Occupation
Land surveyor
Land surveyors measure and describe the position of boundaries, features, and structures, and produce the plans and legal descriptions that define property. They combine field measurement using GNSS and total stations with legal research into titles, historic plans, and monuments. In many places only a licensed surveyor may certify a boundary.
Also known as: Cadastral surveyor · Geomatics surveyor · Professional surveyor · Legal surveyor
Occupation content
Part of Architecture, construction and infrastructure
What the work involves
- Research titles, registered plans, and historic survey records before going into the field.
- Set up and operate GNSS receivers, total stations, and levels to capture field measurements.
- Locate, verify, or re-establish boundary monuments and record the evidence relied on.
- Process and adjust field data and reconcile it with the record dimensions.
- Prepare survey plans, subdivision plans, and legal descriptions for registration.
- Set out control and building lines for construction and certify as-built positions.
How people commonly enter
- A bachelor's degree in surveying, geomatics, or geospatial engineering leading to professional licensure.
- A college diploma in survey technology followed by an articling or supervised-experience route to licensure where one exists.
- Progression from surveying technician with part-time degree study and the licensing body's examinations.
Typical training: Bachelor's degree
Licensing: Regulated in most jurisdictions — confirm the current requirement with the regulator in your province, state, or country.
Typical work context
Outdoors · Client sites · Involves travel · High responsibility · Team based
Related interests
Realistic (hands-on) · Investigative (analytical) · Conventional (organizing)
Related aptitude preparation
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Skills to practise
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Architecture, construction and infrastructure.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
- O*NET OnLine — Surveyors (17-1022.00) · United States
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- UK National Careers Service — Land surveyor · United Kingdom
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- Canada Job Bank — Occupation search: land surveyor · Canada
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Architecture, construction and infrastructure in Canada, not a figure for Land surveyor. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Architecture, construction and infrastructure family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Architecture, construction and infrastructure: education pathways
Some roles in Architecture, construction and infrastructure may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Architecture, construction and infrastructure: licensing
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