How to Become a Land Surveyor in Ontario
Do you need a licence?
Licence required
You must be registered with the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors to work as a land surveyor in Ontario or to use a protected title.
- Protected titles
- Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“Land Surveying Association of Ontario Land Surveyors”
From ontario.ca/page/work-your-profession-or-trade, checked October 10, 2026.
At a glance
- Licence status
- Licence required See the source
- Routes
-
- Trained in Canada: 3 steps
- Licensed in another province: 0 steps
- Trained outside Canada: 5 steps
- Annual fees
- Not stated by the regulator Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
Your roadmap
Tick each step as you finish it. Your ticks are kept in this browser only.
Trained in Canada
0 of 3 done
- 3 steps without a listed fee
-
Apply to the Registrar of the Association for a detailed evaluation of your post-secondary education and experience.
Source
“The first step for all candidates for membership is to apply to the Registrar of the Association for a detailed evaluation of their post-secondary education and experience.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols -
Complete either a Competency Based Assessment or an articling term to gain the required practical experience.
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Pass the professional examinations required for licensure.
Listed fees for this route
No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
3 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Licensed in another province
Steps not listed by the regulator Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
Trained outside Canada
0 of 5 done
- 5 steps without a listed fee
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Apply to CES or WES for a document-by-document evaluation of your foreign degree or diploma to submit with your AOLS application.
Source
“If your degree/diploma was earned in another country, you must first apply to either the Comparative Education Service (CES) of the University of Toronto, or to World Education Services (WES) and request a “document by document” evaluation from one of these services to submit with your application to the AOLS.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants -
Demonstrate that you have sufficient English skills to obtain the local knowledge needed to practise.
Source
“You will be required to demonstrate your English skills. Our legislation, regulations, standards, training, etc. are all delivered in English. Without sufficient English skills it would not be possible for you to obtain the necessary local knowledge required to practice successfully as an Ontario Land Surveyor.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants -
Go through the same academic evaluation step as domestically trained candidates.
Source
“Note that you will have the same steps to go through as a domestically trained candidate (See Become an OLS)”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants -
Complete the CBA or articling step, with existing experience considered as part of the articling application.
Source
“As with domestic candidate, existing experience will be considered at parts of the academic evaluation and articling applications.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants -
Complete the professional exams step as domestically trained candidates do.
Source
“Note that you will have the same steps to go through as a domestically trained candidate (See Become an OLS)”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants
Listed fees for this route
No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
5 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Other listed fees
The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.
- Revaluation of a written exam: $125
Source
“There is a fee of $125.00 plus HST for the revaluation of a written exam.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/registration-appeals - Revaluation of an oral exam: $350
Source
“There is a fee of $350 plus HST for the revaluation of an oral exam.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/registration-appeals
Requirements
Education
You must have completed an AERC-approved baccalaureate-level program in professional surveying, or something the AERC considers equivalent.
Source
“have completed a baccalaureate-level program in professional surveying (often referred to as geomatics) approved by the Association’s Academic and Experience Requirements Committee (AERC), or a course that is in the opinion of the AERC equal in content and level of difficulty, or experience and knowledge that provides equivalent competencies to such an academic program”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols
Experience
You must have complied with the experience requirements specified in the regulations for issuance of the licence.
Source
“have complied with the experience requirements specified in the regulations for the issuance of the licence”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols
Good character
You must be of good character.
Residency
You must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
Source
“be a citizen of Canada or have the status of a permanent resident of Canada”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols
Other
You must be at least eighteen years of age.
You must have passed a statutes and professional examination.
Already licensed in another province?
Extra steps
A licensed surveyor from another Canadian jurisdiction must demonstrate knowledge of local jurisprudence and systems through an examination and/or completion of an assignment, though no academic evaluation or period of articles is required. Source
“This agreement allows a licensed surveyor from any Canadian provincial jurisdiction or a licensed Canada Lands Surveyor to achieve membership in another jurisdiction by demonstrating, through an examination and/or completion of an assignment, knowledge of local jurisprudence and systems. No academic evaluation or period of articles is required.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/other-canadian-surveyors
Write jurisdictional examination
Source
“Candidates will be examined on their knowledge and comprehension of the Ontario legal systems and statute law as it applies to surveying in Ontario.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/other-canadian-surveyors
Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
Credential assessment
Comparative Education Service (CES)
document-by-document evaluation of foreign credentials
Source
“you must first apply to either the Comparative Education Service (CES) of the University of Toronto, or to World Education Services (WES) and request a “document by document” evaluation”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicantsWorld Education Services (WES)
document-by-document evaluation of foreign credentials
Source
“you must first apply to either the Comparative Education Service (CES) of the University of Toronto, or to World Education Services (WES) and request a “document by document” evaluation”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants
Exams
-
Statutes and professional examination
-
Jurisdictional Examination
Source
“The Jurisdictional Examination is a closed-book exam and shall last no longer than half a day.”
aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/other-canadian-surveyors -
Professional entrance examination
Source
“A professional entrance examination must be successfully completed at the end of articles.”
aols.org/base---side-navigation
Language tests
Not stated by the regulator Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
Canadian experience
Not stated by the regulator Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
Supervised practice
Not stated by the regulator Check with Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
Demand and pay
| Where | Low | Median | High | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $26.54 | $39.36 | $62.08 | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Canada | $29.00 | $42.20 | $60.51 | — |
Land surveyors in other provinces and territories
- British Columbia Licence required
- Alberta Licence required
- Saskatchewan Licence required
- Manitoba Licence required
- Quebec Licence required
- New Brunswick Licence required
- Nova Scotia Licence required
- Prince Edward Island Not confirmed yet
- Newfoundland and Labrador Not confirmed yet
- Yukon Not confirmed yet
- Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet
- Nunavut Not confirmed yet
- Federal (all of Canada) Not confirmed yet
Sources checked
- ontario.ca/page/work-your-profession-or-trade ontario.ca/page/work-your-profession-or-trade
- Become An OLS - AOLS | The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors aols.org/membership/become-an-ols · fetched October 10, 2026
- Other Canadian Surveyors - AOLS | The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/other-canadian-surveyors · fetched October 10, 2026
- Internationally Trained Applicants - AOLS | The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/internationally-trained-applicants · fetched October 10, 2026
- Registration Appeals - AOLS | The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors aols.org/membership/become-an-ols/registration-appeals · fetched October 10, 2026
- Base - Side Navigation - AOLS | The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors aols.org/base---side-navigation · fetched October 10, 2026
Frequently asked questions
2
Do you need a licence to work as a land surveyor in Ontario?
Yes. Registration with the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors is required to practise in Ontario.
Which exams are required?
Statutes and professional examination, Jurisdictional Examination, Professional entrance examination.
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