Hello everyone,
I’m currently based in Montreal and considering a move to Vancouver. I’m trying to get a realistic sense of how difficult the tech job market is right now, especially for someone applying from outside BC.
A bit about my background:
- 10+ years of experience as an engineer
- Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering
- Master’s in Computer Engineering (specialized in Machine Learning and systems)
- Around 8 years as a developer, plus a few years in MLOps
- Additional training in ML/DL
I’m very passionate about ML and have worked on several personal projects in NLP, Computer Vision, RAG / LLM-related work, MCP, Reinforcement Learning.
I’ve also been experimenting with embedded AI using a Jetson Nano.
Given this profile, how tough would the market be in Vancouver right now?
My wife would really like us to move there, but I keep hearing that the tech market is quite tight and selective compared to Toronto, where opportunities might be easier to find.
Also, I’ve noticed rent is a bit more affordable in Richmond, Surrey, and Burnaby. I’m guessing most tech jobs are downtown, but if you want to stay around $2000–2500 for a 2-bedroom, suburbs seem like the only option.
How do you guys usually deal with commuting? SkyTrain? Driving? Is traffic that bad?
Would appreciate any insights or recent experiences!