Remote-first developer community Commit has released their 2021 State of Software Developer Careers in Canada Report.
Conducted by Commit and Angus Reid Group, the report illustrates the key factors that influence software developers’ career decisions and the workplace benefits companies should prioritize when looking to hire and retain developers.
The survey of 500+ Canadian software developers reveals some interesting salary data that may have top engineering talent thinking twice about where they write code.
According to the survey, the median annual income of Canadian software developers in 2020/2021 is only CAD $90,000 with over half (63 per cent) of software developers saying they are not completely satisfied with their current base salary.
“This is a wakeup call. Canada is world-renowned for our ability to produce top software development talent. Remote work is vital to helping curb brain drain, but without a significant level-up on total compensation this will only be temporary,” said Greg Gunn, Co-Founder and CEO of Commit.
“Global competition for software developers is heating up and this data shows that Canadian talent is aware their skills are valued higher elsewhere.”
Half (50 per cent) of software developers expect to be paid more if they were to change jobs, with 58 per cent saying that salary bands for software developers are higher in the U.S. than in Canada.
Despite software developers’ awareness of higher salary compensation in the U.S., salary is not the main driver for why developers have stayed in their current jobs. 80% of software developers stayed at the same job during the pandemic and attribute this to liking the type of work they do and enjoying the colleagues with whom they work with.
The survey also reveals that salary-savvy engineers also look at the ability to work remotely, the types of problems they’re solving, and team leadership and culture when making career decisions.
95 per cent of software developers identified flexible hours as an essential or important benefit.
The prominent narrative around COVID-19 has created a need for companies to offer more holistic workplace benefits. This is evidenced within software developers, with 72 per cent of software developers surveyed reporting that they have flexible work hours.
Remote work stands out on top with 92 per cent of software developers stating that remote work is an essential or important benefit.
In fact, 83 per cent of software developers are likely to seek out new job opportunities if remote work is not offered.
“Companies should tailor their benefits to what would best raise the quality of life for their employees, which can look different from industry to industry. As an employer, your responsibility is to be in tune with your team in order to understand what they need to thrive, professionally and outside of the workplace. Today, a basic benefits package includes remote-work and flexible hours, at the very least,” said Tiffany Jung, COO of Commit.
Founded in 2019 by software developers, Commit is a professional network for the world’s most talented and collaborative Startup Engineers. Commit is a remote community that supports the career and community needs of engineers who are passionate about building early-stage software. The platform provides real-time peer to peer support, career development resources including mentorship and coaching, and full-stack career transition services.
Survey methodology: These are the findings of a study/survey conducted by Commit and Angus Reid Group from Sept 2 to 15, 2021 with a representative sample of 508 online Canadian software developers who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French.
Check out additional survey findings here.