2025 Canada Job Market: Tech Hiring Trends and In-Demand Roles

Tech and IT job market in Canada 2025: An overview
Most in-demand jobs in Canada 2025: Tech and IT
What hiring trends are impacting Canada’s tech sector?
Strategic priorities for the rest of 2025
Contract talent trends in tech and IT
Tech and IT job market in Canada 2025: FAQs
About the Demand for Skilled Talent Report

The demand for skilled talent remains high in the 2025 Canada job market, including among Canadian tech leaders. As of May 2025, Statistics Canada reported a 3.3 per cent unemployment rate for Canada's tech industry, which continues to face a persistent talent shortage.

Low unemployment among skilled tech professionals isn’t the only obstacle tech leaders at Canadian companies face. Many are struggling with skills gaps in crucial areas including AI, machine learning (ML) and data science, IT operations and support, cybersecurity and privacy, and ERP/CRM development and management, with high competition for professionals who possess the cutting-edge skills necessary to keep up.

Technology departments must often balance modernizing infrastructure, implementing emerging technologies like AI and cloud solutions, and strengthening digital security with limited resources. The pressure to accomplish more with existing teams often leads to technical compromises that create additional challenges down the road.

As the demand for tech expertise continues to soar, Canadian companies are exploring innovative approaches to building their teams. This includes investing in talent development programs, leveraging contract workers to fill critical roles, and creating inclusive work environments that attract and retain a diverse pool of candidates.

Robert Half’s Building Future-Forward Tech Teams report offers additional insight on how companies can assemble technology teams that are ready to tackle today and tomorrow’s challenges.

Tech and IT job market in Canada 2025: An overview

Roles in AI and machine learning, business systems analysis, cybersecurity, data science, IT operations, software development and engineering, and that support DevOps and ERP systems are particularly difficult to fill in Canada this year.

While competitive salaries are essential, retaining skilled employees has emerged as a key concern amongst Canadian employers.

To foster retention, companies are increasingly focusing on enhanced benefits packages, expanded vacation time, and robust professional development programs to support employee growth and advancement.

In addition, attracting skilled talent is increasingly about how well a company can provide a healthy work/life balance, including being willing to adapt to the desired work styles of high-caliber professionals. According to the 2025 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half, many of these professionals value flexibility and feel underpaid – and in-demand professionals who feel undervalued or underpaid are quick to seek new opportunities. Companies that can offer adaptable work schedules, including hybrid or fully remote options, are particularly poised to distinguish themselves in the talent market.

Read our full Demand For Skilled Talent report for more tech hiring trends.

Most in-demand jobs in Canada 2025: Tech and IT

What IT skills are in demand in Canada? Machine learning and data science, cybersecurity, AI and automation, cloud, and software and app development are leading the charge when it comes to in-demand skills commanding premium salaries.

As businesses increasingly rely on cloud-based systems and grapple with evolving cyber threats, professionals with expertise in these areas are highly sought after.

Beyond specific skills, certain tech roles are consistently in high demand. According to an analysis of thousands of job postings and Robert Half placements, the following positions are among the top 15 per cent of in-demand technology jobs in Canada:

AI/ML analyst

Business systems analyst

Cybersecurity analyst

Data scientist

DevOps engineer

ERP technical/functional analyst

Help desk tier 3

IT operations manager

Machine learning engineer

Software engineer/developer

This list of in demand roles presents a significant opportunity for individuals to build successful careers in Canada's thriving tech ecosystem.

What hiring trends are impacting Canada’s tech sector?

While the country’s tech industry is undergoing a period of significant growth, marked by a robust hiring landscape and a fervent focus on innovation, this expansion is being tempered by a persistent challenge: the scarcity of skilled talent in Canada’s IT job market.

A recent survey by Robert Half revealed that 88 per cent of Canadian technology leaders are struggling to find qualified candidates to fill open positions. Despite this, the demand for tech professionals remains strong, with 45 per cent of companies actively recruiting for new permanent roles and an additional 51 per cent seeking to fill vacated positions.

