Cybersecurity Salary in Canada

Is Cybersecurity a Good Career Option in Canada?

If you are considering a move to Canada, then cybersecurity is definitely a good career field. Cybersecurity experts guard processes and systems against ransomware and cyber-attacks. Due to the lack of cyber security talent in Canada and globally, cyber security professionals are required across all the government sectors in Canada. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has experienced a rise in ransomware attacks and cyber threats. There is a crucial need for cyber talent in all business sectors of Canada. Effective cyber security teams constitute a diverse workforce that represents all of Canadian society. If you are considering a career in cybersecurity, but do not have a technical background or education, then there are various roles in organizations, including research, policy, law enforcement, data analysis, and more, that require critical thinking and applying the concepts of cybersecurity. However, if you want to work in a more technical role, then having a strong interest in the field of technology will be a benefit. 

Following are a few benefits of a career in the field of cybersecurity in Canada:

• Your skills will be in huge demand across all sectors in Canada.
• You get to tackle complex challenges and solve puzzles.
• Your skills enable you to move anywhere in the world and to any industry.
• The cybersecurity salary in Canada is very good.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Cybersecurity Engineer

First, let us understand who a cybersecurity engineer is? A cybersecurity engineer helps to design and implement methodologies to protect an organization’s cyberspace. It is an interesting job with lots of responsibilities and rewards. As a cybersecurity engineer, you will be responsible for the following things:

• Planning, managing, implementing, supervising, and enhancing security measures for the protection of the organization’s systems, data, and networks.
• Troubleshooting network and security problems.
• Responding to all network and/or system security breaches
• Confirming that the organization’s infrastructure and data are protected by enabling suitable security controls.
• Contributing to the change management process.
• Identifying and testing system and network vulnerabilities.
• Daily administrative tasks, reporting, and communication with the relevant departments in the organization
• Assessing an organization’s security requirements and establishing best standards and practices accordingly
• Responding to all security breaches to the associated systems and network.
• Taking suitable security measures to confirm that the organization’s existing data and infrastructure are kept safe.
• Taking an active role in the change management process.

Once you have a good understanding of the skills you require to be a cybersecurity professional and the roles and responsibilities, then you can have a successful career as a cybersecurity engineer. 

Cyber Security Salaries in Canada for Freshers and Experienced Professionals

Following are the various types of Cyber Security jobs in Canada:

1. Chief Information Security Officer/CISO: A Chief Information Security Officer or CISO handles the entire safety of data in any business or organization. These officers are accountable for the maintenance and development of information security and risk management programs
2. Security Architect: A Security Architect is a cybersecurity professional who is accountable for the design of robust security structures that are used to prevent malware attacks. They also perform vulnerability tests and provide technical help to team members in the security department.
3. Cybersecurity Engineer: Cybersecurity Engineers plan and organize the security measures that are implemented to protect an organization against cyberattacks. These engineers are accountable for the primary safety of networks and data within an organization. They also design and develop cybersecurity platforms and interact with other teams to maintain security.
4. Malware Analyst: A Malware Analyst is a professional who identifies and examines cyber threats, such as viruses, bots, and trojans, to understand their nature. 
5. Penetration Tester: A Penetration Tester is also known as an ethical hacker. They are network security consultants who try to exploit the susceptibilities of a system just like a hacker. Then, they design new penetration tools and document the test results. 
6. Computer Forensics Analyst: Computer Forensics Analysts work on cyberattack cases and collate and retrieve digital evidence and data. They are accountable for working on recovering lost, stolen, deleted, or manipulated data. Their work is highly educational as they bring out greater insights into cyberattacks.

Now, you must be wondering about the cybersecurity salary in Canada. Well, the following is the salary structure for the various roles of cybersecurity professionals:

• The average salary of a Chief Information Security Officer is about $158,547 a year in Canada.
• The average salary of a Security Architect is about $86,559 a year in Canada.
• A Cybersecurity Engineer in Canada earns close to $88,881 a year.
• A Malware Analyst in Canada earns around $71,263 a year in Canada.
• A Penetration Tester in Canada earns close to $76,195 a year.
• The salary of a Digital Forensics Analyst ranges approximately $78, 611 a year in Canada.

FAQs

Before taking up a career in the cybersecurity field in Canada, we recommend that you go through the following FAQs:

1. How much does a Cybersecurity professional make in Canada?

The average cybersecurity salary in Canada is approximately $86,688. There are multiple entry-level positions that may pay close to $70,800 a year, while more senior-level, experienced professionals could approximately be paid close to $126,600 a year.

2. What type of cybersecurity job pays the most?

While the average salary in a cybersecurity role is $165,985, a chief security professional can make close to $229,000 a year in Canada.

3. Is cybersecurity a good career in Canada?

Yes, a cyber security career is an excellent career to pursue in Canada as there are various opportunities present at both entry-level and senior positions.

4. Does cybersecurity need coding knowledge?

Beginning a career in cybersecurity does not really require coding knowledge. There are various cross-functional positions available, including technical sales, law and ethics, and education that are possible without coding skills.

Conclusion

This blog provided you with all the information on the different kinds of cybersecurity jobs and the cybersecurity salaries in Canada. Cybersecurity is a field that offers amazing job opportunities for aspirants with the skills required to perform those duties. Just as in any other field, there are quite a few cybersecurity experts who have not kept their skills up to date and may find a problem landing a job. We recommend that you check out the Advanced Executive Program in Cybersecurity from Simplilearn. This course will help you become an industry-ready professional and transform your career in just 6 months.