Looking for the best places to live in Canada for software engineers? I’m here to help!
Choosing to become a software engineer is a good choice. Software engineering is one of the top-demand tech skills in Canada and the world. It is a field built on coding and development, and career options include app developers, designers, front-end developers, and back-end developers.
Software engineers are needed in various professions like law, banking, healthcare, and more. Your location is a huge determinant to making it big as a software engineer. Many countries are highly engaged in tech. Canada is one of the top-tier tech countries for software engineers to make an exciting career.
Why Live and Work in Canada as a Software Engineer?
As Canada and the world are getting active in tech, software engineers are in high demand. Canada is a first-world country with stunning scenery and amazing wildlife. The overall quality of life in Canada is high.
The cost of living in Canada is also lower when compared to that of the U.S. and Australia. With numerous new tech business startups in Canada, freelance company software engineers may consider themselves in the safe zone when considering employment options.
How much do Software Engineers Earn in Canada?
Research shows that the national median salary for software engineers in Canada is about CAD 94,506 per year or CAD 48.08 per hour in 2022. Most software engineers working at entry levels positions in Canada earn about CAD 55,507 per year or CAD 28.85 per hour. The more advanced and experienced software engineers earn about CAD 133,391 per year or CAD 69.33 per hour.
However, these salaries may slightly increase or decrease based on your city. It is common knowledge that the Canadian labor market fluctuates, meaning some cities may have a high demand for software engineers.
Seven Best Places to Live in Canada for a Software Engineer
Although Canada is a great country entirely for software engineers and other tech-inclined professions, some cities have more to offer than others. Let’s take a look at the seven best places to live in Canada for a software engineer;
- Toronto, Ontario
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Calgary, Alberta
- Kitchener, Ontario
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Fredericton, New Brunswick
1. Toronto, Ontario
Toronto is the capital of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is Canada’s most populated city and the fourth most populous in North America, with a population of 2,794,356 in 2021.
Toronto is one of the world’s most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities.
The city is an international center of business, arts, finance, sports and culture. The city attracts the most visitors in the whole country every year. Its multicultural nature makes it so that there’s always something unique to experience when you explore the city’s neighborhoods.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in the city?
While salaries for software engineers may vary due to the company’s payment structure or location, the average salary for software engineers in Toronto is CAD 88,793 or CAD 46.15 per hour. Employees at the entry level can earn about CAD 53,872 per year, while more experienced and advanced software engineers can earn about CAD 124,868.
Why is Toronto the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Toronto has been considered one of the fastest-growing tech sectors of any North American city for the past few years. Due to Toronto’s tech interest, the city is now the third-largest tech hub in Canada and North America.
This shows that Toronto has no shortages of tech jobs and, of course, software engineers, which are in high demand. The larger suburban parts of Toronto are in high demand for skilled workers.
Various job sectors, from sports and entertainment down to finance and various businesses in Toronto, all need software engineers. This means software engineers in this town have a high chance of finding a job. Hence, this places it amongst the 7 best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Toronto?
Toronto is filled with various job prospects for software engineers. As a result, the Greater Toronto Area is filled with various types of businesses.
This means that not just famous company brands but also private firms and businesses that want to get involved in the tech space are all searching for software engineers. Some of Toronto’s biggest companies that employ software engineers are Amazon, Google, Scotiabank, IBM, BMO, Ceridian and RBC.
2. Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver is potentially one of Canada’s most beautiful cities and one of western Canada’s major cities. The city of Vancouver is the most populated province in British Columbia, with a population of 662,248 people, according to the census conducted in 2021.
The city is famous for its spectacular and safe setting, majestic mountains, sparkling ocean, and beautiful foliage. Vancouver has the perfect blend of seasons, from warm sunny summers to the mild, wet winters.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in Vancouver?
The average salary of software engineers in Vancouver is slightly higher than their counterparts in Toronto. The average salary for software engineers in Vancouver is about CAD 101,741 or CAD 52.88 per hour.
Entry-level software engineers can earn about CAD 56,739 a year, while more experienced software engineers can earn about CAD 138,759. Salaries also depend on the position you are offered and the duration of your stay with the company, firm or enterprise.
Why is Vancouver the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Vancouver is a renowned tech powerhouse in Canada. The city has seen massive growth as a tech hub in recent years. The arrival of tech giants like Amazon and Shopify has only helped solidify Vancouver’s claim as an emerging global tech hub. As of 2022, the Vancouver tech space is growing rapidly, which means plenty of software engineering jobs will be available on the market. Hence, the city reserves a spot amongst the 7 best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Vancouver?
Software engineers can work in various tech sectors across the city of Vancouver. Some of the biggest employers of software engineers in Vancouver are Amazon, Microsoft, Electronic Arts and SAP. The demand for this job increases with the ever-expanding tech space in Vancouver.
