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.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 21203 (Land surveyors) is a TEER 1 occupation, so it counts as skilled work for Express Entry. It is on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 3: +20 CRS for 12+ months of Canadian work, or 50 for a job offer. It isn't on any current category-based draw list.
TEER
TEER 1
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Level 3
+20 work · 50 job offer
Category draws
None
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 21203 |
|---|---|
| Title | Land surveyors |
| Broad category | Natural and applied sciences and related occupations |
| TEER | TEER 1 — usually requires a university degree |
CRS points for this occupation
Under the Labour Market Integration factor, IRCC gives you the higher of: your Canadian work-length points plus 20 for 12+ months of qualifying work in a Level 3 occupation, or 50 points for a valid job offer in it. How job offer points work.
Example job titles
Main duties
- Develop survey plans, methods and procedures for conducting legal surveys
- Plan, direct and supervise or conduct surveys to establish and mark legal boundaries of properties, parcels of lands, provincial and Canada Lands, Aboriginal land claims, wellsites, mining claims, utility rights-of-way, roadways and highways
- Survey and lay out subdivisions for rural and urban development
- Determine precise locations using electronic distance measuring equipment, global positioning systems (GPS), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)/drones
- Analyze, manage and display data using geographic information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design and drafting (CAD)
- Record all measurements and other information obtained during survey activities
- Prepare or supervise the preparation and compilation of all data, plans, charts, records and documents related to surveys of real property boundaries
- Certify and assume liability for surveys made to establish real property boundaries
Your duties should match the lead statement and most of the main duties to use this NOC — check the full profile on the official NOC site.
Related occupations
- NOC 21200 — Architects
- NOC 21201 — Landscape architects
- NOC 21202 — Urban and land use planners
- NOC 21210 — Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- NOC 21211 — Data scientists
- NOC 21220 — Cybersecurity specialists
- NOC 21221 — Business systems specialists
- NOC 21222 — Information systems specialists
- NOC 21223 — Database analysts and data administrators
- NOC 21230 — Computer systems developers and programmers
← NOC 21202 Urban and land use planners · NOC 21210 Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 1 also matters for work permits: see the spousal open work permit (TEER rules for spouses of workers), LMIA explained and the Atlantic Immigration Program (job offers in TEER 0–4).
Sources: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 V1.0; IRCC high-wage occupations; IRCC category-based selection; IRCC who can apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is NOC 21203 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 21203 is a TEER 1 occupation. IRCC counts work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations as skilled work experience for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, as long as all other program requirements are met.
Is NOC 21203 a high-wage occupation?+
Yes. It's on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 3. From November 3, 2026, 12+ months of qualifying Canadian work in it adds 20 CRS points, or a valid job offer in it is worth 50 points (whichever is higher).
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 21203?+
None of IRCC's current category-based selection lists include NOC 21203. Candidates can still be invited in general, program-specific (such as CEC) or PNP rounds.