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Employment growth spans all provinces, but demand for tech talent often outstrips supply

TORONTO – The growth trajectory for technology-related employment is Canada is expected to continue in 2022 following a year in which employers hired more than 100,000 tech workers, according to new research published by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

Net tech employment in Canada reached an estimated 1,235,692 workers at the end of 2021, an increase of nearly 9% over the previous year, CompTIA’s “State of the Tech Workforce Canada” report reveals. CompTIA projects tech-related will grow by 1.5% this year – more than 19,000 net new jobs.

“The impressive rebound in employment is a clear sign of how essential technology is to every business and industry,” said Gordon Pelosse, senior vice president for employer engagement at CompTIA. “Companies were quick to restaff and expand their technology teams as business conditions improved, adding talent in critical areas such as cybersecurity, data, technology services and tech support.”

Employer job postings, another layer of insight into the tech job market, also bounced back in 2021 as many employers resuming hiring activity as the Canadian economy recovered. In 2021 employer job postings for technology positions jumped 54,552 from 2020, the equivalent of a 59% increase. By comparison, job postings for all occupation increased 50%.

“Employment options in technology are plentiful at all careers levels, from advanced positions for individuals with experience under their belts, to entry-level openings that offer good salaries and opportunities for advancement,” Pelosse said.

Slightly more than half of employer job postings for tech jobs in 2021 specified a required level of work experience, with the remaining 42% unspecified. This indicates that many employers continue to evaluate their recruiting practices to accept more candidates for consideration, such as those with industry-recognized certifications rather than traditional university degrees.

While technology companies operate and tech jobs are available across the country, Canada’s tech community is concentrated in metropolitan areas, led by Toronto. At 10%, Toronto has the highest concentration of net tech employment as a percentage of its overall employment. Montreal (8.3%), Vancouver (7.8%) and Calgary (6.4%) all have a higher concentrations of technology workers than the national benchmark (6.3%).

Three metro markets, again led by Toronto, dominate tech hiring projections for 2022 CompTIA estimates that 5,756 net new tech jobs will be created in Toronto this year. Vancouver (+3,621) and Montreal (+2,705) are also expected to see solid job growth, with smaller number of job gains anticipated in Edmonton and Calgary.

Since 2016, net tech employment has increased by an estimated 213,432 net new jobs, with steady growth during this span, except for a decline in the COVID-19 pandemic impacted year of 2020. Net tech employment accounted for approximately 6.3% of the total Canadian workforce in 2021. The tech industry delivers approximately 5.3% of direct economic value, which translates to $104.5 billion CAD.

CompTIA’s “State of the Tech Workforce Canada” report provides an in-depth look at employment, economic impact, technology trends, salaries, hiring activity and more across the provinces and metropolitan areas of Canada. The report draws upon several data sources, including Canadian government statistics (StatsCan), CompTIA, Lightcast™ (formerly EMSI Burning Glass) and more. The report is available at https://www.comptia.org/content/research/comptia-state-of-tech-workforce-canada.

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About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for unlocking the potential of the tech industry and its workforce. https://www.comptia.org/

Media Contact
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
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