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Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

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Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#91

Post by dleslie »

MikeTheRocker wrote: post #86
dleslie wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1.5-2x is a much narrower range, and smaller limits, than the 2-4x you posted earlier.

I'm saving over $100k USD per year after rent, food, phone, entertainment, etc. at age 24. This is impossible in Canada or most other parts of the world. My situation is not unique either, I know dozens of young engineers working at mid to high compensation companies earning around the same. Contrast this with new grads and mid level engineers in Canada earning < $75k USD and it's a no brainer to work here.

That smacks of sample bias and survivorship bias.

Sure, you and your social sphere have done well; but what about the population in aggregate?

Not everyone will or can work at a FAANG, or is competent enough to rise to that compensation level within those companies.

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#92

Post by fsociety »

MikeTheRocker wrote: post #72
dleslie wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They said it was the beginning of their career. Particularly on the island, in Victoria, it's quite possible for an entry level position to earn only around 33,000 to 45,000 CDN.

At the risk of sounding like I'm boasting, I'll share concrete figures. I earn about $285k USD (~$380k CAD) as an L4 SWE at a FANG company. My top earning friends in BC work at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Juul and earn about $60-$120k CAD.

Yep this is pretty similar to my experience

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#93

Post by twiceaday »

core-questions wrote: post #34
MikeTheRocker wrote: post #9

I'm a Canadian software that moved from Victoria, BC to San Francisco, CA to begin my career two years ago. My top earning friends in Canada of the same experience level earn 2 - 4 times less than me and my peers here. I'm saving significantly more here than them too even after a much higher cost of living. The quality of life here is worse though in some ways. Most of all I miss the politeness and generally less hos…

> The quality of life here is worse though in some ways So what you need to think about is this: if you would be putting away, say, $50k less a year in Vancouver, it's essentially like you're paying $50k more to live there. Is it worth it to you? Compared to San Fran, it has a more hospitable and interesting climate, the culture is perhaps less vivacious but definitely safer and more genteel, the outdoors and recreat…

These words would be fine if we were talking about a 20% pay difference. But we are talking about a 100-200% pay difference. And if you save half your pay in Vancouver, moving to SF increases your savings rate by 4-6x. This gets significantly better with lower savings rates. That is absolutely crazy. It would be so deeply irrational to have these options and choose Vancouver early in your career. Even just a single four year contract in the bay will completely change your financial situation. Do one or two contracts _then_ move to Vancouver.

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#94

Post by sailingparrot »

betaby wrote: post #78
sailingparrot wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My top earning friends in Canada of the same experience level earn 2 - 4 times less than me and my peers here 2 is possible, 4 seems like a big stretch. Are you really comparing apples to apples? Or are you working for Google and comparing against someone working for a random consultancy firm in Victoria? In Montréal, top software developers salaries are around 200K CAD, a bit more if you go at Google, and Montreal…

200K CAD is basically unheard in Montreal for the IC. I know only one person with total compensation like that and she is kind of tech manager. 135K Cad is very high in Montreal for IC, median for the senior developer is around 90k, 100K considered very good.

It's high but not unheard of (I am talking about total comp, not base salary). I know plenty of IC making that and more. Of course I am biased, since I work for an employer that does pay that kind of salary, so of course I know a lot of my colleagues. This might only be achievable if you work for one the top AI companies in the city however (Google Brain, Facebook Lab, Microsoft etc.). I don't really know how it's like outside of my bubble.

And I agree that this is not common at all but OP was talking about "top earning" friends.

However, even taking your median figure of 100k, I doubt the median salary in the bay for a senior software engineer is 300K USD (4 times more).

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#95

Post by raydev »

MikeTheRocker wrote: post #9

I'm a Canadian software that moved from Victoria, BC to San Francisco, CA to begin my career two years ago. My top earning friends in Canada of the same experience level earn 2 - 4 times less than me and my peers here. I'm saving significantly more here than them too even after a much higher cost of living. The quality of life here is worse though in some ways. Most of all I miss the politeness and generally less hos…

I moved to Canada from the US and stayed when I got married and had children.

I think about moving us to the Bay Area, but I'm now so terrified of what happens if one of us gets sick and insurance decides not to cover it for whatever reason.

Also, at least outside of Toronto, I feel like I can pick any decent-sized city in Canada and not be in danger of putting my kids in an underfunded school district. Violent crime rates here are lower, property crime rates are lower.

But yeah, I'm giving up probably $200k/year for it. We're doing okay, though.

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#96

Post by raydev »

MikeTheRocker wrote: post #72
dleslie wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They said it was the beginning of their career. Particularly on the island, in Victoria, it's quite possible for an entry level position to earn only around 33,000 to 45,000 CDN.

At the risk of sounding like I'm boasting, I'll share concrete figures. I earn about $285k USD (~$380k CAD) as an L4 SWE at a FANG company. My top earning friends in BC work at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Juul and earn about $60-$120k CAD.

I wonder if this is a BC-specific problem, because Amazon and Shopify appear to be paying seniors in Toronto around $150-200k CAD/year+RSUs. With Google opening an office, and Snap already here, and Yelp already here, and Square already here, and others, I think the market in Toronto has already started changing.

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#97

Post by aprdm »

MikeTheRocker wrote: post #72
dleslie wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They said it was the beginning of their career. Particularly on the island, in Victoria, it's quite possible for an entry level position to earn only around 33,000 to 45,000 CDN.

At the risk of sounding like I'm boasting, I'll share concrete figures. I earn about $285k USD (~$380k CAD) as an L4 SWE at a FANG company. My top earning friends in BC work at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Juul and earn about $60-$120k CAD.

Amazon certainly pays around 200k cad total compensation in Vancouver now a days..

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#98

Post by aprdm »

Depends where you’re moving from. Seems like most of the comments are comparing to the USA tech scene in a FAANG company and only the financial aspect ... nothing will compare to it if it is what you’re looking for.

However not everyone is looking to work in a FAANG or to live in the USA.

Canadá has a thriving tech scene and you will have a better quality of life and pay than about everywhere else in the world that isn’t a FAANG in the USA

Re: Ask HN: Canada for tech jobs?

#100

Post by betaby »

sailingparrot wrote: post #94
betaby wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

200K CAD is basically unheard in Montreal for the IC. I know only one person with total compensation like that and she is kind of tech manager. 135K Cad is very high in Montreal for IC, median for the senior developer is around 90k, 100K considered very good.

It's high but not unheard of (I am talking about total comp, not base salary). I know plenty of IC making that and more. Of course I am biased, since I work for an employer that does pay that kind of salary, so of course I know a lot of my colleagues. This might only be achievable if you work for one the top AI companies in the city however (Google Brain, Facebook Lab, Microsoft etc.). I don't really know how it's li…

Facebook Lab is how many employees in Montreal? 10? Microsoft doesn't pay 200k CAD in Montreal in total comp to IC not even close to that.
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