3. Ottawa, Ontario
The city of Ottawa, Canada’s capital, makes it a visible attraction. It is located in the east of southern Ontario. According to the census conducted in 2017, Ottawa has a population of 994,837 people. The town attracts a number of tourists who troop in to tour the city’s historic sites and landmarks. Ottawa is also multicultural and filled with arts. Ottawa is remarkably clean and green. It is one of the best places to live in Canada based on income, car ownership and unemployment rates.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in Ottawa?
Ottawa stands as one of the highest-paying cities for software engineers in Canada. The average salary in Ottawa for software engineers is about CAD 101,741 a year or CAD 52.88 per hour. Entry-level software engineers can earn about CAD 68,206 a year, which is CAD 35.45 an hour, while more experienced software engineers can earn about CAD 138,759. Salaries also depend on the position you are offered and the duration of your stay with the company, firm or enterprise.
Why is Ottawa the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Ottawa is a city filled with opportunities for software engineers. Ottawa has the highest number of tech workers in Canada, with almost 10% of the city’s population employed in the tech sector. There are also needs for software engineers in some sectors of the government too, thus, making the city one of the best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Ottawa?
There are various tech industries in Ottawa. Some big companies in Ottawa, such as IBM, Cisco, Shopify, and Blackberry, employ a larger number of software engineers in Ottawa. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), alongside the Canadian government, is also some of the biggest employers of software engineers.
4. Calgary, Alberta
Calgary is one of Canada’s cosmopolitan cities. Nicknamed “Cowtown,” the city has a population of 1.3 million, according to the census conducted in 2017. Calgary is known for its numerous skyscrapers and it also owes it rapid growth due to its status as the center of Canada’s oil industry. The city has many parks, exhibitions and heritage that all stand out. Calgary is known to have occasionally colder days which is great weather for most people. The city is one of the best cities in Canada when it comes to quality of life.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in Calgary?
The city of Calgary is known to pay decent wages. The average salary for a software engineer in Calgary is about CAD 90,659 per year or CAD 47.12 per year. Entry-level software engineers can earn about CAD 50,871 a year, while more experienced software engineers can earn about CAD 134,122 yearly. Salaries also depend on the position you are offered and the duration of your stay with the company, firm or enterprise.
Why is Calgary the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Calgary has been steadily developing into a tech hub over the past few years. The city is multicultural and has a diverse economy with various fields that are in need of software engineers.
Calgary isn’t populated with many big tech companies; however, several smaller tech companies and enterprises hire software engineers. For these reasons, Calgary is placed amongst the best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Calgary?
Due to the steady increase in small companies, the need for software engineers in Calgary is also rising. This allows software engineers to choose the field they would like to work in. some of the top employers for software engineers in Calgary are SMART Technologies, Shaw, the University of Calgary, Cisco, and Morgan Stanley.
5. Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener is also another famous Canadian city located in southeastern Ontario. The city has a population of 22,368, according to the United Nations census conducted in 2017. Kitchener, previously called berlin, is one of Canada’s cities and an ideal place to live and work in. It is a family-friendly city filled with modern architecture, annual festivals, cultural institutions and excellent amenities enabling you to pursue your dream job as a young professional.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in Kitchener?
The city of Kitchener is doing well in the aspect of salaries. Although the city doesn’t have the highest salary in Canada, it pays above the national average. The average salary for software engineers in Kitchener is CAD 94,719 a year or CAD 49.23 per hour. Entry-level software engineers can earn about CAD 64,743 a year, which is CAD 33.65. while the more experienced software engineers can earn about CAD 138,759 a year. Salaries also depend on the position you are offered and the duration of your stay with the company, firm or enterprise.
Why is Kitchener the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Kitchener, Toronto’s next-door neighbor, has allowed it to catch up to speed in the tech space. The city has benefited from the outflow of tech opportunities from Toronto. Although Kitchener is as established in tech as Toronto, the town is well on becoming a major technology and innovation center. Hence, this places Kitchener amongst the 7 best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Kitchener?
The arrival of tech giants such as google in Kitchener’s region, waterloo, is a positive sign that their tech progress isn’t going unnoticed. The arrival of these tech giants means more new opportunities for software engineers. However, before Google arrived at Kitchener, they were tech giants already in Kitchener. These tech giants have employed many software engineers, including BlackBerry, Sandvine and McAfee.
6. Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is a major city located in the Atlantic port of eastern Canada. Halifax is the provincial capital of Nova Scotia. The city is a major business center and rich in maritime history. The city has a population of 431,479 people, as recorded in 2017 by the United Nations. Halifax is a diverse community with a population growth fueled by an increased number of immigrants. The city is also known for its historic charm, community spirit, fresh seafood and astonishing landscapes.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in Halifax?
