Remote hiring is a major benefit of computer-based workplaces. You can attract and onboard top talent from across the globe and choose the best candidate based on skills and expertise—not just location.
But with this perk comes a learning curve. Your HR team has to familiarize itself with the employment laws and contexts of different countries. And making sure you pay remote employees fairly should be at the top of your to-do list.
If you’re planning on hiring talent from Canada, start by learning about the country’s labor market. Here’s a guide to the current average salary in Canada and what factors determine pay.
What is the average salary in Canada?
According to Statistics Canada, the average income in Canada is around $1,312.08 CAD per week as of August 2025. That means the average annual salary is about $68,228.16 CAD.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average mean salary in the US across all occupations is $67,920 USD, which is about $95,454.77 CAD. This means American salaries are generally higher. Canada also ranks highly on global income lists and has salaries comparable with Germany and Australia.
How does an average affect salary benchmarking?
Whenever assessing income averages or medians, it’s important to remember two key points. First, the salary responds to local economies and living expenses, so that it’s normal to see smaller salaries in countries where the cost of living is lower. Second, averages and medians represent the “middle” income, and calculations factor in higher and lower salaries. All countries have a range, from incomes far below the average or median to those that soar above them.
As employers, consider local contexts in isolation. What may seem like a low salary number to your home team could be on par for a professional in another country. And the inverse is also true: If hiring from a country with very high incomes, the amounts may seem inflated in your local context but are fair abroad. That’s why it’s always important to be aware of what the market is like wherever you decide to hire.
Average salaries by age in Canada
Canada’s salary averages range by age, increasing as people progress through their careers before tapering off toward retirement. The logic follows that with more experience, people earn higher amounts—a trend that’s often true, regardless of a country’s economy.
Canada has not produced official age by salary data since 2023, but the most recent statistics show the following averages in the provinces and metropolitan census areas.
While this data is illuminating, avoid basing compensation offers on this alone. Using salary by age statistics to determine salaries can promote ageism, and it’s best to benchmark pay around skills and industry standards instead.
Factors that influence salaries in Canada
Several determining factors add complexity to national salary averages. Where someone lives, their skillset, and external economic conditions all define incomes. Here’s how these points play out in Canada:
Education
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canadians with master’s degrees or similar earn more than their counterparts with bachelor’s degrees.
Canada’s income differentials between those with and without higher education aren’t as marked as in other countries. For example, the same OECD data shows that the wage gap between people without a high school degree and those with one is just 15%—a lower percentage than the OECD average. The same is true for the wage gap between people with a high school diploma and college one.
Industry
Regardless of their education level, workers in certain fields (and geographical areas with booming industries like the energy sector) may earn more than others. Recent salary by industry data from Statistics Canada show high wages in oil and gas and utilities, followed by scientific services, public administration, finance, and real estate. Hospitality, retail, and agriculture are closest to the bottom of the list.
Region
People in regions with higher costs of living need to earn more to cover expenses. Data from 2024 shows that Vancouver, in British Columbia (BC) is the most expensive place to live in Canada. This factoid aligns with 2021 Canadian census data that determined BC’s living costs the highest in the nation. Other expensive cities include Toronto, Ontario (ON), Calgary, Alberta (AB), and Edmonton, AB.
Economic conditions
Like any other country, Canada’s economy responds to both internal and external geopolitical factors, and salaries respond to these economic shifts. For example, 2025 US tariffs have drastically reduced Canadian manufacturing outputs.
Average salaries by industry in Canada
If you’re thinking about hiring virtually from Canada, chances are you’re seeking tech help or professionals for other remote-friendly roles. While the following table on salaries by industry provides context, your best source of rate information for remote roles might be job boards, comparable listings, or freelancer forums.
Highest paying jobs in Canada
Canada’s highest paying jobs may come as no surprise because they mostly align with top-earning professions in other countries. The following table shows estimates for Canada’s best-paid roles, according to aggregated data from Indeed.
Average salaries by province and city
To offer candidates a fair and competitive salary, you must understand the standards in their geographical area. For example, metropolitan applicants with high costs of living likely need to earn more than their rural counterparts.
The following data shows the Canadian average salary by city. Keep in mind that these averages include all types of jobs, and the ranges for the roles you’re hiring are likely to vary.
Hire and pay talent in Canada with Oyster
The best way to navigate the Canadian labor context is with experts by your side. Confidently calculate compensation, hire, pay, and extend benefits to Canadian employees and contractors with Oyster’s Employer of Record (EOR) solution.
Oyster helps you stay compliant with labor laws and tax requirements so you don’t have to sweat these stressful details. Plus, take advantage of Oyster’s streamlined tools to pay and manage benefits for employees at home, simplifying your HR and payroll processes across the board.
FAQ
Before sourcing candidates abroad, it’s important to fully understand employment law in the destination country and correctly estimate how much the hire will cost your company. Checking out the answers to common questions about hiring in Canada is a smart way to boost your knowledge.
Is $70,000 CAD a year a good salary in Canada?
The definition of a “good” salary depends heavily on the geographical region because costs of living range greatly in Canada. But the average salary in Canada is close to $70,000 CAD, meaning that this number represents middle incomes. This salary may cover expenses for many, but not for all, depending on their lifestyle, geography, and number of income earners and dependents in their household.
What benefits do Canadians receive in addition to income?
Canadians receive province-mandated benefits like healthcare, pensions, disability insurance, and worker’s compensation. Questions about how to correctly apply benefits? Work with an EOR, like Oyster or a professional employer organization (PEO) to compliantly navigate benefits administration.
About Oyster
Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.
Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.
