Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS)

Search for Occupational Projection Summaries (2022-2031)

The 2022 COPS exercise was developed using the 2016 version of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The 2016 NOC has 500 occupations. However, many of these occupations are small in terms of employment. Such occupations were combined into broader groupings according to the specific tasks of each occupation. By grouping small occupations with similar tasks together, 293 occupational groupings were obtained. Although NOC already has a more recent version (2021), the model’s input data were only available in the 2016 version of the NOC at the time of the development of the projections.

For more information on the 293 occupational grouping used in COPS, please visit the COPS Occupational Groupings' Definition.

Search Result : Landscape architects; Urban and land use planners & Land surveyors (2152)

Occupational Outlook
SHORTAGE: This occupational group is expected to face labour shortage conditions over the period of 2022-2031 at the national level. The section below contains more detailed information regarding the outlook for this occupational group.
Occupations in this Group
  • Landscape architects (2152)
  • Urban and land use planners (2153)
  • Land surveyors (2154)
Skill Type
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
Skill Level
Occupations usually require university education.
Employment in 2021
15,900
Median Age of workers in 2021
41.3 years old
Estimated Median Age of Retirement in 2021
69 years old

In order to determine the expected outlook of an occupation, the magnitude of the difference between the projected total numbers of new job seekers and job openings over the whole projection period (2022-2031) is analyzed in conjunction with an assessment of labour market conditions in recent years. The intention is to determine if recent labour market conditions (surplus, balance or shortage) are expected to persist or change over the period 2022-2031. For instance, if the analysis of key labour market indicators suggests that the number of job seekers was insufficient to fill the job openings (a shortage of workers) in an occupational group in recent years, the projections are used to assess if this situation will continue over the projection period or if the occupation will move towards balanced conditions. It is important to note that COPS does not identify imbalances that may temporarily appear during specific years, unless they will persist over the longer run.

Over the 2019-2021 period, employment in this occupational group increased significantly, but it remained lower that it was in the mid-2010s. Following a significant increase in 2019, the unemployment rate fell in 2020 and 2021, reaching an all-time low, significantly below the national average. In addition, the number of job vacancies increased substantially in 2021. As a result, there was less than one unemployed per job vacancy in 2021, a ratio that was significantly below the national average in 2020 and 2021. Overall, the analysis of key labour market indicators suggests that the demand exceeded substantially the supply in this occupational group over the 2019-2021 period.

Over the period 2022-2031, the number of job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) for Landscape architects; Urban and land use planners & Land surveyors are expected to total 2,700, while the number of job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) is expected to total 2,700.

As job openings and job seekers are projected to be at very similar levels over the 2022-2031 period, the labour shortage conditions seen in recent years will not clear and is expected to persist over the projection period. Most job openings are projected to arise from retirements. The retirement rate is expected to be below the average of all occupations. While these workers tend to be on average the same age compared to other occupations, they tend to retire quite later in their career. Still, retirements will represent about 52% of total job openings, a proportion that is slightly lower than the average of all occupations (about 59% of openings). Employment is expected to grow at a relatively slow pace over the projection period. An important part of workers in this occupational group are employed in public administration. In the short-term, federal, and provincial administration employment is expected to be limited by the need to reduce the large budgetary deficits brought by the pandemic. However, given the nature of their work, demand for workers in this occupation group will be supported by public and private investment in large infrastructure projects related to the transformation of the economy towards more green technology. Demand for greener buildings and environmentally conscious designs is likely to keep growing over the next decade.

Regarding labour supply, given the important level of enrolment in post-secondary programs, about three quarters of job seekers are projected to come directly from the school system, mostly bachelor graduates and to a lesser extend master and PhD. The projected number of school leavers alone is expected to be larger than the number of total job openings, given the popularity of these programs. New immigrants are expected to account for a quarter of the labour supply in this occupation. Foreigners seeking employment in this occupational group from countries that have a free trade agreement containing a labour component with Canada could be eligible to work in Canada, making it easier for them to enter and permanently remain in the country. Given the relatively important supply of workers and following historical patterns, a significant number of workers will seek opportunities in other related occupations like engineering managers & architecture and science managers (NOC 0211/0212). This negative mobility will be sufficient to offset the large number of school leavers and immigrants, relatively levelling the projected flows of job openings and seekers over the projected period and allowing the recent situation of labour shortage to persist over the long run.

Projection of Cumulative Job Openings and Job Seekers over the Period of 2022-2031

This table contains data related to Projected Job Openings.
Level Share
Expansion Demand: 500 19%
Retirements: 1,400 52%
Other Replacement Demand: 400 15%
Emigration: 300 11%
Projected Job Openings: 2,700 100%
This table contains data related to Projected Job Seekers.
Level Share
School Leavers: 7,300 270%
Immigration: 2,400 89%
Other: -7,000 -259%
Projected Job Seekers: 2,700 100%
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