New Grad Guide · 2026
New Grad SWE Jobs Canada 2026: Where to Apply
Graduating in 2025 or 2026? The new grad job market in Canada is competitive but very much alive — especially for CS and software engineering graduates. This is the complete rundown of where to apply and when.
When Do New Grad Roles Open in Canada?
Unlike internships which follow co-op terms, new grad roles open year-round but cluster around two windows:
- August–October — Big tech (Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Shopify) opens new grad roles for January–May starts
- January–March — Second wave for May–September starts
Key insight: Apply the moment roles open. New grad pipelines fill fast — applying 2 weeks late can cost you a spot even with a strong resume.
Best Companies for New Grad SWEs in Canada
- Shopify — New grad SWE roles open quarterly, strong engineering culture, excellent pay
- Google Canada — New grad SWE positions in Toronto, Montreal, Waterloo
- Amazon Canada — SDE I new grad roles in Vancouver and Toronto
- Microsoft Canada — Vancouver-based new grad software engineering
- Cohere — ML engineer new grad roles for AI-focused graduates
- Wattpad, Faire, Clearco — Unicorn startups with new grad pipelines
- Canadian banks (Scotiabank, TD, BMO) — Large hiring volumes, great for fintech
View all new grad CS jobs in Canada →
New Grad vs Senior SWE Interviews in Canada
New grad interviews typically include:
- Online assessment / HackerRank (1–2 LeetCode mediums)
- Technical phone screen (data structures, problem solving)
- Final round (2–4 coding rounds + sometimes system design)
Unlike senior roles, you won't be expected to design large distributed systems — focus on writing clean, correct code and communicating your thought process clearly.
New Grad Salaries in Canada (2026)
- FAANG (Google, Amazon, Microsoft): $120,000–$180,000 CAD total comp
- Shopify: $100,000–$140,000 CAD base
- Mid-size tech companies: $80,000–$110,000 CAD base
- Canadian banks / enterprise: $70,000–$95,000 CAD base
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