NOC 2021 · 21201 · TEER 1
NOC 21201: Landscape architects
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Landscape architects conceptualize, design, plan and manage the construction of natural, cultural and built landscape development for commercial projects, office complexes, parks, golf courses and residential development. They are employed by government environmental and development agencies, landscape consulting firms and by architectural and engineering firms, or they are self-employed.
TEER
TEER 1
Usually needs a university degree
Median wage (Canada)
$40.87 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 3
+20 CRS for Canadian work, or 50 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
None
General and program draws only
Express Entry
How NOC 21201 counts for Express Entry
- Federal Skilled Worker: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of continuous skilled (TEER 0–3) work in the last 10 years and 67 points on the FSW grid.
- Canadian Experience Class: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of skilled (TEER 0–3) work in Canada in the last 3 years.
- Federal Skilled Trades: not eligibleNeeds 2 years of work in an eligible trade group in the last 5 years, plus a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.
High-wage CRS points
NOC 21201 is in tier 3 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +20 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 50 points |
You get whichever option scores higher, not both.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
NOC 21201 is not on any of IRCC's 2026 occupation categories. You can still be invited through general, program-specific or French-language draws.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Confer with clients to determine design needs
- Survey and assess designated sites and develop designs taking into consideration landscape features, buildings, climate, future usage and other aspects
- Prepare or oversee the preparation of detailed drawings for sites, including features such as trees, shrubs, gardens, lighting, walkways, patios, decks, benches, fences, retaining walls and fountains
- Prepare or oversee preparation of site plans, reports, sketches, models, photographs, maps, land use studies, design plans such as landscape grading, drainage or planting, and construction details
- Estimate costs, prepare specifications and evaluate tenders for landscape construction projects
- Conduct environmental design studies, including environmental assessment, planning and the preservation and re-creation of historical sites
- Conduct community and neighbourhood physical planning studies, participate in multidisciplinary urban design studies, prepare design guidelines, and develop master plans
- May manage and supervise landscape construction work.
For Express Entry, your experience must match the lead statement and most of these duties, not only the job title.
Job titles
Example job titles
- landscape architect
- senior landscape architect
Requirements
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in landscape architecture is required.
- A master's degree in landscape architecture may be required.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
- In the remaining provinces and territories, landscape architects usually require two years of landscape design experience and an interview by their respective provincial associations to receive association certification.
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is offered by the Canada Green Building Council and may be required by some employers.
This occupation may be regulated in some provinces. You may need a licence or certificate from the provincial regulator before you can work in it in Canada, even if you hold permanent residence.
Wages
Wages for NOC 21201 in Canada
Low, median and high wages per hour in Canadian dollars, from ESDC Job Bank's 2025 wage data.
| Region | Low | Median | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $22.53 | $40.87 | $82.05 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $27.47 | $34.62 | $42.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $29.82 | $45.76 | $74.25 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Manitoba | $26.30 | $39.00 | $50.72 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Alberta | $31.98 | $46.87 | $67.75 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| British Columbia | $31.42 | $44.32 | $63.90 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
Provinces with too little data are not shown. Wages vary by city and employer; see Job Bank for regional figures.
Job outlook
Job outlook by province, 2025–2027
Job Bank's 3-year employment outlook for this occupation, by province and territory.
ModerateOntario
The employment outlook will be Moderate for landscape architects (NOC 21201) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
What Types of Employers Are Out There?
Majority in architectural, engineering and related services firms
Local and municipal governments
Companies providing services to buildings and dwellings
What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?
Population growth, which is resulting in high levels of new residential construction in various areas of the province
Construction-related investments in schools, hospitals, and transit facilities
Climate change and large public sector commitments to extend green outdoor spaces and strengthen stormwater management systems to avert the risks of flooding
What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?
In addition to other formal education, positions usually require landscape architects with experience using software such as AutoCAD, SketchUp and Photoshop
The practice of landscape architecture is not regulated in Ontario, but only members of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) can use the title
‘Landscape Architect’
.
Here are some key facts about landscape architects in Ontario:
Approximately 1,700 people work in this occupation.
Landscape architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 73%
Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 11%
Management and administrative services (NAICS 55, 56): 7%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 91% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 9% compared to 19% for all occupations
75% of landscape architects work all year, while 25% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
24% of landscape architects are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 52% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 48% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 8% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 56% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 36% compared to 13% for all occupations
ModerateAlberta
The employment outlook will be Moderate for landscape architects (NOC 21201) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about landscape architects in Alberta:
Approximately 200 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Landscape architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 85%
Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 10%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 92% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 8% compared to 20% for all occupations
92% of landscape architects work all year, while 8% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 50 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
25% of landscape architects are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 70% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 30% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 47% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 39% compared to 9% for all occupations
LimitedQuebec
The employment outlook will be Limited for landscape architects (NOC 21201) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about landscape architects in Quebec:
Approximately 550 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Landscape architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 68%
Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 18%
Management and administrative services (NAICS 55, 56): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 94% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 6% compared to 18% for all occupations
69% of landscape architects work all year, while 31% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 44 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
20% of landscape architects are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 42% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 57% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 69% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 28% compared to 11% for all occupations
UndeterminedNewfoundland and Labrador
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedPrince Edward Island
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNova Scotia
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNew Brunswick
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedManitoba
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedSaskatchewan
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedBritish Columbia
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNorthwest Territories
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNunavut
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
Source: ESDC Job Bank, 3-year employment outlooks 2025–2027 (released December 2025).
Provinces
Provincial Nominee Programs
A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. Most provinces run occupation-targeted draws or in-demand lists, and some accept TEER 4 and 5 occupations that Express Entry does not.
Provincial lists change often, sometimes between draws. We check whether NOC 21201 is being targeted by any province as part of a consultation.
Similar occupations
Related NOC codes
Classified elsewhere
If your duties fit one of these better, use that code instead.
- 21200 Architects
- 22114 Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists
- 20011 Architecture and science managers
- 82031 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
- 21202 Urban and land use planners
Same occupation group
Architects, urban planners and land surveyors
Questions
NOC 21201: common questions
What is the NOC code for landscape architects?
What TEER category is NOC 21201?
Is NOC 21201 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 21201 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 21201 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 21201 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 2Natural and applied sciences and related occupationsBroad Category
- 21Professional occupations in natural and applied sciencesMajor Group
- 212Professional occupations in applied sciences (except engineering)Sub-major Group
- 2120Architects, urban planners and land surveyorsMinor Group
- 21201Landscape architects
Enquiry
Is NOC 21201 your occupation? Ask us about your options.
Tell us your duties, experience and language scores. We will confirm your NOC code and the Canadian routes that fit.
Sources: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0, Job Bank wages (2025), Job Bank outlooks 2025–2027 and IRCC. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Checked 21 October 2026.
NOC 2026 is due from Statistics Canada in December 2026. IRCC still uses NOC 2021 codes, and this page will show any change once IRCC switches.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada, IRCC or ESDC.
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