The city of Halifax pays well in terms of salaries but less than the others on our list. The average salary for software engineers in Halifax is CAD 74,003 a year or CAD 37.95 per hour. Salaries also depend on the position you are offered and the duration of your stay with the company, firm or enterprise.
Why is Halifax the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Halifax may not be the biggest tech hub in Canada, but it does gain some attention. As the capital of Nova Scotia, it has some of the best ICT infrastructures and various world-class tech talents. It’s safe to say in no distant time, Halifax will be able to compete with some of Canada’s biggest tech cities. Hence, these reasons place the city amongst the 7 best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Halifax?
Halifax is home to some of the world’s notable tech companies. There are many new and fast-growing businesses. The demand for software engineers is on the rise. Halifax’s tech companies include ADP, Apple, Amazon, and IBM.
7. Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the New Brunswick province, located in eastern Canada. The town is said to have a population of 63,115, according to the census conducted in 2021. By Canadian standards, towns with a population below 100,000 are described as small. However, the town is notable for its quaint nature, rich culture, history and world-class facilities.
What is the Software Engineer’s Salary in Fredericton?
The city of Fredericton is one of Canada’s top-paying cities. Although it doesn’t pay as much as major cities like Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver, it pays decent wages to its workers. The average salary for software engineers in Fredericton is CAD 75,748 a year or CAD 39.37 per hour. Salaries also depend on the position you are offered and the duration of your stay with the company, firm or enterprise.
Why is Fredericton the best place for Software Engineers to live in Canada?
Fredericton has had an influx of tech companies wanting to establish firms in the city. That said, this means there would be a need for software engineers in this city as various positions would be available. Fredericton may not be a big tech city like its counterparts on this list, but in no distant time, with the city’s steady progress and tech development, it will be able to compete on the world stage. Hence, the city is among the 7 best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
What are the Job prospects for Software Engineers in Fredericton?
Fredericton has one of the fastest-growing tech spaces in Canada. It is home to some notable tech companies and firms. Some of these tech companies employ a vast amount of software engineers to carry out various roles and positions in their company. These companies include IBM, Amazon, Blackberry, Xplore Inc. and Cvent.
Other Canadian Cities in Canada Perfect for Software Engineers
Some other cities in Canada can also allow you to enjoy your career as a software engineer. These cities are also growing at a rapid pace. Some of these cities as
- Montreal, Quebec
- Waterloo, Ontario
- Mississauga, Ontario
- Edmonton, Alberta
These cities are picking up speed in the Canadian tech space and, within a few years, will be notable in Canada. However, small tech businesses and firms offer temporary employment to software engineers in these cities.
The Pros of Being a Software Engineer in Canada
Let’s take a look at some of the upsides of choosing to be a software engineer in Canada,
1. High demand
As said most times in this article, software engineers are in high demand all over Canada. With the ever-expanding Canadian tech space, jobs are also being created.
2. Work and life satisfaction
The classic working hours for most working-class individuals are 5-7 hours daily. This gives workers enough time to relax and enjoy their personal life.
3. Decent salaries
Canadian salaries for software engineers are very decent. Software engineers know that their profession will make them earn more with more experience.
4. Business opportunities
Working as a software engineer for various tech firms exposes you to many business opportunities. These opportunities could be improving yourself, higher paying jobs or starting your own entrepreneurial business.
5. Freelance options
Software engineers also have the option of working as a freelancer for more income. As freelancing is somewhat part-time, they can get employed in a tech company and work as freelancers to earn more money.
Here is a guide on how to work as a freelancer in Canada
The Cons of Being a Software Engineer in Canada
Since there are pros to being a software engineer, it’s obvious that there will be cons. Let’s take a look at some of the downsides to choosing to be a software engineer in Canada;
1. High competition
Canada is in high demand for software engineers, so the competition in the labor market is high as more high-paying jobs will try to pick the best candidates for their companies.
2. Busy schedules
As more tech businesses require diligent work on their software and databases, software engineers might have tight and busy schedules.
3. Lifelong learning
Technology is an ever-evolving system. Seeing as learning never ends, there’s always something new for software engineers to learn about and start to implement.
4. Stagnation
Suppose you don’t evolve with the speed of your other software engineers. In that case, you will be easily left behind as software engineers have to fight the plague of stagnation by always staying up to date on the latest technological advancements.
Final Thoughts on the Best Places to Live in Canada for Software Engineers
There you have it! All the best places to live in Canada for software engineers.
Canada, in general, is receiving a massive influx of tech companies from all over the world. As such, there are various job openings for software engineers. However, with the labor market structure and variety in job openings and demand across the cities in Canada, software engineers will have to research further on the best place in Canada with high demand for software engineers.
Frequently Asked Questions On Best Places To Live In Canada For Software Engineers
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