Hire AustraliaTalk about hiring
Menu

Surveyor and spatial recruitment for regional employers

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help survey practices, engineering consultancies, contractors, mines and councils hire land, engineering and mine surveyors and geospatial specialists, from graduates and survey technicians to registered and licensed surveyors. Every search starts with the registration your work needs in your state.

Discuss a roleRegister
Illustrative image: a surveyor adjusts a plain GNSS receiver beside boundary pegs in a rural subdivision.

Surveying and spatial hiring at a glance

A small profession with a legal gatekeeper: only a registered or licensed land surveyor can define property boundaries.

national rating for land, engineering and mine surveyors in 2026
Shortage
Geospatial specialists and technicians are also rated in shortage; cartographers are not. In shortage means rated S or R.1
surveyors and spatial scientists employed in Australia
18,500
February 2026, up 200 in a year.2
median full-time weekly earnings for surveyors and spatial scientists
$2,300
May 2025, national.2
of surveying and spatial job ads were for regional areas
29%
115 of 401 located ads, three months to September 2026.3

What does a surveyor do, and which qualification do they hold?

Surveyors and spatial scientists plan, direct and conduct survey work to determine and mark the boundaries and features of land, sea floors and underground works, and they prepare maps and maintain geographic information.2 In practice the work splits into cadastral (boundary) surveying, engineering and construction surveying, mine surveying, and geospatial work such as GIS, remote sensing and mapping.

Professional surveyors hold a surveying or spatial science degree. In Queensland, a three-year degree is the minimum for registration as a surveyor, and a cadastral endorsement needs a four-year surveying degree.4 Survey technicians often hold the CPP50121 Diploma of Surveying, a current national qualification.5

Which surveyor registration or licence applies in each state?

Every state and territory restricts boundary (cadastral) surveying to registered or licensed land surveyors. The rules for engineering, mining and other survey work differ more.

Surveyor registration and licensing by state and territory, as published by each board or regulator on 1 November 2026.

State or territoryRegistration or licence and who needs it
QueenslandRegistration with the Surveyors Board of Queensland at four levels, from surveying associate to surveyor with a cadastral, engineering or mining endorsement4
New South WalesRegistered land or mining surveyor; registered land surveyors from other states can work under automatic mutual recognition after notifying the Board, while mining surveyors must apply6
VictoriaOnly a licensed surveyor may define and mark property boundaries; licensed surveyors are registered by the Surveyors Registration Board7
Western AustraliaLicensed land surveyor under the Licensed Surveyors Act 1909; new applicants complete a two-year professional training agreement with a licensed surveyor8
South AustraliaLicensed surveyors work on property boundaries; registered surveyors specialise in engineering, mining and hydrographic surveying9
TasmaniaRegistration is mandatory for land surveyors and voluntary for other disciplines such as engineering surveying10
Northern TerritoryOnly a licensed surveyor, or a person working under one's supervision, may survey land boundaries for a fee11
Australian Capital TerritoryLand surveyors must be registered under the Surveyors Act 2007 to determine and mark boundaries12

What does a surveyor earn?

Award minimum: the Surveying Award 2020 covers professional surveyors, including graduate and registered or licensed surveyors, but not local government employees covered by another award. From 1 July 2026, a Surveyor Level I, a professional surveyor with a degree and experience, earns at least $1,344.50 a week, and a Surveyor Level II at least $1,415.00.13

Market median: full-time surveyors and spatial scientists earned $2,300 a week, or $56 an hour, in May 2025. The figure is national and covers the whole group, including geospatial specialists.2 The median sits well above the award minimum, so we compare full packages with you, including vehicles and allowances.

Where are surveyors and spatial specialists in demand?

Surveying and spatial job ads averaged 408 a month in the three months to September 2026, against 389 a year earlier. Queensland and New South Wales led, with Western Australia close behind.14 About 29% of located ads were for regional areas, close to the 29% share for all jobs.3

Online job ads for surveyors and spatial scientists by state (three-month average to September 2026) and each state's share of employment (February 2026).2,14

State or territoryJob ads a monthShare of employment
Queensland1281422.3%2
New South Wales9727.6%
Western Australia9418.3%
Victoria5021.4%
South Australia235.6%
Australian Capital Territory91.7%
Tasmania51.9%
Northern Territory31.2%

Which surveying and spatial roles do we recruit?

Open a role for what to put in your brief.

Land and cadastral surveyors

Surveyors who define boundaries, prepare plans of subdivision and lodge them for registration.

Shortage
Land Surveyor is rated in shortage for 2026.1
Who may do it
In Victoria, only a licensed surveyor may define and mark property boundaries.7
Qualification
In Queensland, a cadastral endorsement needs a four-year surveying degree.4
What to tell us
Whether the role signs off plans or works under a licensed surveyor, the subdivision and title work involved, and the field-to-office split.

Engineering and construction surveyors

Surveyors who set out roads, rail, buildings and civil works and check what was built.

Shortage
Engineering Surveyor is rated in shortage for 2026.1
Registration
In South Australia, registered surveyors specialise in engineering, mining and hydrographic surveying.9
Registration
In Tasmania, registration is voluntary for engineering surveyors.10
What to tell us
The project type and stage, machine guidance and set-out duties, the equipment and software, and whether the role is site-based or on a roster.

Mine surveyors

Surveyors who measure pits, stockpiles and underground workings and keep mine plans current.

