Optical engineers work in computer and telecommunications hardware and related equipment, as well as information and communication system networks such as mainframe systems, local and wide area networks, fiber-optic networks, wireless communication networks, intranets, the Internet, and other data communications systems. These are all planned, designed, developed, and modified by optical communication engineers.
They can find employment in companies that manufacture computer and telecommunication hardware, telecommunications firms, information technology consulting firms etc.
How to immigrate to Canada as an optical communications engineer?
This profession is an eligible occupation under Canada’s FSWP. Applicants can get a PR visa through Express Entry. Check if you are eligible to apply for Canda PR by using Y-Axis Canada Points Calculator for free.
Applicants will have to get their skills and their experience and qualifications assessed by a local Canadian body which will serve two purposes. First and foremost, a positive skills evaluation will assist you in claiming the required points on both the Express Entry CRS and the Federal Skilled Trades application. Second, your positive skills evaluation will also serve as your Canada Equivalent Qualification, which will be used for your professional registrations, thus having your Engineering abilities assessed means you'll be qualified to work in Canada as soon as you land there.
Candidates can always immigrate to Canada even if they don't have a job offer if they have a good CRS score and a Canada Federal Skilled Worker Visa. Receiving a job offer, on the other hand, would increase a person's score by 600 points, allowing them to enter the country more easily.
How much do optical engineers earn in Canada?
The median wage for this profession is nearly 44 dollars per hour and the maximum wages for this profession is in the Canadian province of Ontario where it is 47.6 dollars per hour.
Community/Area | Wages ($/hour) | ||
Low | Median | High | |
Canada | 25.00 | 44.10 | 63.94 |
Alberta | 28.85 | 46.85 | 80.77 |
British Columbia | 26.32 | 40.49 | 59.26 |
Manitoba | 20.95 | 42.56 | 46.15 |
New Brunswick | 19.00 | 31.25 | 53.30 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 19.00 | 31.25 | 53.30 |
Northwest Territories | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Nova Scotia | 19.00 | 31.25 | 53.30 |
Nunavut | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Ontario | 25.00 | 47.69 | 66.83 |
Prince Edward Island | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Quebec | 31.25 | 42.74 | 57.69 |
Saskatchewan | 38.00 | 38.40 | 40.00 |
Yukon Territory | N/A | N/A |
Skills required
- Ability to work with Technological Equipment and Machinery
- Technical Systems debug and reprogram
- Installation and Set-up of technical infrastructure
- Analytical skills include
- Analyze information
- Planning
- Inspection and testing
- Research and investigation
- Engineering and Technology skills include:
- Design
- Engineering and applied technologies
- Management skills include:
- Co-ordinating and Organizing
- Supervising
- Knowledge of telecommunications
3-year job prospect-The job prospect in the next three years for this profession is good in most provinces of Canada.
Location | Job prospects |
Alberta | Fair |
British Columbia | Good |
Manitoba | Good |
New Brunswick | Good |
Newfoundland and Labrador | Undetermined |
Northwest Territories | Undetermined |
Nova Scotia | Good |
Nunavut | Undetermined |
Ontario | Good |
Prince Edward Island | Undetermined |
Quebec | Good |
Saskatchewan | Good |
10-year predictions
There will be more job openings than job seekers for this position in the next ten years. Vacancies may not get filled due to skill shortage.
Applications that make use of optics technology are continuously increasing, and they should open doors in a variety of industries. Fiber optics are becoming more widely used in telecommunications, opening up new prospects for engineers in the cable, television, computer, and telephone industries. In many other domains, including as medicine and defense, new applications are being explored.
Optical engineers will benefit from the growing usage of automated equipment in manufacturing, particularly in applications incorporating robotics technology.
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in computer engineering or electrical or electronic engineering or in a related area of engineering is required.
- A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline.
- Licensing of skilled engineers by a provincial or territorial association is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practice as a Professional Engineer.
They are eligible for registration after graduating from an approved training program and completing three or four years of supervised engineering work experience, as well as passing a professional practice exam.
Professional license requirements
Before you can start working, you may need to get a professional license from a regulatory authority.
Location | Job title | Regulation | Regulatory body |
Alberta | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta |
British Columbia | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia |
Manitoba | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Engineers Geoscientists of Manitoba |
New Brunswick | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers And Designers) | Regulated | Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick |
Newfoundland and Labrador | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador |
Northwest Territories | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists |
Nova Scotia | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia |
Nunavut | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists |
Ontario | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Professional Engineers Ontario |
Prince Edward Island | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Association of Professional Engineers of Prince Edward Island |
Québec | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec |
Saskatchewan | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers and Designers) | Regulated | Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan |
Yukon | Computer Engineers (except Software Engineers And Designers) | Regulated | Engineers of Yukon |
Responsibilities
- Responsible for research, planning and production of computer and telecommunications hardware such as microprocessors, integrated circuit boards and semiconductor lasers.
- Supervising, inspecting, and providing design advice during the development, installation, and implementation of computer and telecommunications hardware.
- Creating and maintaining relationships with providers and customers
- Lead and coordinate teams of engineers, technologists, technicians, and others in computer and computer design and development, as well as telecommunications hardware.
- Analogue and digital signal processing, fiber optics, integrated circuits, lasers, microprocessors, microwaves, and radio astronomy are just a few of the domains in which they can specialize.
- Study, design, and develop the network architecture of information and communication systems
- Analysis, evaluation, and integration of network system and data exchange hardware and software
- Assessing, recording, and maximizing the potential and efficacy of information and communication networks and systems
- Organize teams of design professionals and take the lead in the creation and integration of information and communication system architecture, hardware, and software.