17. IRCC category-based selection

CRS points for work in NOC 41221

With 12+ months of Canadian work here, from November 3, 2026, by years of skilled Canadian work:

Canadian work CRS points with 12 or more months in NOC 41221
Years in Canada	Single, today	Single, Nov 3	With spouse, today	With spouse, Nov 3
1	40	80	35	75
2	53	93	46	86
3	64	104	56	96
4	72	112	63	103
5 or more	80	120	70	110

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Prepare courses for presentation to students according to approved curriculum
Teach students using a systematic plan of lessons, discussions, audio-visual presentations and field trips
Lead students in activities to promote their physical, mental and social development and their school readiness
Assign and correct homework
Prepare, administer and correct tests
Evaluate the progress of students and discuss results with students, parents and school officials
Identify children's individual learning needs
Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops
May supervise teachers' aides and student teachers.
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers may specialize in such areas as special education or second language instruction.

For Express Entry your duties must match the lead statement and most of the main duties above.

Example job titles

English as a second language elementary school teacher
French as a second language elementary school teacher
French immersion teacher - elementary school
kindergarten teacher
primary school teacher
remedial teacher - elementary school
special education teacher - elementary school
special education teacher - primary school
supply teacher - elementary school
teacher-librarian - elementary school

Employment requirements

A bachelor's degree in education is required.
A bachelor's degree in child development may be required.
Additional training is required to specialize in special education or second language instruction.
A provincial teaching certificate is required. Additional certification is required to teach English or French as a second language.
Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers' association or federation is usually required.

Similar jobs with a different code

Common questions

Is NOC 41221 (Elementary school and kindergarten teachers) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?: Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 41221 is in the 1.5× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 1.5 times, but less than 2 times, the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).
How many CRS points does NOC 41221 give?: With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 41221, you add 40 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 104 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 41221 is worth 70 points instead. You get the higher of the two routes, never both, capped at 150 points (140 with a spouse).
Do I need to earn 1.5× the median wage myself?: No. The tier comes from the occupation’s national median wage, not from your own salary. What matters is that your job’s main duties match NOC 41221 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.
Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?: Months here combine with months in 2× occupations for the 40-point add-on, and with any high-wage occupation for the 20-point add-on.
Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 41221?: As a TEER 1 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Which category draws include NOC 41221?: It is on IRCC’s list for the Education category, so you can also be invited in those category draws.

Other 1.5× high-wage occupations

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See your CRS score with NOC 41221

Quick CRS adds up every factor and shows your score under today’s rules and the rules from November 3, 2026, side by side. Free, about 3 minutes.

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