You've got your degree. Now you need a job.
But which companies actually hire new grads? Not just "we accept applications from everyone" but genuine new grad programs with structured onboarding and realistic expectations?
Here's the definitive list.
How to Use This Guide
Companies are organized by: 1. Company type — Big Tech, Canadian Tech, Banks, etc. 2. New grad friendliness — Whether they have dedicated programs 3. Salary range — When available from Levels.fyi or job postings
Pro tip: Bookmark the GitHub repositories at the bottom—they're updated weekly with new openings.
Big Tech (FAANG+ in Canada)
These companies have the most structured new grad programs and highest compensation.
| Company | Locations | New Grad Program | Salary Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo, Montreal, Toronto | ✅ "Early Career, Campus" | $120K-$160K TC | |
| Amazon | Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Ottawa | ✅ SDE I | $110K-$140K TC |
| Meta | Toronto | ✅ E3 Level | $140K-$180K TC |
| Microsoft | Vancouver | ✅ SDE I | $110K-$150K TC |
| Apple | Toronto, Vancouver | ✅ ICT2 | $110K-$140K TC |
| Netflix | Toronto | Limited new grad | $150K-$200K+ (rare for new grads) |
Sources: Levels.fyi, GitHub New Grad 2026
What Big Tech Offers New Grads
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Structured onboarding | 4-12 week bootcamp programs |
| Mentorship | Assigned senior engineer mentor |
| Compensation | Base + Stock + Signing Bonus |
| Growth path | Clear leveling (L3→L4→L5) |
| Brand value | Resume gold for future jobs |
High-Paying Tech Companies (Non-FAANG)
These companies pay competitively with Big Tech:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Role | Salary Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Toronto | ✅ New Grad SWE | $130K-$160K TC |
| Airbnb | Toronto | Limited | $140K-$180K TC |
| Snowflake | Toronto | ✅ | $130K-$170K TC |
| Databricks | Toronto | ✅ | $130K-$160K TC |
| Coinbase | Remote Canada | ✅ | $120K-$150K TC |
| Uber | Toronto | ✅ | $120K-$150K TC |
| DoorDash | Toronto | ✅ SWE I | $110K-$140K TC |
| Lyft | Toronto | ✅ | $110K-$140K TC |
| Robinhood | Toronto | ✅ | $130K-$165K TC |
| The Trade Desk | Toronto | ✅ | $110K-$140K TC |
Source: Levels.fyi Leaderboard
Canadian Tech Companies
Homegrown Canadian tech with strong new grad hiring:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Program | Salary Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Toronto, Ottawa, Remote | ✅ | $100K-$130K TC |
| Wealthsimple | Toronto | ✅ | $90K-$120K TC |
| Hootsuite | Vancouver | ✅ | $80K-$100K TC |
| 1Password | Toronto, Remote | ✅ | $90K-$120K TC |
| Lightspeed | Montreal | ✅ | $80K-$110K TC |
| Clio | Vancouver, Toronto | ✅ | $80K-$100K TC |
| Benevity | Calgary | ✅ | $75K-$95K TC |
| Vidyard | Kitchener | ✅ | $75K-$95K TC |
| OpenText | Waterloo | ✅ | $70K-$90K TC |
| Veeva Systems | Toronto | ✅ Associate SWE | $90K-$110K TC |
| D2L | Kitchener, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg | ✅ Spring 2026 | $70K-$90K TC |
| Tailscale | Remote Canada | ✅ | $90K-$120K TC |
| Konrad | Vancouver, Toronto | ✅ | $70K-$90K TC |
Banks & Financial Services
Banks hire heavily for tech roles with excellent stability:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Program | Salary Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC (Borealis) | Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary | ✅ Technical Co-op → FT | $80K-$110K TC |
| TD Bank | Toronto | ✅ Technology Program | $75K-$95K TC |
| Scotiabank | Toronto | ✅ Velocity Program | $75K-$95K TC |
| BMO | Toronto | ✅ | $70K-$90K TC |
| CIBC | Toronto | ✅ | $70K-$90K TC |
| Capital One | Toronto | ✅ Associate SWE | $90K-$120K TC |
| Morgan Stanley | Calgary | ✅ Spring Co-op → FT | $85K-$110K TC |
| Bloomberg | Toronto | ✅ | $100K-$130K TC |
Why Consider Banks?
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| Job stability | Slower technology adoption |
| Excellent benefits | More bureaucracy |
| Clear career path | Less cutting-edge work |
| Work-life balance | Lower comp than Big Tech |
| Pension plans | Dress code (sometimes) |
Gaming & Entertainment
For those passionate about games and media:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Hiring | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA (Electronic Arts) | Vancouver | ✅ | FIFA, Skate, multiple teams |
| Ubisoft | Montreal, Toronto | ✅ | Assassin's Creed, Far Cry |
| Epic Games | Montreal | ✅ | Unreal Engine, Fortnite |
| Unity | Montreal | ✅ | Game engine |
| Roblox | Toronto | ✅ | Gaming platform |
| Riot Games | Remote/Canada | Limited | League of Legends |
Note: Gaming often pays 10-20% less than enterprise tech but offers passion-driven work.
