Top 10 countries attracting international tech talent
3. Canada
Ex-pat tech talent is increasingly drawn to Canada, specifically to the cities of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. However, Ottawa is also becoming a rising presence in the tech world. According to CBRE’s annual ranking of Canadian and US tech hubs, Ottawa reported an increase in tech employees from 81,200 in 2022 to 94,100 in 2023. This accounts for over 15% of total tech employment in the city, surpassing San Francisco’s 11.6%. Dubbed Kanata North Technology Park, it is home to more than 540 companies and 23,000 employees, making it Canada’s largest tech park. The technology park alone contributed $13 billion to Canada’s GPD in 2018 thanks to prominent companies like QNX Blackberry, Amazon Web Services, Nokia, Cisco, and Mitel. Furthermore, several renowned tech companies were established in Ottawa including Nortel, Corel,Cognos,Halogen Software,and JDS Uniphase.Additionally,a number of other notable names such as Adobe Systems ,3M,Nokia ,IBM,and Hewlett-Packard have set up offices nearby.
US$60,023 is the average annual salary (Ottawa)
Living costs (Ottawa): US$2,134 per month
4. United Kingdom
Ranked fourth on Relocate.me’s list is the United Kingdom, home to various tech hubs including Manchester, Edinburgh, and Bristol. A standout in this cluster of high-tech companies is the concentrated area of London known as East London Tech City, also referred to as the Silicon Roundabout. This tech boom began in 2008 during the recession when rents dropped even lower in this already affordable region, leading to its growth into a thriving tech hub with an influx of companies. Among them are Google, Cisco, Facebook, Intel, McKinsey & Co., and Microsoft which have all established offices in the vicinity. Complemented by nearby universities and according to Z/Yen Group’s Smart Centres Index, the concentration of top tech talent ranks London second making it a desirable location for businesses seeking skilled recruits.
US$62,587 is the average annual salary in London
The estimated cost of living in London is US$5,028 per month
