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.
Read more…
Great News! Canadian citizenship to 300,000 people in FY 2022-23
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.
Read more…
Rising job vacancies in Ontario, desperate need for more foreign workers
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.
Read more....
16 new occupations added to Canada Express Entry NOC list
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:
- Express Entry
- Alberta PNP
- British Columbia PNP
- Manitoba PNP
- New Brunswick PNP
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia PNP
- Ontario PNP
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan PNP
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