Akhilesh Kumar
In spite of economic challenges confronting Canada, the tech will be among the fastest-growing and highest paying sectors over the next decade. According to a recent study by the Brookfield Institute, there will be 220,000 job vacancies in Canadian technology firms by 2020.
The average salary of a computer science degree holder in Canada is CAD 69,466 per annum or CAD 36 per hour. This is 2.1 times more than the median wage of the country. The entry-level jobs offer around CAD 49,000 while well-experienced professionals earn up to CAD 97,000.
The job market is quite stable and has numerous opportunities for computer science graduates. There is a high demand for programmers and software engineers. If you are seeking to work in Canada, now is the time to apply.
Computer Science Jobs in Canada
Want a job? Get a computer science degree! ? An article from Network World emphasized the solid job prospects in this field. Tech graduates get more jobs offers than any other major. The graph below shows the job openings in four different sectors of science: Engineering, Physical Sciences, Computer Science, and Biological Sciences.
As per a 2013 survey by Career Cast, a computer science degree will fetch you one of the most satisfying jobs in North America. It is also amongst the few degrees you can graduate with and find a job immediately, without having to do further training or postgraduate work.
Common employers are information technology (IT) service providers and IT consultancies. However, since almost all industries rely on computers to operate efficiently, there are several opportunities within the IT departments of organizations in sectors like:
- Healthcare
- Aerospace
- Agriculture
- Finance
- Telecommunications
- Manufacturing
- Public sector
- Retail
- Defense
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Deloitte released the list of 50 fastest-expanding Canadian tech companies in 2018. Ontario dominated the list with 29 companies ie nearly 60 percent. British Columbia secured the second spot with 13 companies. The table below includes the top 15 companies.
| Rank | Company | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diply | London, Ontario |
| 2 | Prodigy Game | Burlington, Ontario |
| 3 | Prodigy Ventures | Toronto, Ontario |
| 4 | Bench Accounting | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 5 | SkipTheDishes | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 6 | StackAdapt | Toronto, Ontario |
| 7 | SendtoNews | Victoria, British Columbia |
| 8 | Maropost | Toronto, Ontario |
| 9 | Refresh Financial | Kelowna, British Columbia |
| 10 | Benevity | Calgary, Alberta |
| 11 | Unata | Toronto, Ontario |
| 12 | Bold Commerce | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 13 | Influitive | Toronto, Ontario |
| 14 | Awesense | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 15 | FixMeStick Technologies Inc. | Montreal, Quebec |
Computer Science Careers
With technology playing an imperative role in all aspects of modern life, you are likely to find your computer science skills in high demand across several industries. However, most graduates prefer to stay in the same industry for years.
Most tech graduates work as programmers and software development professionals. According to Statistics Canada, seven of the top ten jobs held by computer science majors are related to computer sciences including web design and IT operations technician. Here are some of the most sought-after careers in the field, with estimated annual salaries.
| Job | Description | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Information Technology Specialists |
|
61,070 |
| Computer Programmers |
|
52,865 |
| Computer Science Researchers |
|
39,420 |
| Professors, High School Teachers |
|
60,000 |
| Trainers for application support |
|
58,386 |
| Game developers |
|
83,145 |
More Jobs with a Computer Science Degree
With increasing scope of computer science, you can choose to work in various highly specialized areas. From UX designer to forensic computer analyst, here are the other popular job prospects.
| Job | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Applications analyst | 73,466 |
| Application developer | 61,249 |
| Cybersecurity analyst | 65,000 |
| Data analyst | 53,483 |
| Database administrator | 66,237 |
| Forensic computer analyst | 74,334 |
| Game developer | 83,145 |
| Information systems manager | 84,640 |
| IT consultant | 71,755 |
| Multimedia developer | 57,132 |
| Search engine optimization (SEO) specialist | 46,038 |
| Software engineer | 70,009 |
| Systems analyst | 65,908 |
| UX designer | 58,670 |
| Web designer | 48,083 |
| Web developer | 49,758 |
| Data scientist | 109,620 |
| Programmer analyst | 54,562 |
| Business analyst, IT | 66,247 |
| Project manager, Information Technology (IT) | 74,666 |
| Business intelligence (BI) developer | 72,852 |
| Network engineer | 72,594 |
| Machine learning engineer | 67,529 |
| Software tester | 52,119 |
| Quality assurance analyst | 54,485 |
| Information technology (IT) architect | 92,469 |
| Front end developer/engineer | 57,768 |
| Technical account manager | 81,682 |
| Program manager, IT | 106,659 |
| Technical consultant | 72,447 |
Jobs where the Computer Science Degree would be useful
| Job | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Digital strategist | 55,697 |
| IT sales account manager | 52,148 |
| Information technology (IT) trainer | 63,688 |
| Nanotechnologist | 32,790 |
| Network engineer | 68,156 |
| Pay-per-click (PPC) manager | 48,595 |
| Technical analyst | 55,753 |
| Web content manager | 45,377 |
Popular Degrees in Computer Science
There are several degrees in computer science including Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc) in Computer Science, Master of Computer Science (MCS), and Master of Applied Computer Science (MACS) degrees.
