Land surveyors
Occupation · NOC 2021 21203 · Canada
- NOC 2021 code
- 21203
- TEER
- 1
- Positions on positive LMIAs, all lists
- 27
- Median wage, Canada
- C$42.20 per hour
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 138
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About this occupation
Land surveyors plan, direct and conduct legal surveys to establish the location of real property boundaries, contours and other natural or human-made features, and prepare and maintain cross-sectional drawings, official plans, records and documents pertaining to these surveys. They are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments, private sector land surveying establishments, real estate development, natural resource, engineering and construction firms, or they may be self-employed.
Example job titles
- cadastral surveyor
- Canada lands surveyor
- city surveyor
- land surveyor
- property surveyor
Main duties
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Develop survey plans, methods and procedures for conducting legal surveys
- Plan, direct and supervise or conduct surveys to establish and mark legal boundaries of properties, parcels of lands, provincial and Canada Lands, Aboriginal land claims, wellsites, mining claims, utility rights-of-way, roadways and highways
- Survey and lay out subdivisions for rural and urban development
- Determine precise locations using electronic distance measuring equipment, global positioning systems (GPS), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)/drones
- Analyze, manage and display data using geographic information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design and drafting (CAD)
- Record all measurements and other information obtained during survey activities
- Prepare or supervise the preparation and compilation of all data, plans, charts, records and documents related to surveys of real property boundaries
- Certify and assume liability for surveys made to establish real property boundaries
- Advise, provide consultation and testify as an expert witness on matters related to legal surveys
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in geomatics engineering or survey engineering or a college diploma in survey science or geomatics technology with additional academic credits and successful completion of equivalent examinations set by a regional board of examiners for land surveyors is required.
- A one- to three-year articling period is required.
- Successful completion of professional land surveyor examinations is required.
- A federal or provincial land surveyor's licence is required.
Temporary foreign worker positions (LMIA)
Positions on positive LMIAs in ESDC employer lists, by year of the list.
Approved positions by year
Data table
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 1 |
- Subsea 7 Canada Inc.12
- Ecce Terra, Arpenteurs-Géomètres SENCRL2
- GeoVerra Inc.2
- Tham Surveying Limited1
- Ferrovial Agroman Canada, Inc.1
- Sulmara Subsea Canada Limited1
- Géo Précision inc.1
- MTE Consultants Inc.1
- Lignec construction inc.1
- Grad Surveying Ltd.1
- McKechnie Surveying Ltd.1
- Reimar Construction and Forming1
- L&M Engineering Limited1
- GENESIS LAND SURVEYING INC1
Work permits
Work permit holders by year the permit took effect, mapped from NOC 2016 where the code has a single NOC 2021 successor (IRCC).
| Year | TFWP permits | IMP permits |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 | 20 | 0 |
All work permits by year
Data table
| 2016 | 20 |
| 2019 | 10 |
Permanent residence
Admissions of permanent residents by intended occupation and Express Entry invitations by occupation (IRCC).
New permanent residents by year
Data table
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2022 | 5 |
- Federal Skilled Worker135
- Canadian Experience Class15
- Provincial Nominee Program15
Wages
Median wage by province and territory (2025 release). Hourly unless marked per year.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | C$29.00 | C$42.20 | C$60.51 |
| Alberta | C$26.00 | C$48.53 | C$61.00 |
| British Columbia | C$35.00 | C$40.87 | C$60.00 |
| Manitoba | C$26.81 | C$41.23 | C$65.31 |
| New Brunswick | C$25.73 | C$39.92 | C$67.47 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | C$22.60 | C$39.88 | C$51.16 |
| Nova Scotia | C$30.00 | C$36.06 | C$63.94 |
| Ontario | C$26.54 | C$39.36 | C$62.08 |
| Quebec | C$30.00 | C$40.06 | C$51.00 |
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 138
- Vacancies advertised
- 151
- Median advertised minimum hourly wage
- C$30.00
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