Land Survey Technologists and Technicians

Job description

These individuals help determine the location of features and structures on the earth’s surface, underground, or underwater. They work for:

  • The government
  • Architectural and engineering firms
  • Private companies

Environment

  • Controlled ambient temperature
  • Climatic conditions

Main tasks

  • Collaborate in the development of survey methods and procedures.
  • Conduct and coordinate surveys, operate instruments and computer equipment, and record measurements.
  • Determine precise geographic coordinates using global positioning systems (GPS).
  • Analyze latitude, longitude, and angles and perform calculations to represent relief, contours, and areas.
  • Develop drawings, graphs, detailed plans, survey notes, and reports.
  • Maintain a filing system.

Advancement and mobility

  • There is some mobility between the different positions in this group.
  • Experience leads to supervisory positions.
  • These individuals may specialize in various fields of surveying (geodesic, topographic, legal [cadastral], etc.).

Hourly wage

The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.
Minimum
$21.75
Median
$28.50
Maximum
$45.00

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.

Job prospects

All of Québec

Good

All of Québec

Non available

Total jobs for 2023

All of Québec

1,500

All of Québec

na

Gender distribution

All of Québec

Not available.
23% Female
77% Male

Not available.
  • 23% Female
  • 77% Male

Job types

All of Québec

Not available.
Full time
Part time

Not available.
  • Full time
  • Part time

Yearly wage on 2020

All of Québec

$56,000

All of Québec

Other characteristics

All of Québec

  • Non traditional for women
  • None

All of Québec

  • Non traditional for women
  • None

Sectors of activity

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. NAICS 5413, 5414
    67% of jobs
  2. NAICS 91
    16% of jobs
  3. NAICS 23
    7% of jobs
  4. NAICS 22
    2% of jobs
  5. NAICS 21
    2% of jobs
  6. Others
    6% of jobs

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. NAICS 5413, 5414
    67% of jobs
  2. NAICS 91
    16% of jobs
  3. NAICS 23
    7% of jobs
  4. NAICS 22
    2% of jobs
  5. NAICS 21
    2% of jobs
  6. Others
    6% of jobs

Training and requirements

Formation

Most training programs are offered in French only.

Secondary

DVS in arpentage et topographie
Code : 5238

Placement rate: 82.4%

12.5% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation

College

DCS in civil Engineering Technology
Code : 221B0

Placement rate: 48.5%

48.9% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation
DCS in technologie de la géomatique (Géodésie)
Code : 230AB

Placement rate: 68.4%

26.3% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation

Also required

  • Membership in the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec (OTPQ [Quebec Order of Professional Technologists]) to use the title of Professional Technologist.
  • Occupation competency certificate issued by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ [Quebec Construction Commission]) to work on construction sites as a Surveyor.

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

  • Data collection
  • Information processing
  • Critical thought
  • Active listening
  • Reading comprehension
  • Mathematics
  • Written expression
  • Oral expression
  • Time management
  • Judgment and decision-making
  • Monitoring operations
  • Coordination
  • Result evaluation
  • Operations and control
  • Social perception
  • Solving complex problems

Abilities

  • Near vision
  • Written comprehension
  • Oral comprehension
  • Verbal skills
  • Awareness of issues
  • Deductive reasoning
  • Digital dexterity
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Distance vision
  • Control accuracy
  • Information organization
  • Speech clarity
  • Inductive reasoning
  • Speech recognition
  • Selective attention
  • Basic numeracy
  • Classification
  • Core strength
  • Manual dexterity
  • Written expression
  • Hand-arm stability
  • Perception speed
  • Processing flexibility
  • Visualization

Knowledge and attributes

  • Critical thinking
  • Autonomy
  • Capacity to work in a team
  • Knowledge of mathematics
  • Rigour
  • Attention to detail
  • Intermediate knowledge of the English language
  • Knowledge of engineering and technology
  • Sense of observation
  • Patience

Interests

  • Work with numbers
  • Work outdoors
  • Make technical plans and drawings

Personality profiles (RIASEC)

Conventional
People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Realistic
People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Investigative
People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.

Official name of the NOC 22213

Land survey technologists and technicians

Job titles

  • Topographic survey technologist
  • Instrument man/woman - surveying
  • Legal survey assistant
  • Geomatics technician - land surveying
  • Plane table operator - surveying
  • Transit man/woman - surveying
  • Geodetic survey technician
  • Legal survey technician
  • Engineering survey technician
  • Geodetic survey technologist
  • Legal survey technologist
  • Engineering survey technologist

Skill type

Natural and applied sciences and related occupations

Last update: January 29, 2026

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