How to become a land survey technologist or technician
Official title: Land survey technologists and technicians
Also called: Land survey technician, Legal survey assistant, Legal survey technician, Land survey technologist, Legal survey technologist, Geodetic survey technician, Geodetic survey technologist, Engineering survey technician, Topographic survey technician, Engineering survey technologist, Topographic survey technologist, Geomatics technician - land surveying
Land survey technologists and technicians conduct or participate in surveys to determine the exact locations and relative positions of natural features and other structures on the earth's surface, underground and underwater. They are employed by all levels of government, architectural and engineering firms, and by private sector surveying establishments.
Main tasks
- Land survey technologists
- Assist survey engineers or professional surveyors to develop methods and procedures for conducting field surveys
- Conduct field surveys and operate survey instruments and computer equipment to measure distance, angles, elevations and contours
- Record measurements and other information obtained during field survey activities
- Determine precise geographic locations using global positioning systems (GPS) equipment
- Analyze latitude, longitude and angles and compute trigonometric and other calculations to plot features, contours and areas to a specific scale
- Prepare detailed drawings, charts and plans and survey notes and reports
- Supervise and coordinate field survey activities
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a two- to three-year college program in geomatics or land survey technology is usually required for land survey technologists. Completion of a one- to two-year college program in geomatics or land survey technology is usually required for land survey technicians. Certification by provincial associations of technicians and technologists may be required by some employers. In Quebec, membership in the regulatory body for professional technologists is required to use the title "Professional Technologist."
Ways in
- College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 46% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Engineering-related technologies/technicians; Geography and cartography; Civil engineering technology/technician.
- Licence or registration: In Quebec, membership in the regulatory body for professional technologists is required to use the title "Professional Technologist."
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $58,013 a year The middle half earn $48,750 to $76,050.
- About 7,400 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 7,700 are projected by 2033. (+4.1%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of surplus.
Related jobs
- Architectural technologists and technicians
- Industrial designers
- Drafting technologists and technicians
- Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology
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Questions people ask
How do I become a land survey technologist or technician?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a two- to three-year college program in geomatics or land survey technology is usually required for land survey technologists. Completion of a one- to two-year college program in geomatics or land survey technology is usually required for land survey technicians. Certification by provincial associations of technicians and technologists may be required by some employers. In Quebec, membership in the regulatory body for professional technologists is required to use the title "Professional Technologist."
How much does a land survey technologist or technician earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $58,013 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $48,750 to $76,050.
Is a land survey technologist or technician a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2033, from about 7,400 to about 7,700 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a land survey technologist or technician?
Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: College or CEGEP program.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03