Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Work in Ottawa?

  'Work in Ottawa' is a talent program from Ottawa's economic development organization 'Invest Ottawa'. 

  The program is supported and funded by the City of Ottawa. Under this program, we promote Ottawa-based global tech corporations and help global talent all over the world find tech jobs in the Ottawa region. As part of this initiative, we collaborate with global tech firms who can leverage several services within our program, including the ability to post jobs on our job board and reach out to global tech jobseekers in our talent pool.

• What happens after I submit my profile in your talent pool?

  When you apply directly to a role, only the recruiter/hiring manager for that role will be able to see your profile. On the other hand, if you decide to join our talent pool by completing your profile, your profile will be discoverable to all Ottawa-based global tech companies that we partner with.

  It is important to note that while we value privacy, we cannot guarantee that your current employer will not discover your profile in the talent pool if they are leveraging our platform. At any point, you are able to remove your profile from our platform.

• What happens after I apply for a job posting?

  When you apply for a role that is featured in our platform, the hiring manager/recruiter from that company will review your profile and resume. If they shortlist you for an interview, they will contact you directly. 

  For candidates who added their profiles to our talent pool, matching job opportunities will be automatically recommended. Also, hiring managers can discover you within the platform based on the skills/expertise they are looking for. 

• Do you use AI in your application process?

  We leverage Co-pilot integrations to review CVs and resumes, recommend a list of job seekers for specific job opportunities, and to automate some of our communication processes. If you have any questions about our use of AI, feel free to reach out to us at talentteam@investottawa.ca

• Who can see my profile?

  We are partnered with many Ottawa-based tech companies who can search within our talent pool.

  It is important to note that while we value privacy, we cannot guarantee that your current employer will not discover your profile in the talent pool if they are leveraging our platform. We leverage a GDPR-compliant system, which means that you have full control on your data, and you can, at any point, update/remove your profile from our platform.

• I am a job seeker - What’s in it for me?

  If you are seeking an opportunity in one of the global tech companies based in Ottawa, our program can help you in many ways, such as

  Applying for Jobs – You can explore in-demand jobs on our platform and apply to them directly. These are the jobs that are posted by tech companies that partnered with us. After you apply, the hiring manager/recruiter associated with the job will review your profile and contact you if you are selected for the next round.

  Joining Our Talent Pool – Our talent pool is another great resource that you should explore. Visibility is one of the most important aspects of getting hired, and by completing your profile in a few minutes will help you get discovered by hiring managers on our platform. They are always seeking candidates within our platform for existing job postings and even for job postings that are yet to go live!

  Getting Latest Updates – We understand if you are not ready to actively seek roles and move to Ottawa. If that’s the case, sign up for our monthly talent newsletter. It is a great resource where we share monthly tech sector news, most recent job postings, and career/job search-related resources to set you up for success!

• Are there any job opportunities in Ottawa’s tech sector?

  Ottawa is a global tech hub and one of the most prominent among top North American cities. It’s a G7 capital that’s famous for many tech sectors such as telecommunications, semiconductors, cybersecurity, software and applied Ai, and aerospace and defence. Our city boasts the North America’s highest tech talent density at 12.3%, tied with the SF Bay Area. Over the last 5 years, the city saw a sharp increase in job growth of 51.7% (CBRE, 2024).

  You can learn more about our robust technology ecosystem here.

  Altogether, if you are seeking a new challenge in your career, it’s a great time to explore opportunities in Ottawa.

• How good is the quality of life in Ottawa?

  If you want to live in a thriving tech hub without putting a strain on your wallet, Ottawa is the place to be! From top-tier opportunities in some of the renowned global tech corporations to a fulfilling lifestyle surrounded by nature, Ottawa has it all. Ottawa is acclaimed to be the best Canadian city if you seek a work-life balance (KISI, 2022).

  With parks, greeneries, rivers, museums, outdoor activities and world-class festivals year-round, Ottawa is among top destinations for global tech talent from all over the world who wants to raise a family. The city not only boasts the 3rd highest position among North American cities in terms of quality of living (Mercer, 2024) but also ranks 2nd when it comes to a lower cost of living (Mercer, 2024)!

  On top of that, we have a top-quality education system crowned by the University of Ottawa and Carleton University as well as other post-secondary institutions such as Algonquin College, Willis College, and Collège La Cité, who are famous for their tech-oriented programs.

  To learn what it is like to live in Ottawa, please visit our City Life page.

• What is a security clearance, and do I need one?

  A security clearance is a tiered status in Canada for individuals who are working or looking to work in roles at Canadian government roles or organizations handling sensitive information pertaining to our national security. The process of obtaining a clearance needs a background check which looks for critical information such as your criminal record and credit history to ensure that you are suitable to access and protect classified information. For roles requiring clearance, an employer will often help guide you through the process. A security clearance status must be obtained before starting a role.

  Note: Not all positions represented by the Work in Ottawa program require a security clearance. For those roles that don’t ask for a security Clerance status, it is okay if you don’t have one. For more details on security clearances, please visit the Government of Canada website.