2025 Canada Tech and IT Job Trends

4.0%* February 2025 unemployment rate

Technology leaders face challenges such as technical debt, skills gaps and budget constraints. Recruiting remains a hurdle in part due to low unemployment and high competition for professionals who possess the cutting-edge skills necessary to keep up. Many skills needed today might not have even existed a few years ago.

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

Strategic priorities for 2025

Technology leaders shared what they’re focusing on this year:

AI, machine learning and automation initiatives

Security of IT systems and information

AI governance

ERP/CRM system implementation

Cloud projects and initiatives

Technology modernization

Technical debt Skills gaps
on the team Cross-
functional
collaboration Budget
constraints
for headcount Leadership
alignment Employee
engagement Technical debt Skills gaps
on the team Cross-
functional
collaboration Budget
constraints
for headcount Leadership
alignment Employee
engagement

Key skills for addressing technical debt

Technical debt extends beyond IT, affecting multiple departments — from fragmented HR systems to legacy finance platforms. When hiring talent to address cross-departmental technical debt, prioritize candidates with these capabilities:

Strategic vision to modernize systems and map complex workflows

Strong business analysis skills to translate technical concepts and build consensus across departments

Proven track record developing scalable frameworks for sustainable system transformation

43% of technology leaders reported skills gaps within their department, and 50% said the impact of those gaps has increased in the last year.

AI, machine
learning (ML)
and data
science IT operations
and support Cybersecurity
and privacy ERP/CRM
development
and
management AI, machine
learning (ML)
and data
science IT operations
and support Cybersecurity
and privacy ERP/CRM
development
and
management

Want to know more about the hiring market?

Our Labour Market Overview puts the latest reports from Statistics Canada in context. Get data on employment trends and unemployment numbers, as well as our exclusive analyses of job posting data. 

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Almost all tech leaders need to add new staff or at least maintain current headcounts to deliver on top business priorities. Yet 91% of those hiring said it’s challenging to find skilled talent in the IT job market.

of tech leaders are hiring for new permanent positions. of tech leaders are hiring for new permanent positions.

are hiring only for vacated permanent positions. are hiring only for vacated permanent positions.

Hiring plans for 2025 — contract professionals

58% of tech leaders said they’re increasing their use of contract talent. They also shared the difficulties they’re having finding these professionals.

Hiring candidates who align with corporate culture

Lack of skilled candidates

Meeting salary expectations

Difficulty assessing skills and experience

Technology professionals in highest demand

The following positions are in the top 15% of in-demand technology roles, according to an analysis of thousands of job postings and Robert Half placements.

AI/ML analyst

Business continuity analyst

Business systems analyst

CRM developer

Data analyst

Desktop support analyst

DevOps engineer

ERP business analyst

Software engineer/developer

Systems administrator

Learn more about the top roles in demand

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*Statistics Canada, seasonally adjusted, March 2025.

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 and workers 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 200,000 new positions from more than 5,400 unique job boards and company websites provided by TextKernel are represented in our analysis of in-demand roles, including 6,000-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. 