As December draws to a close, Vancouver’s technology labour market appears stable, with hiring activity holding steady into the year’s final weeks despite broader seasonal slowdowns across the economy.
Official December labour force figures have not yet been released. As a result, this report reflects observed hiring trends, employer activity, and the most recent data available from November, which remains the latest confirmed reference point.
Labour Market Context
Canada ended November with 54,000 jobs added nationwide and an unemployment rate of 6.5 per cent. British Columbia recorded modest employment gains during the same period, supported in part by hiring in technology and health care. December typically brings lower overall hiring volumes due to holidays, year end budgeting, and delayed recruitment cycles, particularly for full time roles.
There is no indication that Vancouver experienced a sharp reversal in employment conditions during December. Instead, hiring activity appears to have slowed in line with seasonal norms rather than economic stress.
Vancouver Technology Sector Conditions
Vancouver’s technology sector entered December from a position of relative strength. Over the past five years, the Lower Mainland has added more than 23,000 technology jobs, bringing the regional tech workforce to approximately 98,700 workers. That longer-term growth continues to underpin confidence in the local market.
During December, most technology companies maintained active but cautious hiring pipelines. Software engineering, cloud infrastructure, data engineering, and artificial intelligence roles continued to appear across job boards, though fewer new postings were launched during the final two weeks of the month.
Recruiters report that many firms paused final hiring decisions until January, a common pattern as companies wait for new budgets to reset and internal planning to conclude.
Hiring Activity in December
Observed hiring trends during December suggest the following conditions across Vancouver’s tech ecosystem:
Engineering and technical roles remained in demand, though recruitment timelines lengthened
Contract and short term technical work remained visible, particularly in software delivery and data projects
Startups showed restrained hiring behaviour, prioritizing essential roles rather than expansion
Salaries for experienced engineers and technical specialists remained stable, with no widespread downward adjustments reported
Entry level and junior roles were more limited, reflecting both seasonal hiring pauses and continued competition for early career positions.
Outlook for January 2026
Vancouver’s tech labour market is expected to become more active in January as companies reopen hiring pipelines and finalize annual workforce plans. Firms that delayed recruitment decisions in December are likely to reenter the market early in the new year, particularly in software development, cloud infrastructure, and applied AI roles.
While the broader Canadian economy remains in a period of adjustment, Vancouver continues to benefit from a diversified technology base spanning enterprise software, gaming, visual effects, fintech, and artificial intelligence.
TechScoop Canada will update this report once official December labour force data is released and will track hiring momentum into the first quarter of 2026.
