Job Market Research›Canada›Software Engineering
Check the job market before you choose the course.Real jobs and pay for your field, and how to stay on to work.
How it works
The jobs Software Engineering leads to, added together. Each label compares Software Engineering with the other Canadian fields.
People in these jobs is a 2023 government estimate (ESDC).
The jobs Software Engineering courses most often lead to in Canada, and how each one is doing.
| Job | Share | Average pay Job Bank | Entry pay Job Bank | Growth to 2033 ESDC | Job vacancies StatCanvs last year | Counts toward PR IRCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Software engineers and designers | CA$117,500 | CA$91,000 | +24.3% | 2,625-9.8% | Yes | |
| 2.Software developers and programmers | CA$100,000 | CA$80,000 | +30.6% | 3,545+35.3% | Yes | |
| 3.Information systems specialists | CA$96,000 | CA$74,900 | +21.2% | 2,910+1.6% | Yes | |
| 4.Web developers and programmers | CA$80,000 | CA$65,000 | +15.3% | 380-50.6% | Yes | |
| 5.Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | CA$109,200 | CA$90,000 | +23.7% | 415+6.4% | Yes | |
| 6.Computer and information systems managers | CA$138,700 | CA$110,000 | +29.6% | 2,170+22.9% | Yes | |
| 7.Computer systems developers and programmers | CA$90,000 | CA$70,000 | +3.5% | 285-32.9% | Yes | |
| 8.Data scientists | CA$96,000 | CA$80,000 | +16.7% | 1,435+14.8% | Yes |
Share: how common each job is among Software Engineering destinations. Entry pay: lower-quartile pay, a guide to starting salaries. Job vacancies: positions employers reported as vacant in the latest quarter (Statistics Canada survey). Swipe the table sideways for more.
Master's graduates who studied Software Engineering or a related Engineering [14] / Computer and information sciences and support services [11] subject, two years after graduating, working in Canada. Earnings are published for Engineering [14] / Computer and information sciences and support services [11] as a whole.
International graduates earned 13% less than Canadian graduates of the same subject two years after graduating. Based on international master's graduates who stayed and filed taxes in Canada. About a quarter of international graduates left Canada and are not included.
How international students stay to work in Canada after studying Software Engineering.
A master's or a PhD from a Canadian university.
to work in Canada after a master's of at least 8 months. Apply within 180 days of finishing, with English or French at CLB 7.
Permanent residence: after 1 year of skilled work in Canada (TEER 0–3), you can apply through Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class). Invitations go to the highest-scoring candidates in each draw, so permanent residence is not guaranteed. Some draws target listed occupations, for people with 12 months' experience in them.
Employer-sponsored work permit: without permanent residence, you can stay if an employer sponsors you through a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The job must pay at least the prevailing wage for that job and location.
Typical pay for the same jobs (in US dollars in brackets, at June 2026 exchange rates), projected growth, and post-study work after a master's.
6 Canadian universities offer 12 postgraduate courses in Software Engineering. The highest ranked:
International students who finished a master's in Engineering [14] / Computer and information sciences and support services [11] earned a median CA$78,700 two years after graduating (2022), and CA$96,300 five years after graduating. Across all workers in these jobs, typical pay is CA$106,100 and starting pay about CA$83,900.
Employers reported about 2,357 job vacancies for these jobs in April 2026, 5.9% more than a year earlier. Employment in these jobs is projected to grow 23.7% from 2023 to 2033.
Yes, for up to 36 months on a Post-Graduation Work Permit after a master's of at least 8 months. 100% of these jobs count toward permanent residence through the Canadian Experience Class.
Every figure comes from an official Canadian source. Tap a source tag next to any number for its details.
Indicative figures from official Canadian sources. They describe groups of graduates and workers, not what any individual will earn or be offered. Visa rules change — check canada.ca (IRCC) before you decide.