Security engineer postings in Canada up 3%, but weekly hiring has cooled from its peak
There are 363 open roles across 199 companies this week. New postings are up 3% over the last 30 days, but the weekly pace has slipped 12% from its September high.
The middle posted range across all levels. 48% of open roles post their pay.
173 roles with yearly payof open roles are at employers with recent Canadian LMIA approvals. Intelcom Group and Scotiabank are on the list.
Canada LMIA approvals, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 17% ask for 10 years or more.
76% of open roles state yearsThis week's read
Canada has 363 open security engineer roles spread across 199 companies right now. New postings over the last 30 days are up 3% compared with the month before. But the weekly trend tells a different story: the busiest week was 14 September, and by the week of 26 October, new postings were down 12% from that peak. So the month looks steady, even as the weekly flow has eased off its high point.
Employers are not looking for beginners. The median minimum experience asked for is 5 years, and roles typically stay open for 29 days before they close. That gives you a decent window to apply, but also signals that hiring teams are taking their time to find the right fit.
Pay information is still patchy: only 48% of postings show a salary. Where it is listed, the typical range across all levels runs from C$108k to C$151k. If a posting you like has no number attached, it is worth asking early rather than guessing.
Remote work is scarce here, with only 14% of roles open to it, so most of this hiring is happening in person. On sponsorship, 14% of open roles sit at employers with recent filings under Canada's LMIA approvals list, and Intelcom Group and Scotiabank are both named on it. Among top employers, Alstom and PWC currently have the most open roles. CISSP is the certification employers ask for most, showing up in 38% of postings.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Expect a 5-year experience bar
The median minimum experience asked for is 5 years. If you are earlier in your career, look for postings that state fewer years or none at all before applying.
- Ask about pay if it's missing
Only 48% of postings list a salary. Where shown, the typical range is C$108k to C$151k. Use that range as a starting point if a listing leaves pay out.
- Check the sponsor list if you need one
Intelcom Group and Scotiabank appear on Canada's LMIA approvals list. If visa sponsorship matters to you, start your search with employers confirmed on that list.
Pay
What Security 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. 48% of open roles post their pay.
See the numbers
| Level | Roles with pay | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior / Lead | 75 | C$110k | C$156k |
| Mid level | 80 | C$96k | C$135k |
Yearly CAD ranges only (hourly pay and other currencies are left out). Level is read from the job title.
Momentum
New Security roles each week
Last 30 days: 153 new roles, against 148 the 30 days before (+3%). 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 | 15 |
| 14 Sep | 50 |
| 21 Sep | 40 |
| 28 Sep | 35 |
| 5 Oct | 40 |
| 12 Oct | 27 |
| 19 Oct | 41 |
| 26 Oct | 44 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Security roles
199 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 15% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | LMIA approvals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alstom | 9 | ||
| PWC | 8 | ||
| Intelcom Group | 7 | On the list | |
| Amazon | 6 | ||
| CAE | 6 | ||
| Capco | 6 | ||
| Scotiabank | 6 | On the list | |
| Sun Life | 6 |
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 Security roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 350 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 7%, Financial services 5%, Healthcare 3%. Certifications named: CISSP 38%, CISM 23%, CISA 18%. 14% of open roles say they are remote.
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