You can find average salaries for popular courses according to sex, Canadian city, and top companies, below.
Bachelor of Science (BS/BSc) in Computer Science
| Gender | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Male | 46,828 – 88,775 |
| Female | 43,563 – 85,111 |
Popular cities for BS/BSc Computer Science Graduates
| City | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Toronto, Ontario | 49,073 – 96,411 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | 46,822 – 87,699 |
| Montr̩al, Qu̩bec | 46,105 Р91,694 |
| Calgary, Alberta | 52,353 – 97,041 |
| Ottawa, Ontario | 49,215 – 94,637 |
Popular companies among BS/BSc Computer Science graduates
| Company | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| iQmetrix | 58,165 – 82,039 |
| IBM Canada Ltd. | 48,649 – 93,028 |
| CGI Group Inc. | 54,623 – 84,038 |
| Amazon.com Inc | 72,265 – 109,315 |
| RBC Bank | 43,950 – 96,650 |
Master of Computer Science (MCS)
| Gender | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Male | 52,084 – 93,879 |
| Female | 41,024 – 89,839 |
Popular cities for MCS graduates
| City | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Toronto, Ontario | 53,422 – 100,956 |
| Montr̩al, Qu̩bec | 49,223 Р91,706 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | 62,196 – C$103,750 |
| Ottawa, Ontario | 61,000 – 81,700 |
| Calgary, Alberta | 56,674 – 102,829 |
Popular companies for MCS graduates
| Company | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| CGI Group Inc. | 67,802 – 96,982 |
| IBM Canada Ltd. | 68,250 – 77,843 |
| Ericsson Inc. | 82,500 |
| Diamond Municipal Solutions | 76,646 |
| Amazon.com Inc | 110,000 |
Master of Applied Computer Science (MACS) degree
| Gender | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Male | 54,098 – 85,097 |
| Female | 36,436 – 70,000 |
Popular cities for MACS graduates
| City | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Toronto, Ontario | 49,073 – 96,411 |
| Montr̩al, Qu̩bec | 57,767 Р86,985 |
| Ottawa, Ontario | 57,475 – 117,964 |
| Halifax, Nova Scotia | 61,000 – 81,700 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | 48,980 – 110,000 |
Popular companies among MACS graduates
| Company | Average Annual Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|
| SAP America, Inc. | 70,696 |
| Ericsson Inc. | 64,000 |
| Ventra Plastics | 36,973 |
Skills on your CV
Computer science courses include the knowledge of computer-based systems, evaluating potential risks and designing creative solutions. Java, SQL, Python, and, .net are always in demand. If you are adept at coding, you are in a strong position in the tech job market.
With technology and software transforming at such a rapid pace, continuing professional development (CPD) is essential. Apart from the theoretical study and practical knowledge, these subject-specific skills are vital for bagging the best computer science-related jobs:
- Commercial awareness
- Programming languages
- Numeracy
- Adapt to the rapid technological changes in computing
- Multimedia design
- Software engineering
- Hardware architecture and construction
- Network design and engineering
- Software tools and packages
- Computer graphics
- Human-computer interaction
- Artificial intelligence
- Algorithms and data structures
Develop key skills and build up a network of contacts. It will arm you with commercial skills and show how your degree can be applied in practice.
Quick tips for first-time applicants
- Your resume should strictly follow the Canadian format with all the CS experience mentioned at the top. If you have a PR visa, include it.
- Visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to obtain your Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada or to receive benefits and services from government programs. All companies ask for it for taxes and other purposes.
- Open a bank account. TD Canada Trust and RBC Royal Bank are popular choices. Most banks have a special type of accounts for new immigrants.
- Apply for a health card. It is recommended to go for a general medical check-up.
- Fix an appointment for a driver’s license. Your country’s license is valid for only three months.
How good is Canada for Computer Science graduates?
The data collected by the Munk School of Global Affairs’ Innovation Policy Lab at the University of Toronto (U of T) indicates one in four recently science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduated students from the country’s top universities – University of Waterloo, University of British Columbia, and U of T – work outside Canada.
Owing to the current shortage of STEM talent in Canada, thousands of positions in Canada’s most promising technology companies are unfilled. But the situation is not all despondent as the Brookfield Institute reports show 6 percent of overall employment is in the technology sector and it is growing rapidly.
A report by the Information Communications Technology Council (ICTC) states that nearly 811,200 information and communication technology (ICT) professionals are currently working in Canada. The provinces across the country will need an additional 182,000 ICT professionals by 2019.
As per the labor market report, the following jobs are high in demand:
- Software engineers
- Software programmers and interactive media developers
- IT managers, analysts, and consultants
- Database analysts
- Data administrators
- Graphic designers and graphic illustrators
A study by CTV News revealed the field of computer science promised the eighth highest paying jobs in Canada with CAD 63,462 per annum. Dentistry and pharmacy topped the list with CAD 99,706 and CAD 91,031 respectively.
Although the computer science industry in Canada is not as versatile as the United States, you will secure a good job if you are competent. It is easier to migrate at present due to the surge in the availability of tech jobs in Canada.
