Canada software engineer postings fall 15% as banks pull back hard
New postings dropped from 828 to 705 in 30 days, and the weekly pace has eased 18% from its mid-September peak. Most of the pullback traces to the big banks.
The middle posted range across all levels. 43% of open roles post their pay.
791 roles with yearly payof open roles are at employers with recent Canadian LMIA approvals. Capgemini is on the list.
Canada LMIA approvals, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 11% ask for 10 years or more.
68% of open roles state yearsThis week's read
There are 1,825 open software engineer roles in Canada right now, spread across 694 companies. But new postings slowed this month: 705 went up in the last 30 days, down from 828 in the 30 days before that, a 15% drop. The weekly chart tells the same story. The busiest week was 14 September with 218 new roles. By the week of 26 October that had fallen to 178, down 18% from that peak.
A big part of the slowdown is coming from the banks. RBC's new postings fell 73% in a month, from 45 to 12. BMO's fell 40%, from 25 to 15. TD's fell 26%, from 39 to 29. All three still have open roles, but they are adding far fewer than they were.
The largest employers by open roles right now are Amazon with 52 and Emplois sur GROUPE TEHORA with 51, followed by Capgemini at 36 and LTIMindtree at 35. Even so, the top 8 employers together hold only 15% of all open roles, so this is a market spread across many companies rather than concentrated in a few. Capgemini is on Canada's list of recent visa sponsors, part of the 15% of open roles sitting at employers with recent LMIA filings.
Most postings ask for real experience: the median minimum is 5 years, and 11% want 10 years or more, out of the 68% of postings that state a years requirement. Remote work is limited, just 12% of roles. Pay is posted on 43% of roles, with a typical range of C$118k to C$160k across all levels. That splits out by seniority: C$100k to C$136k at mid level, C$125k to C$163k for senior and lead roles, and C$173k to C$222k at principal or staff level.
On skills, Python shows up in 38% of postings, AWS in 28%, Java in 26%, TypeScript in 25%, and React and AI or machine learning each in 23%. Agile is named in 26% of listings. The typical role stays open 32 days before it's filled or pulled.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Look past the big banks
RBC, BMO and TD all cut back sharply on new postings this month. If you're focused on banking tech, widen your search to other sectors while these slow down.
- Know the experience bar
Most postings ask for a minimum of 5 years, and 11% want 10 or more. If you're earlier in your career, look closely at which roles actually state a years requirement.
- Use the posted pay ranges
43% of roles post pay, from C$100k to C$136k at mid level up to C$173k to C$222k at principal or staff. Use these ranges to check offers before you negotiate.
Pay
What Engineering roles in Canada pay, by level
The middle (median) of the pay ranges employers post. Read each bar from the typical low end to the typical high end of a posting. 43% of open roles post their pay.
See the numbers
| Level | Roles with pay | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal / Staff | 104 | C$173k | C$222k |
| Senior / Lead | 331 | C$125k | C$163k |
| Mid level | 348 | C$100k | C$136k |
Yearly CAD ranges only (hourly pay and other currencies are left out). Level is read from the job title.
Momentum
New Engineering roles each week
Last 30 days: 705 new roles, against 828 the 30 days before (-15%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 192 |
| 14 Sep | 218 |
| 21 Sep | 199 |
| 28 Sep | 203 |
| 5 Oct | 195 |
| 12 Oct | 156 |
| 19 Oct | 198 |
| 26 Oct | 178 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Engineering roles
694 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 15% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | LMIA approvals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 52 | ||
| Emplois sur GROUPE TEHORA | 51 | ||
| Capgemini | 36 | On the list | |
| LTIMindtree | 35 | ||
| Affirm | 27 | ||
| Crear Talent | 26 | ||
| Aptiv | 21 | ||
| TD | 21 | -26% |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Engineering roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 1,717 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: SaaS 5%, Financial services 4%, Payments 3%. Certifications named: Salesforce Certified Platform Developer 1%, ServiceNow Certified System Administrator 1%. 12% of open roles say they are remote.
Cite this report