Posted on November 24 2022

Job trends of Software Engineer in Canada, 2023-24

By
Anshul Singhal
, Editor

Updated March 26 2024

Why work in Canada as a Software Engineer?

Software Engineers/Developer is the top most in-demand job in Canada
21% rise in Software Developers' job opportunities
8 provinces have a highest number of vacancies for Software Engineers' jobs
British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta pay the highest salaries for Software Engineers
CAD 92,313.6 average wages per annum for a Software Engineer
Software Engineers' can migrate to Canada through 10 pathways

About Canada

In the first five months of 2022, Canada experienced a 71.8% in welcoming new foreign immigrants and permanent residents when compared to 2021 data. Canada has set its new immigration targets by creating new immigration-level plans for 2023-2025.

With the current rate of foreign national immigration, Canada has already crossed its 2022 immigration target. According to its immigration levels plan for 2023-25, Canada decided to welcome new permanent residents for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025 as below.

Year	Immigration Levels Plan
2023	465,000 permanent residents
2024	485,000 permanent residents
2025	500,000 permanent residents

Due to the eased and modified immigration plans, Canada welcomed 470,000 immigrants to the country to date and it has decided to increase the target levels. A new pathway for Temporary workers might get launched soon that will convert them to become Permanent residents by qualifying to certain criteria.

Canada has 100+ immigration pathways for foreign nationals and these people can search for a job even while staying in Canada.

Job trends in Canada, 2023

Many businesses in Canada have been facing massive manpower shortages to fill in the vacant jobs that are lying empty for more than 5 months. Employers could not find Canadian citizens or Permanent residents of Canada to occupy these.

More than 40% of Canadian businesses are in severe need of workers, hence they have been appointing foreign immigrants to fill up the unoccupied jobs.

Canada has eased its immigration plans and introduced many new routes for foreign nationals based on the skills that are needed the most. Canada provides high priority to the skills that are in shortage. However, job vacancies have recorded an all-time rise of 5.7% even during the second quarter of 2022.

Canadian employers have been increasing their wages to attract foreign immigrants. Provinces and territories have been doubling their immigration allocation as there is a high requirement for a workforce.

Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia have a high demand for Software Engineer jobs.

80% of employers are hiring immigrant skilled workers in Canada

1 Million+ Jobs vacant for 150 days in Canada; Unemployment drops to record low in September

Software Engineers, NOC Code (TEER code)

Software Engineers' and designers' job is to research, design, integrate, evaluate and maintain software applications, operating systems, embedded software, telecommunication software, information warehouses, and technical environments.

These engineers can be given employment in IT consulting firms, IT research and development-related firms, and units of IT either through the public or the private sectors. They can be self-employed also.

The NOC 2016 code for Software engineers is 2173 and recently there was an update of NOC 2021 and categorized as TEER codes. Now NOC 2021 Software Engineers is 21231 and the TEER code is 21231.

Roles and Responsibilities of Software Engineers

Gather and document the user requirements and need to develop physical and logical specifications
Must research, synthesize, and evaluate technical information to design, outline, develop and trial the computer-based systems that are including mobile applications
Develop the data, its process, and the necessary network models to improve and enhance the architecture, so that they can evaluate the reliability and performance of designs
Planning, designing, and coordinating the development, installation, and integrating & operation of computer-based systems and mobile applications
Evaluate, troubleshoot, document, test, develop and upgrade the maintenance procedures for the communications environments, operating systems, and applications software
Assess, test, troubleshoot, document, upgrade and develop maintenance procedures
Might need to lead, and coordinate with the teams of information system professionals in the area of software development, process control software, integrated information systems, and other embedded software control systems

Also read…

Why is British Columbia Tech Stream the best for tech professionals?

Prevailing wages of Software Engineers in Canada

British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec pays the highest wages per annum on average for Software Engineer jobs. Along with these the other provinces also have the highest requirement for various technologies.

The average hourly wage for Software Engineers jobs in Canada is between CAD 36.06 to CAD 48.08. The hourly wages vary based on the provinces and territories. To obtain a job as a Software engineer, individuals must have to know the job requirements of each province.

