Demand for cybersecurity skills in Canada is on the rise, with rates for cybersecurity professionals up 9% year over year, according to S.i. Systems, the fifth-largest staffing firm in Canada.
The update on cybersecurity was included among other information in the company’s 2024 Canadian IT Hiring Trends and Salary Guide for Employers report. It noted the most in-demand cybersecurity skills for 2024 in Canada are:
- Cloud security
- Network security
- Identity and access management
- Application security (AppSec)
- Threat detection and response
Annual salaries for intermediate-level employees ranged from C$115,812 for penetration testers to C$179,890 for cloud security architects, according to the report.
S.i. Systems said more than half of its placement were in cybersecurity, data analytics and software development.
“Cybersecurity in 2024 will continue to be a critical domain for organizations worldwide,” Felix Drouin, account executive and cybersecurity specialist at S.i. Systems, said in the report.
“As digital transformations deepen and generative AI becomes more established, firms are developing robust and agile defense strategies that can adapt to the rapidly changing threat environment,” Drouin said. “The increasing sophistication of threats will continue to drive an emphasis on upskilling existing cyberpersonnel and maintain the steady demand for skilled professionals who can navigate the complexities of modern digital ecosystems.”
Strategic talent management will be key to ensure retention of critical cybersecurity talent, he added.
While the report includes insights on other tech specialties — such software development, business analysis and quality assurance — overall key insights were:
- There is a trend toward increased upskilling and reskilling. This is both within the same industry and within industries where workers may have complementary skill sets.
- The market is in the midst of a transition from tech advancement to tech refinement. Niche skills are needed to support the adoption of leading technologies.
- While the threat of a recession has passed, the economic turbulence of past years has left residual effects. Inflation remains above the Central Bank of Canada’s 2% target range.
