Canada job guide
Cybersecurity specialist in Canada: your Express Entry path
Picture yourself protecting Canadian companies and public services from cyber threats, with a new life for your family. Cybersecurity specialists (NOC 21220, TEER 1) are one of the few tech jobs on IRCC's 2026 STEM list, so 12 months of work in the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad, makes you eligible for STEM draws. The job is not regulated in Canada, so there is no licence to get before you work. As the panel above shows, there has been no STEM round since April 2024, so the regular rounds matter just as much.
At a glance
- Occupation
- Cybersecurity specialists · NOC 21220 · TEER 1
- Express Entry group
- STEM
- Latest STEM round
- April 11, 2024, cut-off 491
- Median wage in Canada
- $49.52 an hour Job Bank, wages updated November 19, 2025
Your way into the Express Entry pool
Every invitation needs a profile in the Express Entry pool. Cybersecurity specialists usually qualify through:
- Federal Skilled Worker. Experience must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job; this one is TEER 1.
- Canadian Experience Class. For skilled work experience already gained in Canada.
Where the STEM draws stand
The 2026 STEM list has 11 jobs. Cybersecurity specialists are on it, but software engineers, software developers and data scientists are not, so check that your work matches the cybersecurity NOC description and not a software role. You need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same part-time) in the occupation within the last 3 years; the months do not have to be in a row. IRCC holds a category round only when it needs one, and until a STEM round is held your score in the regular rounds is what counts.
No licence, but check what employers ask for
Job Bank says this occupation is not regulated in Canada. The NOC says a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, or a college IT program, is usually required, and that some employers may ask for software-vendor certification or training.
What cybersecurity specialists earn
The panel above shows Job Bank's median hourly wage for this occupation across Canada, with pay by province and region on Job Bank.
What to do next
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a licence to work in cybersecurity in Canada?
No. Job Bank says the occupation is not regulated in Canada. Some employers may ask for vendor certifications.
- I am a software developer. Am I in the STEM draws?
Software developers and software engineers are not on the 2026 STEM list. Cybersecurity specialists are, so the NOC description of your actual duties decides which code is yours.
- When was the last STEM round?
In April 2024. The panel above shows its date and cut-off and updates when IRCC holds the next one.
Last updated October 21, 2026