The following table provides data on average wages per annum and corresponding provinces.

Provinces and Areas	Average Wages per annum
Canada	92,313.60
Alberta	92,313.60
British Columbia	99,840
Manitoba	69,235.20
New Brunswick	73,843.20
Newfoundland and Labrador	73,843.20
Nova Scotia	72,864
Ontario	92,313.60
Prince Edward Island	73,843.20
Quebec	74,726.40
Saskatchewan	88,627.20

Eligibility criteria for Software Engineers

Graduation in streams like Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Systems Engineering, Mathematics, or any college study program in Computer Science is required.
A Master’s degree or a Doctoral degree in any concerned discipline is expected.
License from a provincial or territorial association of the related discipline professional engineers is required to get approved for reports and engineering drawings and to practice as a Professional Engineer.
Engineers who completed their graduation from an authorized educational program are eligible, for 3-4 years of administered work experience in engineering and completing a professional practice examination.
A minimum of work experience as a computer programmer might be needed.

Location	Job title	Regulation	Regulatory body
Alberta	Software Engineers	Regulated	Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta
British Columbia	Software Engineers	Regulated	Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia
Manitoba	Software Engineers	Regulated	Engineers Geoscientists of Manitoba
New Brunswick	Software Engineers	Regulated	Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador	Software Engineers	Regulated	Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories	Software Engineers	Regulated	Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists
Nova Scotia	Software Engineers	Regulated	Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia
Nunavut	Software Engineers	Regulated	Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists
Ontario	Software Engineers	Regulated	Professional Engineers Ontario
Prince Edward Island	Software Engineers	Regulated	Association of Professional Engineers of Prince Edward Island
Québec	Software Engineers	Regulated	Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Saskatchewan	Software Engineer	Regulated	Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan
Yukon	Software Engineer	Regulated	Engineers of Yukon

Software Engineers - Number of vacancies in Canada

Currently around 348 software jobs across the provinces and territories of Canada. Check out the table for the list.

Location	Available jobs
Alberta	45
British Columbia	73
Canada	348
Manitoba	3
New Brunswick	6
Newfoundland and Labrador	1
Nova Scotia	17
Ontario	163
Québec	33
Saskatchewan	4

*Note: The number of job vacancies may differ. This is given as per the information on October, 2022.

Software Engineers have different prospects based on their work. Following is the list of titles that come under this occupation.

Software design engineer
Application Architect
Embedded Software Engineer
Computer Software Engineer
Software Design Verification Engineer
Software Testing Engineer
Systems Integration Engineer - Software
Software Architect
Technical Architect - Software
Telecommunications Software Engineer
Software Designer

The Software Engineers' opportunities for the next 3 years in the provinces and the territories are listed in the following table:

Location	Job prospects
Alberta	Good
British Columbia	Good
Manitoba	Fair
New Brunswick	Good
Nova Scotia	Fair
Ontario	Fair
Prince Edward Island	Fair
Quebec	Fair
Saskatchewan	Good

How can Software Engineers migrate to Canada?

Software Engineering is one of the highest in-demand occupations across provinces and territories in Canada. To search for a job, or directly migrate to Canada as a software engineer, individuals need to either apply through TFWP (Temporary Foreign Worker Program), IMP (International Mobility Program), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Following are the other routes in immigrating to Canada.

The individuals can also migrate to Canada through:

Also read….

Start working in Canada within 2 weeks through GSS visa, from November 16, 2022

Am I eligible to apply for 2 Canadian immigration programs at once?

How Y-Axis can helps a Software Engineers to immigrate to Canada?

Y-Axis offers assistance to find a Software Engineer job in Canada with the following services.

Eligibility Check:You can check your eligibility for free through the Y-Axis Canada Immigration Points Calculator
Coaching Services:Y-Axis provides coaching services for language proficiency tests which include IELTS, CELPIP, and PTE
Counseling:Y-Axis provides free counseling services
Canada PR Visa:Avail of complete guidance related to Canada PR visa
Job services:Avail job search services to find right job in Canada