As organizations navigate this talent-driven market, their focus is primarily on building teams with expertise in critical areas.

Managers rank their strategic priorities for the remainder of 2025

Technology leaders across Canada have identified the below strategic priorities for the remainder of 2025.

Top priorities for permanent staff:

Security of IT systems and information

AI and machine learning initiatives

Technology modernization

Top priorities for contract staff:

Automation initiatives

AI and machine learning initiatives

Cloud initiatives

Contract talent trends in tech and IT

To address the skills gap and maintain operational flexibility, Canadian companies are increasingly turning to contract professionals. More than half – 54 per cent – of technology managers plan to expand their use of contract talent in the second half of 2025. They say the top benefits include:

Access to specialized skills or expertise 

Cost savings compared to permanent hires

Flexibility in scaling their workforce

Faster staffing for critical roles 

Contract workers offer a valuable solution to technology teams’ challenges by providing specialized expertise on a per-project basis, allowing organizations to quickly scale their workforce up or down as needed. This approach also helps mitigate costs associated with hiring permanent employees in rapidly evolving technological landscapes.

Robert Half has top tech candidates available for contract, permanent and remote positions. Browse candidates or contact us about your needs today.

Tech and IT job market in Canada 2025: FAQs

How does the IT job market in Canada compare to other countries?

The US has a larger IT job market with more tech giants and startups. Generally, IT professionals in the US command higher salaries than their Canadian counterparts, especially in major tech hubs like Silicon Valley. Contrasting against Europe, Canada is often perceived to offer a better work-life balance compared to some European countries, particularly in the Nordic nations. Canada also consistently ranks high in quality-of-life indices, which can be a draw for IT professionals. Comparing to Asia, salaries in Canada are generally higher than in many Asian countries, but the cost of living also varies significantly. While Canada has a strong presence in AI and cyber-security, Asian countries often excel in specific areas like software development and IT outsourcing.

For insights into the latest employment numbers across Canada, including the IT and technology job market, check out our Labour Market Overview page, which is updated monthly.

What are the emerging IT trends in Canada?

AI and machine learning are at the forefront of Canada's tech scene. With strong research institutions and a focus on talent development, the country is a leader in these fields. Demand for cyber-security professionals is increasing as organizations seek to protect sensitive data. And cloud adoption continues to accelerate as businesses in Canada seek flexibility, scalability, and cost savings.

What are the average salaries for IT professionals in Canada?

For the latest salaries of IT roles across Canada, consult the technology section of the 2025 Canada Salary Guide by Robert Half for more information. You can also read this article on the 15 highest paying IT jobs in Canada in 2025.

About the Demand for Skilled Talent report

Access Report

The Demand for Skilled Talent report by Robert Half is an authoritative source providing essential insights into 2025's employment trends. This report has offered a deep dive into Canada’s hiring landscape for over a decade, spotlighting challenges and strategies to attract and retain talent in today’s job market. It explores what employees seek in their careers, identifies common recruitment errors and suggests solutions. The report spans sectors like finance, technology, marketing, legal and human resources, proving crucial for business leaders and managers.

Need updated insights into 2025 Canada job market hiring trends, including which jobs are in highest demand, for our other specializations? Check out the blogs below:

2025 Canada Job Market Hiring Trends: Finance and Accounting

2025 Canada Job Market Hiring Trends: Marketing and Creative

2025 Canada Job Market Hiring Trends: Legal

2025 Canada Job Market Hiring Trends: Admin and Customer Support

2025 Canada Job Market Hiring Trends: HR

Data methodology

The surveys cited were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Results may not total 100% due to rounding or allowing for multiple responses. Respondents included executives, hiring managers from small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000-plus employees) businesses in private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across Canada.

Over 420,000 new positions from more than 5,400 unique independent job boards and company websites provided by TextKernel are represented in our analysis of in-demand roles, including 6,300-plus placements from Robert Half. This dataset includes roles across the finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources professions.