Canada’s digital economy is growing fast, but the workforce needed to support it isn’t keeping up. Despite growing investment in cybersecurity, cloud engineering, and AI, companies nationwide are still having a hard time finding qualified professionals.
Michael Rustom, an IT consultant based in Toronto, says the issue is now affecting how companies build their technology teams and long-term infrastructure plans.
“Budgets aren’t the main barrier anymore,” Rustom said. “The real challenge is finding people who can work in cybersecurity, cloud systems, and AI environments simultaneously.”
The shortage is most noticeable in cybersecurity and cloud engineering. A March 2026 report from the Canadian Cybersecurity Network says Canada’s cybersecurity workforce is estimated at roughly 65,000 professionals. Thousands of jobs are still unfilled nationwide, with some estimates placing the gap above 25,000 positions and growing when more demand is considered.
Cloud computing demand is rising with this shortage. As more Canadian companies move to hybrid and multi-cloud environments, competition for experienced cloud engineers has intensified. Current salary ranges sit between $94,000 and $133,000, reflecting a sustained pressure on supply.
Rustom says employers are being forced to rethink what a “qualified” candidate looks like.
“Five years ago, teams were created with very defined roles. Now companies want engineers with combined knowledge of infrastructure, security, automation, and compliance. That type of profile is still hard to find in Canada,” he explains.
Cybersecurity spending is increasing in Canada, with yearly growth projected at around 19%. Despite this, hiring results are still inconsistent in many industries.
The gap is not linked to investment levels, but to the availability of experienced talent in specialized technical positions. Companies are reporting longer hiring cycles and more frequent reliance on contract or external support models.
Rustom says this change is becoming a defining part of enterprise IT strategy.
“A lot of companies are realizing they can’t hire their way out of the problem fast enough. That is pushing more work toward managed service providers and consulting partners,” he notes.
As recruitment challenges pile up, Canadian companies are turning to outsourcing and managed service arrangements to fill capability gaps in cybersecurity, cloud migration, and infrastructure management.
Hiring data from 2025 and early 2026 shows sustained demand for cybersecurity and cloud positions, especially in major cities like Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.
At the same time, companies are adjusting internal team structures to focus on oversight and governance while external partners handle specialized execution.
“Outsourcing is becoming a way to access skills that aren’t readily available in the local labour market,” says Rustom.
AI is adding more challenges to the talent shortage. As companies adopt AI tools for security monitoring, data analysis, and infrastructure automation, demand is rising for professionals who know both traditional systems and modern AI frameworks.
“AI is changing expectations across the board. Even entry-level positions now require exposure to cloud platforms, automation tools, and security fundamentals,” says Rustom.
He notes that companies are prioritizing cross-functional skills over narrow specialization, which further limits the available candidate pool.
The talent shortage in cybersecurity and cloud engineering isn’t expected to resolve quickly. Demand is still higher than supply, and the challenge of required skill sets is increasing simultaneously.
Cybersecurity positions are among the most consistently in-demand positions in Canada’s tech labour market, with ongoing shortages reported in both private and public industries.
“Companies are changing how they build tech teams by investing in training, using external partners, and restructuring roles to adapt to existing skills in today’s market,” Rustom concludes.
As Canada’s digital infrastructure grows, the gap between demand and available expertise is changing how companies address security, cloud adoption, and AI use.
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