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NOC 21203 is the Canadian National Occupational Classification code for Land surveyors. It is classified TEER 1 — Usually require a university degree, which meets the skill requirement for Express Entry. An officer decides whether you can claim this code by comparing the duties written in your reference letter against the official main duties below — not by your job title.
Classification
Natural & applied sciences
2 › 21 › 212 › 2120
Definition
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.
Main duties
Example job titles
Overview
Under Canada's NOC 2021 classification system, land surveyors are classified under NOC 21203 within the TEER 1 category. These professionals play a vital role in planning, directing, and conducting legal surveys to establish official real property boundaries, as well as preparing maps, plans, and other geographical data. They are commonly employed by private sector surveying establishments, real estate development firms, and municipal, provincial, and federal government departments.
To practice as a land surveyor in Canada under this NOC code, specific employment requirements must be met. Candidates typically require a bachelor's degree in geomatics engineering, survey engineering, or a closely related field. Alternatively, a college diploma in survey technology, combined with extensive practical experience and passing examinations, may be accepted. Crucially, licensing and a commission from a provincial land surveyors' association are mandatory to practice as a professional land surveyor in any Canadian province or territory.
For immigration purposes, the TEER 1 designation makes land surveyors eligible for high-skilled immigration pathways, including the Express Entry system under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. They may also qualify for targeted Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws.
Educational overview summarizing this occupation. Always confirm against the official NOC profile and IRCC before relying on it.
Commonly confused codes
Yes — Land surveyors is TEER 1, and TEER 0–3 occupations meet the skill-level requirement for Express Entry programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. Full eligibility also depends on your work experience, language results and other program criteria.
Land surveyors is classified as TEER 1 — Usually require a university degree. Always confirm the exact employment requirements on the official NOC profile before relying on them.
Applicants most often mix up 21203 with 22213 (Land survey technologists and technicians). If your real day-to-day duties fit one of those codes better, that mismatch is exactly what an officer flags — double-check before you submit.
Yes — Land surveyors is regulated in Québec, so practising there requires recognition from the relevant professional body, and Québec immigration programs take this into account.
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Occupation data: Statistics Canada / ESDC — National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021.