Canada’s immigration system remains geared towards bringing in qualified technology specialists and below are eight IT jobs stand out as particularly great opportunities in 2021.
Canada broadened the scope of the Global Talent Stream (GTS) in 2019 to allow a dozen occupations to qualify under the program and it made permanent. The qualifying occupations under that stream are:
| National Occupations Classification (NOC) code | Occupation |
| 0213 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 2147 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
| Sub-set of 2161* | Mathematicians and statisticians
* Positions for actuaries or related occupations are excluded from this subset. |
| 2171 | Information systems analysts and consultants |
| 2172 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 2173 | Software engineers and designers |
| 2174 | Computer programmers and interactive media developers |
| 2175 | Web designers and developers |
| 2281 | Computer network technician |
| 2283* | Information systems testing technicians |
| Sub-set of 5131* | Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game |
| Sub-set of 5241* | Digital Media and Design |
Since then, the COVID-19 global pandemic has fuelled an almost frenzied growth in online shopping and working from home. All of this has driven the need for information technology experts to unprecedented levels.
“Since COVID-19, technology has become integrated into every aspect of our lives and economies. As the world moves closer towards a digital economy, technology-based companies have become essential to driving GDP, providing high-paying jobs and innovating a new world through continuous research and development of advanced technology,” states human resources giant Randstad Canada.
Those with skills in data security and e-commerce are now in the enviable position of being able to have their pick of employers in almost all of Canada’s biggest cities.
Here are Top Eight Best-Paying IT Jobs In Canada and how much they pay, based on data from Ottawa’s national employment website, Job Bank, as calculated for a 37.5-hour work week.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER (NOC 2073)
With the rush to upgrade software due to the massive spike in demand during the pandemic for online shopping and other activities, including remote work, employers are eager to bring in more software developers to write, modify, integrate and test computer code for software applications, data processing applications, operating systems-level software and communications software. These IT experts earn between $42,178 and $112,125 annually.
IT PROJECT MANAGER (NOC 0213)
IT project managers are always among the most sought-after of the tech specialists as they both meet with clients and head up and manage the teams of IT specialists who work on these projects. That strong demand for their skills allows project managers to earn from $64,291 to $140,634 annually.
IT BUSINESS ANALYST (NOC 2171)
These are the IT experts who analyze tech and software and allow businesses to make smart choices about how they use their data and analytics. As more and more businesses rely on IT, business analysts become ever more important to help companies get the most out of their data and become as efficient as possible. IT business analysts earn between $46,800 and $112,495 per year.
DATABASE ANALYST (NOC 2172)
In 2021, data and its proper use are crucial to the success of many businesses – and so database analysts are a hot commodity. They design, develop and administer data management solutions using database management software. For that, they earn between $37,537 and $109,005 annually.
QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYST (NOC 2171)
These experts are another perennial favourite on any list of top IT jobs. They analyze and test systems requirements, develop and implement information systems development plans, policies and procedures, and provide advice on a wide range of information systems issues. In 2021, a quality assurance analyst in Canada can expect to command an annual salary of between $46,800 and $112,495.
SECURITY ANALYSTS AND ARCHITECTS (NOC 2171)
As companies and governments gather ever more data about their customers, their liability for that data also becomes more important. With the boom in the number of people sharing data online, data security is a trending topic this year and the demand for security analysts is strong. These IT experts are getting salaries of between $46,800 and $112,495.
BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST (NOC 2171)
A business systems analyst’s job should not be confused with that of a business analyst. The business systems analyst’s focus is on the development and putting in place of specific systems for their employer. They earn between $46,800 and $112,495 annually.
NETWORK ENGINEER (NOC 2147 or 2281)
New to the list of top-paying IT jobs, network engineers research, plan, design, develop, modify, evaluate and integrate computer and telecommunications hardware and related equipment, and information and communication system networks including mainframe systems, local and wide area networks, fibre-optic networks, wireless communication networks, intranets, the Internet and other data communications systems. They command annual salaries of between $48,750 and $124,683.
Randstad Canada reports that the IT industry currently provides some of the best salaries in Canada.
“The average annual salary in 2021 is $87,300, up over $5,000 compared to last year,” states the human resources firm. “The bottom 10 per cent of earners in the tech field make less than $51,300, whereas the top 10 per cent of earners in tech see their salary surpass $123,250.
“Both of these numbers are up as the demand for skilled tech talent continues to grow exponentially during the pandemic and beyond.”