Shortage
Mine Surveyor is rated in shortage for 2026.1
Registration
New South Wales registers mining surveyors separately from land surveyors.6
Award
In black coal mining, Mine Surveyor is a Group I staff classification with a minimum of $1,394.40 a week from 1 July 2026.15
What to tell us
Open-cut or underground, the commodity, statutory survey duties, drone and scanner work, and the roster.

GIS and geospatial specialists

Specialists who build and maintain spatial data, maps and analysis for councils, utilities, mines and consultancies.

Shortage
Geospatial Specialist and Geospatial Technician are rated in shortage for 2026; Cartographer is not.1
Workforce
3,600 people worked as other spatial scientists in August 2021, against 9,700 surveyors.2
Registration
Tasmania offers voluntary registration for survey disciplines other than land surveying.10
What to tell us
The GIS platform, the data you manage, programming or remote sensing needs, and how much field work the role includes.

What to tell us about your surveying role

Start with the registration the work needs: who signs the plans, whether the person must already be registered or licensed in your state, and whether a graduate can work towards it under supervision. Then the type of survey work, the instruments and software, and the field-to-office split.

Tell us about the arrangements too: the base, how far the field work ranges, whether there are rosters or nights away, and the vehicle and equipment provided.

How we help you hire a surveyor

You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.

  1. Step 1

    Understand the role

    We talk with you about the survey work, the registration it needs, the field and office balance, and the experience the role calls for.

  2. Step 2

    Source and screen

    We talk with surveyors and spatial specialists about the surveys they have run, the plans they have prepared or signed, the equipment and software they use and the registration they hold.

  3. Step 3

    Introduce suitable people

    We introduce the candidates who best match your brief, so you decide who to interview.

  4. Step 4

    Coordinate the hire

    We coordinate the next steps and keep both sides informed through interviews and the offer. You employ the person directly.

Moving a surveyor to a regional role

A surveyor moving interstate needs to check registration early. In New South Wales, for example, registered land surveyors from other states can start after notifying the Board, while mining surveyors must apply.6 We raise it before an offer, not after.

Regional survey roles can suit people who like varied field work and a smaller team. We explain the work area, the travel and the housing before candidates apply, and talk through the move with anyone relocating.

If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Are you a surveyor or spatial specialist looking for your next role?

Register with Hire Australia and tell us the survey work you do, the registration you hold or are working towards, the equipment and software you know and the regions you prefer. We welcome graduates, technicians and experienced surveyors.

Register

Talk to us about your next surveying hire

Tell us the survey work, the registration it needs and your start date.

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.

Discuss a roleRegister

A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Good to know.

Does a surveyor need to be registered?

For boundary surveys, yes. Every state and territory registers or licenses land surveyors, and in Victoria only a licensed surveyor may define and mark property boundaries.7 Engineering and other survey work is treated differently from state to state, as the table above shows. Hire Australia confirms the registration your role needs before we search.

How much do surveyors earn?

Full-time surveyors and spatial scientists earned a median of $2,300 a week in May 2025.2 Under the Surveying Award 2020, a Surveyor Level I earns at least $1,344.50 a week from 1 July 2026, unless another award covers the employer, such as some councils.13 Hire Australia compares full packages with you, including vehicles and roster allowances.

Can a graduate surveyor do cadastral work?

Usually under supervision while they work towards registration. Western Australia requires a two-year professional training agreement with a licensed surveyor, and in the Northern Territory a person supervised by a licensed surveyor may survey boundaries.8,11 Hire Australia can recruit graduates where you have a licensed surveyor to supervise them.

Where are surveyors in most demand?

Queensland averaged 128 surveying and spatial job ads a month in the three months to September 2026, ahead of New South Wales with 97 and Western Australia with 94.14 Land, engineering and mine surveyors are all rated in shortage for 2026.1 Hire Australia recruits surveyors for every state.

What does it cost to use Hire Australia?

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. That applies to every surveying and spatial role Hire Australia recruits for, from graduate to registered surveyor.

Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?

No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.

Sources (15)

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (OSCA 2024 and ANZSCO 2022 sheets). National ratings. "In shortage" means rated S (shortage) or R (regional shortage). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  2. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO occupation data, February 2026 (occupation descriptions, earnings, employment and state tables). Median full-time earnings: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, national, non-managerial adult employees. Employment and state shares: February 2026 trend. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  3. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by remoteness (major cities and regional), September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026; SA4 regions grouped as major city or regional. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  4. Surveyors Board of Queensland, Registration: levels of registration. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  5. training.gov.au, CPP50121 Diploma of Surveying. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  6. Service NSW, Apply to be a registered land or mining surveyor. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  7. Surveyors Registration Board of Victoria, Frequently asked questions. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  8. Australian Business Licence and Information Service, Registration as a Licensed Land Surveyor, Western Australia. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  9. Australian Business Licence and Information Service, Licensed and Registered Surveyors, South Australia. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  10. Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Registration of Tasmanian Surveyors. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  11. Northern Territory Legislation, Licensed Surveyors Act 1983, as in force at 13 September 2025, section 48. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  12. ACT Government, City and Environment Directorate, Surveyors registration. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  13. Fair Work Ombudsman, Surveying Award 2020 [MA000066], clause 17.1 minimum rates. Rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026; excludes local government employees covered by another award (clause 4.5). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  14. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026 (released 21 October 2026), rounded. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  15. Fair Work Ombudsman, Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020 [MA000001], Schedule B staff rates. Staff employees' minimum weekly rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