NOC 21203: Land surveyors
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.
Official Main Duties for NOC 21203
Select the duties you perform in your actual job. Under IRCC guidelines, you must perform at least 60% of these duties for a successful work permit or PR reference letter.
Your employer reference letter must confirm you performed the main actions described in the duties above. Avoid copying words directly from the NOC description — officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.
Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 21203
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Land surveyors is categorized under TEER 1. Occupations in this tier typically require a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate) or substantial managerial tenure.
Express Entry Alignment
Qualifies directly for the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry. Work experience must be full-time (or equivalent part-time) and continuous for at least one year.
Target Category Status
Currently evaluated under standard General and CEC invitation rounds, or targeted through provincial in-demand lists such as Ontario (OINP), British Columbia (BC PNP), or Alberta (AAIP).
NOC 2016 to NOC 2021 Transition & Equivalency
Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, this occupation was mapped under the following 4-digit code(s). When preparing your Express Entry profile or work reference letters, you must use the new 5-digit code NOC 21203.
Regional Wages Across Canada
Under Canadian immigration law, an employer hiring you under an LMIA must pay you at least the median wage listed below for your province.
| Province / Territory | Low Wage | Median Wage | High Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (National Average) | $29 | $42.2/hr | $60.51 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador → | $22.6/hr | $39.88/hr | $51.16/hr |
| Nova Scotia → | $30/hr | $36.06/hr | $63.94/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $25.73/hr | $39.92/hr | $67.47/hr |
| Quebec → | $30/hr | $40.06/hr | $51/hr |
| Ontario → | $26.54/hr | $39.36/hr | $62.08/hr |
| Manitoba → | $26.81/hr | $41.23/hr | $65.31/hr |
| Alberta → | $26/hr | $48.53/hr | $61/hr |
| British Columbia → | $35/hr | $40.87/hr | $60/hr |
| Yukon → | $35.12/hr | $46.75/hr | $63.86/hr |
🏙️Top Metropolitan Cities Wage Rates (ESDC 2025/2026)
Economic Region BenchmarksOfficial ESDC prevailing median wages across major Canadian metropolitan regions. Crucial for LMIA prevailing wage compliance and local job offer evaluations.
Employment Requirements
These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:
- 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.
Official Job Titles for NOC 21203
15 Titles ListedIf your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:
Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)
Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:
- Civil engineering technologists and technicians (See 22300 Civil engineering technologists and technicians)View NOC 22300→
- Engineering managers (See 20010 Engineering managers)View NOC 20010→
- Geomatics engineer (See 21300 Civil engineers)View NOC 21300→
- Hydrographic surveyor - geology (See 21102 Geoscientists and oceanographers)View NOC 21102→
- Land survey technologists and technicians (See 22213 Land survey technologists and technicians)View NOC 22213→
- Survey engineer (See 21300 Civil engineers)View NOC 21300→
- Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology (See 22214 Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology)View NOC 22214→
- Urban and land use planners (See 21202 Urban and land use planners)View NOC 21202→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 21203 (Land surveyors)
Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.
Check Your Express Entry Score & Latest Cutoffs
Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 21203, explore your TEER 1 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.