How to become a land surveyor
Official title: Land surveyors
Also called: City surveyor, Land surveyor, Port surveyor, Legal surveyor, Country surveyor, Railway surveyor, Pipeline surveyor, Property surveyor, Cadastral surveyor, Canada lands surveyor, Land survey supervisor, Provincial land surveyor
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.
Main tasks
- 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
How to become one
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.
Ways in
- University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 15 universities in Canada
- University: Architecture & Built Environment degrees, Offered by 5 universities in Canada
- Licence or registration: A federal or provincial land surveyor's licence is required.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $82,290 a year The middle half earn $64,350 to $97,500.
- About 7,200 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 7,200 are projected by 2033. (+0%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a land surveyor?
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.
How much does a land surveyor earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $82,290 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $64,350 to $97,500.
Is a land surveyor a growing career in Canada?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2033: about 7,200 people now and 7,200 later (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a land surveyor?
Not always. 40% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Engineering degrees; Architecture & Built Environment degrees.
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