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Technology is rapidly evolving and Canada has quickly established itself as a leader in the emerging IT sector, as well as being named the fastest growing industry in the country. More and more tech workers are immigrating to Canada in search of new employment opportunities and it’s no secret why.
Toronto has added over 80,000 tech jobs in the past five years and is currently ranked as the third best city in North America for tech opportunities, making it one of the top three destinations for IT workers worldwide. But Toronto is not your only Canadian option to find tech jobs.
Canada offers various ways to immigrate as a tech talent, including the Express Entry System and Provincial Nominee Program which both offer Canadian permanent residency. With so many tech jobs and immigration opportunities, you may be unsure of where to start.
Best Cities To Immigrate to as a Tech Talent
Although there are plenty of choices available to foreign tech workers looking for work in Canada, it is better to narrow your search based on which cities offer the best chance of finding employment, as well as anchoring yourself in a city that is not only a tech hub but offers professional growth. Our pick for the top 5 cities are:
- Toronto
- Ottawa
- Montreal
- Vancouver
- Waterloo
These cities have produced 63.1% of Canada’s tech growth from 2012-2017. Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Ottawa are responsible for 60.9% of Canada's tech workforce, with 11.2% of the labour force concentrated in Ottawa. Canada has created a total of 178,800 new tech jobs during this period, of which 57,600 were added in 2017 alone. Smaller cities such as Quebec City and Victoria, British Columbia’s capital, also featured in the top 10.
Best Tech Companies in Canada
Not sure where to start when searching for tech opportunities in Canada? Here are our top picks (in no particular order):
| Best Tech Companies in Canada | |
|---|---|
| Top Established Companies in 2019 | Companies to Watch in 2019 |
| Accenture Inc. | Pivot Furniture (Saskatoon, SK) |
| ACL Services | Certn (Victoria, BC) |
| Adobe Systems Canada Ltd | Clearbanc (Toronto, ON) |
| Cisco Systems Canada Ltd | AvenueHQ (Vancouver, BC) |
| ISM Canada | Dooly (Vancouver, BC) |
| OpenText Corp | Xanadu (Toronto, ON) |
| Salesforce | MindBridge AI(Ottawa, ON) |
| SAP Canada Inc. | FI.SPAN (Vancouver, BC) |
| Shopify | Klipfolio (Ottawa, ON) |
| Verafin Inc. | Deep Genomics (Toronto, ON) |
| Xerox Canada Ltd | Zoom.ai (Toronto, ON) |
Best IT Occupations in Canada
The IT industry offers extremely competitive salaries, ranging from $40,600 to $81,750 per year. There are various occupations to choose from when pursuing immigrating to Canada, however here are the most lucrative options to choose from:
- Developer/programmer
- system administrator
- IT project manager
- quality assurance analyst
- IT business analyst
- Help desk analyst
- IT manager
Best Immigration Programs for Tech Talent
There are various paths that you could take when immigrating to Canada as a tech worker. The Federal Express Entry System is perhaps the most popular choice for IT workers. It is a points-based system, meaning that applicants will have to acquire a certain number of points, based on factors such as qualification, age and so on in order to qualify. The Express Entry system speeds up the immigration process and makes it easier for prospective newcomers to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Although occupation is not considered when applying via the Express Entry System, the three best occupations that were considered for Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for residency are:
- Software engineers and designers
- Information systems analysts and consultants
- Computer programmers and interactive media developers
The next option to consider is the Provincial Nominee Program. For those who do not qualify for the Express Entry option, this is the optimal choice. Certain provinces are able to select your Express Entry profile and extend a provincial nomination to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Obtaining a PN will reward applicants with an extra 600 points to add to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores, essentially guaranteeing to receive an ITA.
Canada’s Express Entry Draws and PNPs are currently specifically geared toward tech workers, which is evident from the most recent Ontario Express Entry Tech Draw which took place on August 1, inviting 1,773 candidates to apply for permanent residency.
There are three main Provincial Nominee Programs to consider when immigrating as an IT worker, one of which is British Columbia. In the recent BC PNP Draw held on July 30, 70 out of the 98 ITAs were issued under the Tech Pilot, which has recently been extended to June 2020. The BC PNP has also enrolled 12 new regions, giving applicants more destinations to choose from as well as a greater opportunity to achieve Canadian permanent residency.
The following are great PNP choices to consider:
| Canadian PNPs for IT Workers |
|---|
| Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) |
| Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) |
| British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Tech Pilot |
The other option to consider is Canada’s Global Talent Stream, which allows Canadian companies to access eligible talent on a temporary basis. It has a phenomenal processing time of as little as two weeks for both work permits and Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA).
How We Can Help
Immigrating can be a monumental decision in anyone’s life, which is why it is important to ensure that you have someone who is well informed about the immigration process on your side before undertaking anything as important as this. Our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) are fully qualified and knowledgeable of the application process and will make the experience of applying for Canadian permanent residency completely effortless. Simply sign up with our service today for your evaluation. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity. Living your Canadian dream is one click away!
