It’s no secret that Canada has a robust immigration system that actively seeks skilled workers and professionals from around the world to contribute to its market and economy. That’s the reason why many of us picked this country to make it our new, temporary or permanent, home.
In 2021, Canada welcomed nearly 406,000 permanent residents in the economic, family reunification and refugee/humanitarian programs while 191,000 international students transitioned from temporary to permanent resident status. With these numbers, the country has become a very attractive alternative for young professionals seeking a better life, a category that we dare to say, includes many of us.
But, what do we do if we want to start a career in Canada, or more specifically Vancouver? Well, we thought a good starting point would be to check the list of the most in-demand tech jobs. Whether you want to study something related to the field or already have a bachelor in that, it’s important to know what the job market is demanding at this moment.
The pandemic created a huge demand for IT jobs
Remember Covid? During the first year of the pandemic, the number of people employed in IT in Canada increased by around 32% as travel restrictions and lockdowns pushed Canadians to rely on e-commerce and Zoom meetings.
Another consequence of it was the accelerated adoption of technology which resulted in a growing tech sector and the birth of many new tech companies. Now that the pandemic years are behind us, the tech industry continues to be strong. And although there are mass layoffs going around there are also hundreds of new job openings every week.
Without further ado, here are some of the popular jobs companies are hiring for in Vancouver. We will also give you the NOC code because it can help you down the road with some immigration processes like permanent residence.
4 In-Demand Tech Jobs in Vancouver
Information systems analyst
Information systems consultants and analysts evaluate and test system requirements, create and implement plans, policies, and procedures for developing information systems, and offer guidance on a variety of information systems-related challenges.
The typical hourly wage for information systems analysts and consultants (NOC 21211, 21220, 21221, 21222, and 21233, formerly 2171) is $36 CAD.
Computer programmers and interactive media developers
These are the individuals responsible for writing, modifying, integrating, and testing computer code for software applications, data processing applications, operating system-level software, and communications software. Computer code for Internet and mobile applications, computer-based training software, computer games, film, video, and other interactive media is written, modified, integrated, and tested by interactive media developers.
Computer programmers and creators of interactive media (NOC 21230, 21232, 21234, formerly 2174) can anticipate an hourly wage of about $43 CAD.
Computer Network Technicians
A Computer Network Technician is a specialist who specializes in the setup, maintenance, troubleshooting, and management of computer networks in businesses. Their responsibility is to ensure that an organization's network infrastructure runs smoothly, safely, and efficiently in order to facilitate communication, data exchange, and other IT processes.
Technicians for computer networks (NOC 22220; formerly 2281): In British Columbia, the hourly median wage for technicians is $28.85 CAD.
Software designers and engineers
Software designers and engineers work together to bring software ideas to life. Software designers are the first ones in the process as they will envision and define what the software will do and what it will look like. If the software is user-focused, we are talking about UX designers. Then, software engineers will be the ones that build the solution following the design team’s direction.
Software designers and engineers (NOC 21231, formerly 2173): The typical hourly wage for software engineering positions in British Columbia is $52 CAD. To qualify, you must hold an engineering degree.
Get to know the work culture in Canada
Having a career plan is important when immigrating to Canada. We could make it big if we plan to study one of the above fields or if we already have the knowledge for it, but there are a few more things to consider before making the big jump. There are two things that Canadians agree are very important for success, and our expert Fernanda Reis confirms in our Career Resources for International Students article: volunteering and networking.
Therefore, your first step might be to get a volunteer position in a company or a startup. The experience and connections you can get from that alone are worth the time invested in it. And speaking about connections, attending networking events and getting to know professionals in the industry you are interested in might help you land your next job.
Don’t have enough time to participate in these events? You can always use Linkedin, one of the most used resources for job hunting and networking in Canada.
Join our Slack channel to share with others how you immigrated or plan to immigrate to Canada. There, you can find more resources and advice on how to find success in this city.
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