Software Engineer Salary in Vancouver 2026: $90K-$210K CAD Complete Guide
Canada's Silicon North: What Software Engineers Actually Earn in Vancouver
# Software Engineer Salary in Vancouver 2026: $90K-$210K CAD Complete Guide
Vancouver has quietly become one of North America's most important tech hubs - home to major studios, FAANG engineering offices, and a generation of Canadian-grown companies. In 2026, the city draws software engineers for its combination of competitive salaries, strong quality of life, and a gateway between the US and Canadian tech markets. This guide breaks down exactly what software engineers earn in Vancouver, by level, by employer, and after BC taxes.
For live salary data and percentile breakdowns, see the Vancouver software engineer salary page.
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Vancouver's Tech Market in 2026
Vancouver's tech sector spans games, cloud infrastructure, fintech, and enterprise SaaS - and it's growing. Key employers include:
Vancouver's game development and cloud infrastructure concentrations are particularly notable. Engineers with Unity, Unreal, C++, or large-scale distributed systems experience find exceptional demand.
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Software Engineer Salaries in Vancouver by Level (2026)
All figures are base salary in CAD. Total compensation including bonuses and equity will be higher, especially at FAANG offices.
| Level | Experience | Base Salary (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Software Engineer | 0-2 years | $75,000 - $100,000 |
| Mid-Level Software Engineer | 2-5 years | $105,000 - $140,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer | 5-9 years | $145,000 - $185,000 |
| Staff / Principal Engineer | 9+ years | $185,000 - $210,000+ |
For broader Canadian benchmarks, compare with software engineer salaries across Canada.
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Top Employers and What They Pay
Amazon (YVR5, YVR6, YVR16)
Amazon's Vancouver campus is the company's largest engineering concentration outside Seattle. Senior SDEs earn $155K-$195K CAD base, with RSU grants that bring total comp to $200K-$300K+ CAD for strong performers. L5 (SDE II) engineers earn $130K-$160K base; L6 (Senior SDE) earns $155K-$195K.Microsoft (Vancouver Game Studios + Azure)
Microsoft pays Canadian market rates slightly below Amazon for base, but offers competitive RSU programs. Senior engineers earn $145K-$185K CAD base. Azure infrastructure and AI roles command the higher end.Shopify
Shopify is remote-first but treats Vancouver salaries at Toronto-equivalent rates. Senior engineers earn $145K-$175K CAD base with meaningful RSU grants. Shopify is known for strong total comp relative to cost of living.Electronic Arts (EA)
EA has multiple Vancouver studios (EA Sports, EA Mobile). Game engineers with Unity or Unreal experience earn $110K-$160K CAD at the senior level. Lead engineers (equivalent to staff) earn $160K-$190K. EA offers annual bonuses tied to studio performance.Riot Games
Riot's Vancouver office focuses on backend infrastructure and global publishing. Senior engineers earn $140K-$180K CAD with bonus. Riot is respected for engineering culture and competitive pay relative to the games industry.Hootsuite / Salesforce
Hootsuite (acquired by Salesforce ecosystem) pays $120K-$155K CAD for senior engineers. Strong benefits package including comprehensive health coverage.---
BC Provincial Tax Context
British Columbia has no provincial sales tax on software services and no equivalent of a US state income tax structure - but BC does have provincial income tax, which layers on top of federal. Here's what that looks like in practice:
| Gross Salary (CAD) | Federal + BC Tax | Effective Rate | Net Take-Home (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | ~$28,500 | ~28.5% | ~$71,500 |
| $140,000 | ~$44,000 | ~31.4% | ~$96,000 |
| $175,000 | ~$59,000 | ~33.7% | ~$116,000 |
| $210,000 | ~$74,500 | ~35.5% | ~$135,500 |
Canada also provides universal healthcare - no employee health insurance premiums for OHIP-equivalent BC coverage, which effectively adds $5K-$15K CAD to compensation value versus US equivalent roles.
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Vancouver vs. Seattle: The Cross-Border Salary Comparison
Just 200 km south, Seattle is the most natural comparison for Vancouver engineers. The question every Vancouver engineer asks: is it worth crossing the border?
Raw Salary Numbers
| Level | Vancouver (CAD) | Seattle (USD) | Seattle in CAD (×1.38) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $75K-$100K | $110K-$145K | $152K-$200K |
| Mid-Level | $105K-$140K | $145K-$190K | $200K-$262K |
| Senior | $145K-$185K | $185K-$280K | $255K-$386K |
| Staff | $185K-$210K+ | $250K-$400K+ | $345K-$552K+ |
The USD premium is substantial - Seattle senior engineers earn roughly 40-80% more in CAD-equivalent terms.
