Tech Jobs in Demand in Canada: 2026 Wages, Outlooks and Routes

Tech used to be the easy answer to "what job gets you to Canada?". In 2026 it's more complicated. There are still thousands of openings, good pay and a fast work permit route, but prospects depend heavily on your exact role and where you want to live.

This guide looks at tech occupations through official numbers: Statistics Canada vacancies, Job Bank wages and outlooks, and the immigration lists that decide which routes are open to you. Everything was checked in September 2026.

The short version

If you're a cybersecurity specialist, you have the widest set of options, because your job is on both the Express Entry STEM list and the Global Talent Occupations List. Software, data and web roles are on the Global Talent list but not the STEM list, so a Canadian employer or strong points matter more.

And if you're set on Toronto, read the numbers carefully. Several core tech jobs are rated limited or very limited in Ontario for 2025 to 2027. Our separate guide to IT jobs in Toronto goes into the city in detail.

How much demand is there, really?

Statistics Canada counts job vacancies every quarter. In the second quarter of 2026, there were about 548,400 vacancies across all occupations in Canada. The 13 tech occupations in the table below added up to roughly 19,200 of them.

That's real demand, but it's not a shortage on the scale of health care. Registered nurses alone had about 17,300 vacancies in the same quarter.

Wages are Job Bank's national medians, based on Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for 2023 to 2024 and published in November 2025. Vacancy counts are rounded estimates.

Where prospects look best

Job Bank rates each occupation's prospects for 2025 to 2027 in every province, from very limited to very good. The ratings compare jobs within one province, so read each column on its own rather than across the table.

A few patterns stand out. Information systems specialists are rated good in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Nova Scotia rates most tech jobs good. Ontario, which has the largest tech workforce, rates most of these jobs moderate at best.

For software engineers in Ontario, Job Bank points to employment decline and notes that restructuring in the tech sector may slow job growth. It also lists Java, Python and SQL as common skills in job postings.

What tech jobs pay

National medians hide wide ranges. Job Bank's figures for software developers run from CAD 30.00 an hour at the low end to CAD 76.92 at the high end. British Columbia's median is CAD 52.40, compared with CAD 48.08 nationally.

At a standard 40-hour week, CAD 48 an hour works out to roughly CAD 100,000 a year before tax. Many newcomers start nearer the low end until they have Canadian references, so budget on that basis rather than on the median.

Taxes and take-home pay

Canada taxes income at both federal and provincial rates, and your employer also deducts Canada Pension Plan contributions and Employment Insurance premiums. Your take-home pay will be noticeably lower than the gross salary in an offer letter. Use the Canada Revenue Agency's payroll information or a reputable calculator for your province before you compare offers.

Immigration routes for tech workers

Express Entry

Express Entry manages three federal programs for skilled workers applying for permanent residence. You enter a profile, get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and wait for an invitation.

In 2026, most invitations went through Canadian Experience Class, French-language and provincial nominee rounds. IRCC's 2026 STEM category includes cybersecurity specialists and engineering roles, but software developers, software engineers and data scientists aren't on it. By mid-September 2026, IRCC hadn't held a STEM round.

Since 25 March 2025, a job offer no longer adds CRS points. The practical levers are language scores, education, Canadian experience and French.

The Global Talent Stream

The Global Talent Stream is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and is built for tech hiring. Category B covers occupations on the Global Talent Occupations List, which includes software engineers, software developers, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists, database analysts, web developers and IT managers.

Here's how it works:

1. A Canadian employer applies for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), a review of the job offer's effect on Canadian workers.
2. The employer pays a CAD 1,000 fee per position, which it can't recover from you.
3. It must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and region, and commit to a Labour Market Benefits Plan, such as training Canadians.
4. Service Canada aims to decide within 10 business days, 80% of the time.
5. You then apply to IRCC for a work permit. According to the program page, approved Global Talent Stream workers are eligible for faster processing, with a target of 10 business days, 80% of the time.

Two roles have wage floors. Computer network and web technicians must be paid at least CAD 40.87 an hour, and information systems testing technicians at least CAD 41.03 an hour.

Provincial nominee programs

Provinces used to run tech-specific draws, but that has changed. British Columbia held its last priority technology draw on 3 December 2024 and now targets high-impact talent in any sector. Ontario replaced its old streams on 25 June 2026 with the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which requires a full-time, permanent job offer.

Other provinces run employer-driven streams that can suit tech workers with an offer. Check each province's official page, as intake changes often. Our guide to the best province for permanent residency compares the options.

Costs to budget for

You'll also pay for a language test, an Educational Credential Assessment, medical exams, police certificates and flights. After you land, plan for a rental deposit, a first month without pay and private health insurance until provincial coverage starts. Open a Canadian bank account early, and compare transfer costs if you send money home.

Step by step: a plan for tech workers

1. Confirm your NOC code from your real duties.
2. Check the Job Bank outlook for your code in three provinces, and note where it's rated good.
3. Check wages for those provinces so you know what a fair offer looks like.
4. Take an approved language test. Higher scores raise your CRS score more than almost anything else.
5. Get your degree assessed by a designated organization, such as World Education Services.
6. Create an Express Entry profile and see whether your score is competitive.
7. Apply to employers in the provinces where your role looks strongest, and mention the Global Talent Stream if it applies.
8. Once you have an offer, follow our guide on how to apply for a Canada work permit.

Tech job scams to avoid

Tech job seekers are prime targets because remote hiring feels normal. Watch for:

• Interviews only by chat app, followed by an instant offer.
• Requests for money for "visa processing", "LMIA fees" or equipment. The LMIA fee is the employer's to pay, and recruitment fees are banned in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
• Fake cheques sent to buy equipment, with a request to wire back the difference.
• Offers from well-known companies that come from free email addresses. Check the company's official careers page yourself.

Your next steps

• Pin down your NOC code and check it against both the STEM list and the Global Talent list.
• Compare Job Bank outlooks and wages in at least three provinces.
• Book your language test and credential assessment.
• Build an Express Entry profile, even if you're also job hunting.
• Target employers in provinces where your role is rated good.
• Never pay for a job offer.

For the wider picture of Canada's approach to tech immigration, read our overview of Canada's plans for tech talent. And if you're weighing tech against other sectors, our list of in-demand occupations in Canada shows where demand is strongest overall.