Canada has emerged as a top destination for IT talent, with Nigeria ranking as the second-largest contributor to this influx, according to research conducted by TECNA and CTN.
Between April 2022 and March 2023, Canada experienced a substantial surge in IT professionals arriving from countries like Brazil, India, and Nigeria, totaling over 32,000 workers.
Canada’s attractiveness as a tech talent hub is attributed to its welcoming immigration policies and the growth of remote work. This appeal extends even to rural areas, where the IT workforce has notably expanded. According to findings from The Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) and Canada’s IT Network (CTN), Nigeria is the second-largest source of IT talent professionals relocating to Canada.
As reported by Nairametrics, Canada continues to witness a substantial net inflow of IT talent, especially from Brazil, India, and Nigeria, resulting in a thriving tech sector.
The influx of IT professionals to Canada during the mentioned period exemplifies this trend, with more than 32,000 individuals from the global IT sector seeking employment opportunities in the country. Increased investments by American tech companies in Canada have also played a role in this growth.
Canada’s success in attracting a substantial number of IT professionals can be attributed to its immigration-friendly laws and cost-effective labor market.
The rise of remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has further encouraged tech talents to explore non-traditional tech hubs and adapt to the evolving landscape of tech migration in North America.
The pandemic has also prompted investments in the tech industry due to proximity and appealing wage differentials. In 2022, a significant 400,000 software engineers were employed in Canada, leading to the expansion of the IT sector beyond major cities.
Notably, the employment of IT professionals has surged at an impressive annual growth rate of 16.3% in smaller regions such as Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. Even smaller rural areas like Windsor, Ontario, have seen a substantial 28% increase in their IT workforce over the past year, aligning with the broader trend of migration from urban to rural areas in North America.
The most sought-after technical skills in Canada, as identified by a joint research effort by TECNA and CTN, include Customer Experience, Microsoft Azure, Analytical skills, Amazon Web Services, React.js, Jira, Data Science, GitHub, Customer Satisfaction, and Customer Relationship Management.