Guides

Straight answers from a developer in Toronto

Two sets of guides. One for businesses working out whether to hire a developer and what it should cost. One for developers working out how to move to Canada and build a career here. No agency pitch, no affiliate links, and I put my name on every page.

Hiring a developer Moving to Canada in tech

For businesses

Hiring a developer, without the guesswork

What a freelance developer should cost, how to tell a good one from a risky one, and where automation and AI genuinely pay off for a small or mid-sized business.

Choosing and briefing a developer

Hiring How to hire a freelance developer in Toronto without getting burned What a freelance developer in Toronto costs, how to vet one in a single conversation, and the red flags that predict a failed project. 10 min read Hiring How to brief a developer so the quote is accurate and the build is right A one-page project brief template, the questions a developer needs answered before quoting, and the mistakes that turn a simple project into an expensive one. 8 min read

What it costs

Cost How much does a freelance web developer cost in Canada? Real numbers Hourly rates, fixed-price ranges for websites, web apps, automation and integrations in Canada, what drives the price up or down, and how to read a quote. 9 min read

The technology I work in

Stack Hiring a .NET developer: what to look for, what to ask, what it costs Why businesses choose .NET, how to tell a .NET developer from a good one, the interview questions that separate them, and freelance versus full-time cost. 9 min read

Removing manual work

Automation When to hire a business process automation consultant, and what they actually do The signs a process is worth automating, what an automation consultant does in the first two weeks, realistic ROI, and how to avoid automating the wrong thing. 10 min read Automation Hiring a Power Automate consultant: getting real work out of Microsoft 365 What Power Automate and Power Apps can do for a Microsoft 365 business, where they stop being enough, what a consultant costs, and how to scope a first project. 9 min read

Build, buy, or hire

Strategy Custom software vs off-the-shelf: how to decide without regret When a SaaS tool is the right call, when custom software pays for itself, the hidden costs of each, and the hybrid most businesses end up with. 10 min read Strategy Freelance developer vs agency vs in-house hire: an honest comparison The real cost of each option over a year, who each one suits, where they fail, and a simple rule for choosing based on the shape of the work you have. 9 min read

Websites that earn their keep

Websites Hiring a website developer for a small business: the checklist that saves you money What a small business website should do, how to choose between templates and custom, the questions to ask a developer, and what must be in the contract. 9 min read

AI that does real work

AI AI automation for small business: what actually works, and what is still a demo The AI use cases delivering results for small businesses right now, the ones that are not ready, what a pilot costs, and how to keep a human in the loop. 10 min read

For developers

Moving to Canada to work in tech, explained by someone who did it

Immigration, work permits, salaries, resumes, studying, rent, freelancing and the first ninety days. What I learned moving to Toronto and building a career here as a developer.

Getting the right to be here

Immigration How to immigrate to Canada as a software developer Express Entry, CRS points, NOC codes and provincial tech draws, and what actually moves your score. Plain-language advice from a developer who moved here. 12 min read Immigration Tech work permits for Canada: Global Talent Stream, LMIA and the faster routes How the Global Talent Stream gets developers into Canada in weeks, when an LMIA is needed, the LMIA-exempt paths, and how a work permit leads to PR. 9 min read

What it pays and what it costs

Money Software developer salary in Canada: what to actually expect Realistic salary bands for junior, mid and senior developers in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, what gets taxed, and how to negotiate as a newcomer. 10 min read Money The real cost of living in Toronto on a developer's salary Rent by neighbourhood, transit, groceries, phone plans and the hidden newcomer costs, with sample monthly budgets for a junior and a senior developer. 10 min read
Job search How to get a developer job in Canada Where Canadian tech jobs are really found, how referrals work, what interviews look like, and the newcomer mistakes that quietly cost people months. 11 min read Job search The Canadian resume format for developers that gets callbacks What a Canadian tech resume looks like, what to leave off, how to write bullet points that pass screening software, and a section-by-section template. 9 min read

The student route

Study Studying IT in Canada: how the student route to a tech career really works Choosing a program, study permit caps, the post-graduation work permit, and how to turn a Canadian diploma or degree in tech into permanent residence. 11 min read

Living here

Lifestyle Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary or Ottawa: where should a developer live? Job market, salary, rent, weather, language and lifestyle for each major Canadian tech city, and how to choose the one that fits your career and life. 10 min read Lifestyle Your first 90 days in Canada as a developer: what to do, in order SIN, bank account, credit score, phone, health card, transit, winter, and getting your job search moving. The settling-in checklist I wish I had. 12 min read

Working for yourself

Work Freelancing as a developer in Canada: sole proprietor or corporation, HST, and finding clients How independent developers work in Canada: sole proprietor or corporation, the HST threshold, contracting through agencies, and winning your first clients. 11 min read

Who writes this

I am a developer in Toronto. By day I build automation and software for businesses; these pages are the questions I get asked most.

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