Why Engineers Choose Vancouver Anyway
1. Immigration certainty. Working in Canada on a work permit is generally more stable than H-1B or O-1 status in the US. Express Entry provides a clear path to permanent residency in 1-3 years. 2. Healthcare. BC's Medical Services Plan covers all residents. In Seattle, engineer families often spend $8K-$20K USD annually on health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs even with employer coverage. 3. Tax on RSUs. US taxation of global income is complex for non-citizens. Canadians on work permits in the US pay US federal + Washington has no state income tax (an advantage), but the H-1B exposure to US immigration policy is a real career risk. 4. Cost of living gap is smaller than it looks. Vancouver rent is expensive (1-bedroom: $2,400-$3,500 CAD/month in 2026), but Seattle is also very expensive ($2,200-$3,200 USD/month), and the USD purchasing power in Seattle doesn't fully offset the rent gap. 5. Quality of life. Skiing, ocean, hiking - Vancouver's lifestyle premium is real and hard to price. Net assessment: For engineers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, the lifestyle-adjusted value of Vancouver is competitive up to the senior level. At staff+ levels or with strong US immigration status, Seattle's total comp advantage becomes hard to ignore.---
Key Skills Driving Vancouver Salaries in 2026
Game Development: C++, Unity, Unreal Engine - EA, Riot, and multiple mid-size studios pay significant premiums for production game experience. Senior Unity engineers command $140K-$175K CAD. Cloud Infrastructure (AWS/Azure): Amazon and Microsoft both have large infrastructure engineering teams in Vancouver. Terraform, Kubernetes, distributed systems, and Go/Rust experience are in high demand. Backend / Full-Stack (TypeScript, Go, Python): Shopify, Hootsuite, and the startup ecosystem hire heavily in these stacks. $120K-$160K for mid-to-senior roles. Machine Learning / AI: Vancouver is home to academic ML talent (UBC, SFU) and growing AI teams at Amazon and Microsoft. MLOps, PyTorch, and LLM fine-tuning experience can add $15K-$30K to base. Mobile (iOS/Android): Demand across gaming and SaaS sectors. $120K-$165K for senior mobile engineers.Not sure where your skills position you? Take the CareerCheck career quiz for a personalised salary estimate.
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Work Permits and Immigration for US Engineers
Vancouver actively recruits US engineers, and the path is more navigable than most expect.
TN Visa (for US citizens): Under CUSMA/USMCA, US engineers can work in Canada on a TN work permit. The process is handled at the port of entry (or pre-approved at a consulate). TN is employer-specific but renewable indefinitely. LMIA-exempt work permits: Most tech companies hiring from the US use LMIA-exempt pathways (Intra-Company Transfer, Global Talent Stream) that can be processed in 2-10 weeks. Express Entry: Engineers working in Canada on a work permit can apply for permanent residency through Express Entry within 1-3 years. Canadian work experience in NOC TEER 1 roles (software engineers qualify) provides strong Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. Canadian Citizens in Seattle (reverse flow): BC engineers at Seattle companies often work on TN status crossing south. Seattle's Amazon/Microsoft campuses have significant Canadian-citizen employee populations.---
Negotiation Tips for Vancouver Software Engineers
Know the CAD vs. USD framing. When negotiating with US-headquartered companies (Amazon, Microsoft, Riot), understand that Canadian salaries are set in CAD and are often benchmarked to a Canadian market rate - not a currency-adjusted Seattle rate. Push for the upper end of the Canadian band rather than a USD-parity argument. Total comp, not just base. RSU vesting schedules matter. A $155K base with $60K/year in RSUs is worth more than a $170K base with no equity. Model the 4-year package. Leverage the game studio premium. Vancouver's game studios compete with each other for engine and backend talent. A competing offer from EA or Riot is taken seriously by Microsoft Game Studios and vice versa. Don't undersell cross-studio leverage. Negotiate RRSP matching. Some Vancouver employers match RRSP contributions up to 3-5% of salary - equivalent to a pension contribution. This is often negotiable and tax-advantaged. Remote flexibility has value. Shopify's remote-first culture means Vancouver engineers can sometimes negotiate for roles benchmarked at higher-paying markets. Worth exploring if your employer has multi-city offices.---
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