Hardware & Semiconductors
For those interested in lower-level systems:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Hiring | Salary Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD | Markham | ✅ (Award-winning program) | $80K-$110K TC |
| NVIDIA | Toronto | ✅ | $100K-$130K TC |
| Intel | Toronto | ✅ | $80K-$100K TC |
| Qualcomm | Markham | ✅ | $85K-$110K TC |
| Microchip | Burnaby | ✅ | $70K-$90K TC |
| BlackBerry QNX | Ottawa | ✅ | $75K-$95K TC |
Telecom & Networking
Strong presence in Ottawa and across Canada:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Program | Salary Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ciena | Ottawa | ✅ Multiple new grad roles | $66K-$111K |
| Nokia | Ottawa, Canada-wide | ✅ Future Tech Program | $70K-$95K TC |
| Cisco | Kanata (Ottawa) | ✅ | $80K-$100K TC |
| Ericsson | Montreal, Ottawa | ✅ | $75K-$95K TC |
| Fortinet | Burnaby | ✅ FORTIHIRE Program | $80K-$100K TC |
Consulting & Professional Services
Good for broad exposure and rapid learning:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Program | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deloitte | Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal | ✅ Tech & Transformation | Multiple pathways |
| Accenture | Toronto, Montreal | ✅ | Technology Consulting |
| KPMG | Major cities | ✅ | Digital Solutions |
| EY | Major cities | ✅ | Technology Consulting |
| PwC | Major cities | ✅ | Technology Consulting |
| McKinsey (QuantumBlack) | Toronto | Limited | Data/AI focus |
Defense & Aerospace
Often require Canadian citizenship for security clearance:
| Company | Locations | New Grad Hiring | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Dynamics | Ottawa | ✅ 50+ students/year | Defense tech |
| L3Harris | Multiple | ✅ | Defense systems |
| CAE | Montreal | ✅ | Flight simulation |
| MDA | Brampton, Montreal | ✅ | Space tech |
| Macdonald Dettwiler | Vancouver | ✅ | Satellite systems |
⚠️ Most require Canadian citizenship due to security clearance requirements.
Startups & Scale-ups Actively Hiring
| Company | Locations | Stage | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faire | Toronto | Late-stage | B2B marketplace |
| Ada | Toronto | Growth | AI chatbots |
| Clearco | Toronto | Growth | Fintech |
| Properly | Toronto | Growth | Real estate tech |
| Neo Financial | Calgary | Growth | Fintech |
| Trulioo | Vancouver | Growth | Identity verification |
| Procurify | Vancouver | Growth | Procurement software |
| Jobber | Edmonton | Growth | Field service software |
| Symend | Calgary | Growth | Customer engagement |
| Vena Solutions | Toronto | Growth | FP&A software |
Government & Public Sector
Excellent stability and work-life balance:
| Organization | Locations | New Grad Hiring | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Digital Service | Ottawa, Remote | ✅ | Modern tech in government |
| Statistics Canada | Ottawa | ✅ | Data engineering |
| CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) | Ottawa | ✅ | IT modernization |
| Bank of Canada | Ottawa | ✅ | Central bank tech |
| CSE (Communications Security) | Ottawa | ✅ | Cybersecurity (citizenship required) |
Apply through: Canada Job Bank or GC Jobs
Companies That Sponsor Work Permits
International students—these companies are known to hire PGWP holders and may sponsor:
| Company | Notes |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Large volume, known sponsor |
| Sponsors for right candidates | |
| Microsoft | Active in LMIA sponsorship |
| Shopify | Has sponsored historically |
| RBC | Known for immigrant hiring |
| Big 5 Banks | Generally sponsor for tech roles |
| Deloitte/Accenture | Consulting sponsors |
See: Work Permit Sponsorship Guide for details.
Resources: Live New Grad Job Trackers
These GitHub repositories are updated weekly:
| Resource | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simplify New Grad 2026 | github.com/SimplifyJobs/New-Grad-Positions | Most comprehensive |
| Canadian Tech Internships & New Grad | github.com/jenndryden/Canadian-Tech-Internships-and-New-Grad-2025 | Canada-focused |
| New Grad 2026 Canadian Roles | github.com/JeelTikiwala/New-Grad-2026 | Canada-specific |
| Levels.fyi | levels.fyi/t/software-engineer/locations/canada | Salary data |
Application Timeline
| Company Type | When to Apply | When Hiring Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Big Tech | Aug-Oct (year before) | Sept-Dec |
| Banks | Sept-Nov | Oct-Jan |
| Canadian Tech | Oct-Feb | Rolling |
| Startups | Anytime | Rolling |
| Government | Check GC Jobs | Various cycles |
FAQ
Which companies are best for new grads?
For learning: Big Tech (structured programs, mentorship) For work-life balance: Banks, government For compensation: Big Tech, high-growth startups For job security: Banks, government, large enterprise
Do I need internship experience?
Strongly preferred at competitive companies. DoorDash explicitly requires "at least 2 previous Software Engineering internships or equivalent work experience."
What if I have no internships?
Target: 1. Smaller startups (less competitive) 2. IT consulting firms 3. Government positions 4. Contract-to-hire roles
How many companies should I apply to?
Plan for 100-200+ applications for an average new grad. See Job Application Strategy 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Big Tech pays most — $120K-$180K TC for new grads at FAANG
- Banks offer stability — Lower pay but excellent benefits and job security
- Canadian tech is growing — Shopify, Wealthsimple, 1Password all hire new grads
- Use GitHub trackers — Updated weekly with real openings
- Apply early — Big Tech recruits 6-10 months ahead
- Don't limit yourself — Apply across company types
Your first job doesn't define your career—but it opens doors. Apply widely.
Related Articles: - Co-op & Internship Guide - Tech Resume Guide for Canada - Canada Tech Interview Guide 2026 - Job Application Strategy 2026 - Browse All Open Positions
Sources: - SimplifyJobs New Grad 2026 - Canadian Tech Internships & New Grad - New Grad 2026 Canadian Roles - Levels.fyi Canada Leaderboard - LinkedIn Top Companies 2025 - Canada's Top Employers for Young People 2025 - Glassdoor New Grad Jobs Canada