Job prospects Software Development Engineer in Manitoba

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "software development engineer" in Manitoba or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Manitoba

The recent trends from the past 3 years were updated on July 25, 2025. The job outlooks over the next 3 years were updated on December 10, 2025.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be Limited for software engineers and designers (NOC 21231) in Manitoba for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

• Demand for this occupation is driven by rapid technological advancement, the expansion of digital services, and the increasing complexity of software and systems.
• Key trends for this occupation are in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies. 
• While there are a growing number of tech startups and companies in the province, venture capital investment in the sector has decreased.
• Jobs are concentrated in the Winnipeg region.

Here are some key facts about software engineers and designers in Manitoba:

• Approximately 1,000 people work in this occupation.
• Software engineers and designers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Computer systems design services (NAICS 5415): 39%
  • Insurance Carriers and related activities (NAICS 524, 526): 16%
  • Computer, electronic and electrical product manufacturing (NAICS 334-335): 11%
  • Information and cultural industries (NAICS 51): 6%
• 85% of software engineers and designers work all year, while 15% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of software engineers and designers are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 79% compared to 53% for all occupations
  • Women: 21% compared to 47% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 7% compared to 31% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 18% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 48% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 25% compared to 8% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Manitoba by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

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