Land Surveyors
Job description
These individuals conduct surveys to establish the location of boundaries and contours of properties, land, or roads. They prepare documents related to these surveys (sectional views, plans, etc.). They are self-employed or work for:
- The government
- Municipal governments
- Surveyors’ offices
- Real estate development, natural resource, engineering, or construction companies
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Climatic conditions
Main tasks
- Plan, direct, conduct, and supervise surveys to establish and mark the boundaries of properties, parcels of land, or roads.
- Survey and demarcate subdivisions to enable rural and urban development.
- Use electronic equipment to determine precise locations.
- Record all measurements and data collected.
- Analyze, manage, and display data using computer-assisted information, design, and drafting systems.
- Compile documents and data and prepare tables and records related to surveying.
- Certify and take responsibility for the data that determine property boundaries.
- Act and testify as a surveying consultant or expert advisor.
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 13.7% Female
- 86.3% Male
- 13.7% Female
- 86.3% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
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
-
NAICS 5413, 541459% of jobs
-
NAICS 2328% of jobs
-
NAICS 919% of jobs
-
NAICS 212% of jobs
-
NAICS 221% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 5413, 541459% of jobs
-
NAICS 2328% of jobs
-
NAICS 919% of jobs
-
NAICS 212% of jobs
-
NAICS 221% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
University
Geodesy (surveying)
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 100%
Geography
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 44.8%
48.5% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 68.4%
28.9% of graduates pursue further studies
Also required
- Membership in the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec (Quebec Order of Land Surveyors) to bear the title of Land Surveyor.
Sometimes required
- Permit from the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors required to survey national parks, Aboriginal lands, offshore areas, and northern territories.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Information processing
- Mathematics
- Reading comprehension
- Critical thought
- Oral expression
- Active listening
- Written expression
- Coordination
- Time management
- Active learning
- Judgment and decision-making
- Solving complex problems
- Teaching
- Learning strategies
- System analysis
- Result evaluation
- Social perception
Abilities
- Written comprehension
- Deductive reasoning
- Mathematical reasoning
- Basic numeracy
- Speech clarity
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Speech recognition
- Awareness of issues
- Written expression
- Near vision
- Inductive reasoning
- Information organization
- Classification
- Distance vision
- Processing flexibility
- Visualization
- Depth perception
- Information processing speed
- Spatial orientation
- Selective attention
- Control accuracy
- Digital dexterity
- Manual dexterity
- Hand-arm stability
- Perception speed
Knowledge and attributes
- Critical thinking
- Autonomy
- Capacity to adapt
- Capacity to work in a team
- Knowledge of mathematics
- Rigour
- Attention to detail
- Intermediate knowledge of the English language
- Respect standards and regulations
- Sense of observation
Interests
- Direct, organize, and manage
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Work with numbers
- Carry out research
- Self-employment
- Work outdoors
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Official name of the NOC 21203
Land surveyors
Job titles
- Land surveyor
- Property surveyor
- Land surveying party chief
- City surveyor
- Land survey supervisor
- Legal surveyor
- Commissioned land surveyor
- Professional land surveyor
- Country surveyor
- Canada lands surveyor
- Provincial land surveyor
- Cadastral surveyor
- Railway surveyor
- Pipeline surveyor
- Port surveyor
Skill type
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026