NOC 21231: Software engineers and designers
What software engineers and designers do
Software engineers and designers research, design, evaluate, integrate and maintain software applications, technical environments, operating systems, embedded software, information warehouses and telecommunications software. They are employed in information technology consulting firms, information technology research and development firms, and information technology units throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Collect and document users' requirements and develop logical and physical specifications
- Research, evaluate and synthesize technical information to design, develop and test computer-based systems including mobile applications
- Develop data, process and network models to optimize architecture and to evaluate the performance and reliability of designs
- Plan, design and coordinate the development, installation, integration and operation of computer-based systems including mobile applications
- Assess, test, troubleshoot, document, upgrade and develop maintenance procedures for operating systems, communications environments and applications software
- May lead and coordinate teams of information systems professionals in the development of software and integrated information systems, process control software and other embedded software control systems.
Job titles under NOC 21231
42 job titles are classified here, including application architect, computer software engineer, embedded software designer.
- application architect
- automation engineer - software
- backend engineer
- cloud administrator
- cloud architect
- cloud engineer
- cloud infrastructure engineer
- cloud operations engineer
- computer applications engineer
- computer software engineer
- computer systems platform engineer - software
- computer telecommunications software specialist
- development and operations (DevOps) engineer
- embedded software designer
- embedded software engineer
- lead development and operations (DevOps) engineer
- lead software engineer
- mobile development lead
- simulation software design engineer
- site reliability engineer
- software and information technology project manager
- software architect
- software design engineer
- software design project manager
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree, usually in computer science, computer systems engineering, software engineering or mathematics or Completion of a college program in computer science is usually required.
- A master's or doctoral degree in a related discipline may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering, and passing a professional practice examination.
- Experience as a computer programmer is usually required.
Software engineers and designers wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $35.00/hr | $56.49/hr | $91.35/hr |
Toronto ON | $36.06/hr | $56.49/hr | $88.94/hr |
Montréal QC | $31.53/hr | $52.88/hr | $82.42/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $34.62/hr | $62.50/hr | $99.04/hr |
Calgary AB | $43.00/hr | $51.92/hr | $100.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $32.50/hr | $50.24/hr | $72.55/hr |
Ottawa ON | $36.06/hr | $56.73/hr | $88.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $20.00/hr | $46.15/hr | $69.23/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $35.00/hr | $53.60/hr | $86.54/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $32.47/hr | $48.72/hr | $87.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $36.06/hr | $56.77/hr | $84.13/hr |
London ON | $32.69/hr | $49.31/hr | $87.65/hr |
Halifax NS | $32.31/hr | $49.52/hr | $98.56/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $36.06/hr | $55.29/hr | $106.09/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $33.65/hr | $50.48/hr | $74.71/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $32.09/hr | $45.78/hr | $67.84/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $33.48/hr | $48.88/hr | $71.24/hr |
Nova Scotia | $32.32/hr | $52.50/hr | $98.56/hr |
New Brunswick | $26.44/hr | $52.88/hr | $81.73/hr |
Quebec | $35.00/hr | $53.60/hr | $86.54/hr |
Ontario | $36.06/hr | $56.73/hr | $88.00/hr |
Manitoba | $20.00/hr | $46.15/hr | $69.23/hr |
Saskatchewan | $33.65/hr | $50.48/hr | $74.71/hr |
Alberta | $36.06/hr | $51.92/hr | $100.00/hr |
British Columbia | $35.00/hr | $62.50/hr | $99.04/hr |
Using NOC 21231 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 42 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Computer and information systems managers (NOC 20012)
- Computer engineer (except software) (NOC 21311)
- Computer systems developers and programmers (NOC 21230)
- Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 21223)
- Electrical and electronics engineers (NOC 21310)
- Information systems specialists (NOC 21222)
- Information systems testing technicians (NOC 22222)
- Software developers and programmers (NOC 21232)
- Web designers (NOC 21233)
- Web developers and programmers (NOC 21234)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for software engineers and designers?
Software engineers and designers are NOC 2021 unit group 21231. Example job titles in this group include application architect, computer software engineer, embedded software designer, embedded software engineer.
What TEER is NOC 21231?
NOC 21231 is TEER 1 (University degree). Usually requires a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate), or experience from a related TEER 2 occupation. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do software engineers and designers earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $56.49/hr, about $110,000 a year full-time, with a range of $35.00/hr to $91.35/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.