About

Ask yourself...

  • Do you like working with people?
  • Are you analytical?
  • Do you have strong math skills?
  • Do you have a good memory?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then a career as a Surveyor could be right for you.

Surveyors direct and conduct legal surveys to determine property boundaries, and prepare and maintain plans and records.

They are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments, private land surveying companies, real estate developers and construction firms, or they may be self-employed.

Duties

As a Surveyor, your duties may include:

  • Planning, directing and conducting surveys to establish and mark property boundaries
  • Working with computers and electronic equipment to determine precise locations
  • Advising on matters related to legal surveys

Work Conditions

The standard work week for surveyors is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next.

As a Construction Surveyor, you may work outdoors on construction sites and indoors in an office environment. You may work closely with project managers, supervisors and site foremen.

As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Surveyors are trained to work safely and wear personal protective equipment such as hard hats, gloves and steel-toed boots whenever they are on construction sites.

Training and Certification

In most provinces and territories, you need a federal or provincial licence to work as a surveyor.

Surveyor licensing is available through the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors.

Before you apply for licensing, you must have a bachelor’s degree in geomatics engineering or survey engineering, or a college diploma in survey science or geomatics. To obtain a licence, you have to complete a series of professional land surveyor exams.

You will need an additional licence to survey areas such as national parks, Aboriginal lands and northern territories.

Courses

Construction Industry Ethics
Construction Industry Ethics
Construction Project Management
Construction Project Management
Working in a Respectful and Inclusive Workplace
Working in a Respectful and Inclusive Workplace

Wage

Salary Gradient
Mid range
$69,990		Salary Range ArrowHigh range
$135,200
The wage range listed here is based on hourly rates multiplied by a 40-hour work week. Wages can vary depending on the contract, company, location and collective agreements (if applicable), as well as local and national economic conditions. Overtime is not included.

The “mid range” wage is based on the national “median” wage reported in the Job Bank career profile for this National Occupational Category (NOC): 2154

Note: Some career profiles may have more than one NOC code associated with them.

Wage data obtained from the Government of Canada’s Job Bank.