53121 Actors, comedians and circus performers

What this occupation covers

Actors, comedians and circus performers perform roles and circus skills in circuses, motion picture, television, theatre and radio productions to entertain a variety of audiences. They are employed by motion picture, television, circuses, theatre and other production companies. This unit group includes acting teachers employed by private acting schools.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 11 main duties for this code.

• Study and rehearse lines, gestures and expressions to interpret a role
• Portray roles in video or motion picture productions, television shows, theatre productions, radio dramas, commercials and other productions or perform the narration
• Sing or dance as required by specific roles
• Perform comedy acts in nightclubs alone or as members of comedy troupes
• Improvise a role.
• Train students in interpretation of scripts, speech, movement, and dramatic theory
• Prepare acting students for specific auditions and performances.
• Perform a variety of acts intended to amaze, thrill, and engage audiences
• Conceptualize and choreograph original performances
• Study and perform acrobatic and aerial skills required by specific circus shows.
• May participate in the development of a director or ringmaster's vision

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 11 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 52114 Announcers and other broadcasters
• 53120 Dancers
• 41200 University professors and lecturers
• 51122 Musicians and singers
• 55109 Other performers

Excluded from this code

• Announcers and other broadcasters (See 52114 Announcers and other broadcasters)
• Dancers (See 53120 Dancers)
• Drama professor - university (See 41200 University professors and lecturers)
• Musicians and singers (See 51122 Musicians and singers)
• Other performers (See 55109 Other performers)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

acrobat · acting teacher - private or studio · actor/actress · aerial acrobat - entertainment · circus artist · circus performer · clown · comedian · comic · contortionist · diction coach · drama actor · drama coach · drama teacher - private or studio · dramatic arts teacher - private or studio · dramatic reader · entertainer · equilibrist · film dubber · high-wire walker · humorist - performing arts · hypnotist · illusionist · impersonator

Employment requirements

• Demonstrated ability, based on an audition or previous acting or circus roles, is an important hiring criteria.
• Circus performers and acrobats may require a period of study at a circus school.
• Acting programs are offered at universities, colleges and private acting schools.
• Acting teachers usually require experience as actors.
• Membership in a guild or union may be required.