Canada is consistently looking for qualified technology workers to help the Canadian economy. One of those technology occupations is software engineers. Qualified software engineers are being hired through the many new start-up companies in Canada.
Due to Software Engineers being in high demand, if you have qualified experience there are several programs that could fast-track your immigration process to Canada!
What is the NOC Code for Software Engineers?
The NOC Code for Software Engineers is 2173.
| NOC code | Job description | NOC Class |
| 2173 | Software engineers and designers | A |
Immigrate Through Express Entry
Thousands of foreign workers immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry program. Express Entry invites foreign workers who are in-demand in Canada. Software Engineers are considered an in-demand job so those who have software engineer experience and knowledge may qualify for Express Entry.
You will be assessed on your Age, Qualifications, English ability, French ability, Spouse’s skills, Work Experience.
Find out if you qualify to immigrate as a Software Engineer through Express Entry.
Provincial Nominee Programs for Software Engineering
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is part of the Express Entry that allows individual province or territories of Canada to invite foreigners to become permanent residents of that province. Thankfully, Software Engineers are typically on the in-demand occupation for many provinces! There are some provinces that are always looking to attract foreign software engineers to come work in their province. Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia are just some examples of provinces looking for software engineers.
Software Engineer Jobs in Canada
There are huge technology companies throughout Canada that are almost always hiring Software Engineers. The best way to search for jobs while you’re not physically in Canada is online! There are many websites that allow job searching in Canada such as Indeed.com, LinkedIn.com, Glassdoor.com. These sites will allow you to research the job description, company, and apply for that position online.
Some of the tech companies throughout Canada that many software engineers apply to include:
- Amazon
- Microsoft
- Apple
- Square
- Bolt
- Lyft
- Electronic Arts (EA)
- CarFax
- Cisco
- and many more
How Much Do Software Engineers Make in Canada?
Depending on where in Canada you are located the yearly salary for software engineers can vary. According to PayScale the average software engineer salary in the entire country is $74,428 CAD. Throughout Canada it can vary depending on which city you are in.
Toronto: $86,852 CAD
Vancouver: $85,000 CAD
Ottawa: $80,000 CAD
Calgary: $76,000 CAD
Montreal: $74,000 CAD
How to Qualify to Immigrate for Software Engineering
Software Engineers are defined as “design, develop and test software products for various uses”. Typically a software engineer perform the following duties:
- Analyze users’ requirements
- Design and test software products or computer systems
- Co-ordinate the development, installation, and operation of computer-based systems
- Troubleshoot, upgrade and develop maintenance procedures for operating systems and applications
- May lead and co-ordinate teams of information systems professionals
Most software engineers require a four-year degree and for more advanced positions will require a master’s degree in software engineering. To prove you have the required educational degree you will have to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). An ECA is used to verify that your foreign diploma or certificate is valid and equal to a Canadian one.
VisaPlace Immigration News Contributor
Ella Bergquist
Hello! I am one of VisaPlace's many immigration news contributors. Comment below if you have any questions or comments about this article.
