IT jobs in BC are not licensed. Most people get in with a two-year public college diploma, or a shorter certificate for help desk work.
IT support and CompTIA A+: help desk jobs (WorkBC NOC 22221, $33.65/h median) usually ask for a certificate or diploma and often CompTIA A+. A+ is two exams taken through Pearson VUE; the voucher price was not on an official CompTIA page we could read, so check CompTIA. The KPU cost below is calculated from per-credit rates.
| Detail | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | None; unregulated occupation | source |
| Certification | No licence required. CompTIA A+ voucher price: check CompTIA | CompTIA |
| Pay | Computer systems developers and programmers (NOC 21230), B.C.: low $28.57/h, median $44.00/h, high $69.23/h; annual earnings $84,998 (2025 Job Bank wage data) | source |
| Funding 1 | WorkBC Centres: free employment services; if more training is needed to get a job, WorkBC may fund tuition, books, living expenses, childcare and related costs (eligibility assessed by the centre) | source |
| Funding 2 | B.C. Access Grant (full-time, public institutions, low/middle income): up to $4,000 per 8-month year for programs under 2 years; up to $1,000 per year for programs 2+ years | source |
| Funding 3 | B.C. Employer Training Grant (employer-applied): 80% of training costs up to $10,000 per participant, $300,000 per employer per fiscal year; employer pays 20%. Participants must be citizens, PRs or protected persons The task named the Canada-BC Job Grant; the current WorkBC page is the B.C. Employer Training Grant. A formal rename was not stated on the page | source |
| Funding 4 | StudentAid BC full-time loans (B.C. and Canada Student Loans): interest-free; at least 60% of a full-time course load (40% with a permanent or prolonged disability) or 20 instructional hours/week; school and program must be StudentAid BC-designated; repayment starts 6 months after studies end | source |
| Licence steps 1 | None; unregulated occupation | source |
| Licence steps 2 | Apply through EducationPlannerBC (one account applies to any of B.C.'s 25 public post-secondary institutions) or the school directly | source |
| Licence steps 3 | September and January: September 2026 intake closed; January 2027 intake being accepted (opens Mar 15; domestic deadline Jan 2, international Nov 1). September: opens Oct 1, domestic deadline Sep 1, international Jul 2 | source |
| Licence steps 4 | StudentAid BC full-time loans (B.C. and Canada Student Loans): interest-free; at least 60% of a full-time course load (40% with a permanent or prolonged disability) or 20 instructional hours/week; school and program must be StudentAid BC-designated; repayment starts 6 months after studies end | source |
| School and city | Program and approval | Length | Intakes | Cost | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Burnaby · Public | Computer Systems Technology Diploma (full-time) Public post-secondary institution source | 2 years full-time (up to 3 with co-op) | Start + application window: September and January: September 2026 intake closed; January 2027 intake being accepted (opens Mar 15; domestic deadline Jan 2, international Nov 1). September: opens Oct 1, domestic deadline Sep 1, international Jul 2 | $16,750 domestic; $52,000 international (BCIT cost estimate, program total; no fee year stated) | Program page |
| British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Vancouver · Public | Computer Information Technology Diploma (full-time) Public post-secondary institution source | 2 years | Start + application window: September and January: September 2026 intake closed; January 2027 intake being accepted (domestic deadline Jan 2, international Nov 1). September: opens Oct 1, domestic deadline Sep 1, international Jul 2 | $16,239.86 domestic; $51,470.24 international (BCIT cost estimate, 2-year program total; no fee year stated) | Program page |
| Douglas College New Westminster · Public | Computing Science and Information Systems Diploma Public post-secondary institution source Full- or part-time | 60 credits, two years (69 credits with co-op) | Start: Fall, Winter and Summer (open enrolment) | Price not published, ask provider | Program page |
| Langara College Vancouver · Public | Computer Studies Diploma Public post-secondary institution source Full- or part-time | 2 years minimum | Start: January, May or September (limited enrolment) | Price not published, ask provider | Program page |
| Okanagan College Kelowna · Public | Computer Information Systems Diploma Public post-secondary institution source | 2 years (co-op option) | Not published | Domestic: first year $5,957, total $12,259 (Kelowna/Penticton/Salmon Arm); $5,855 / $12,055 (Vernon). International total $53,064 / $52,860 | Program page |
| Kwantlen Polytechnic University Surrey · Public | Computer Information Systems Diploma Public post-secondary institution source Fees from KPU calendar fee page (valid Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027): domestic $166.10/credit + $11.62/credit mandatory fees; international $755.77 + $52.90/credit. KPU also lists a Citation in Cloud Architecture and Security ($418.27/credit). City from KPU mailing address; campus not stated | 60 credits (co-op option) | Start: September, January and May (limited intake) | not published no price on program page (BCIT/KPU tuition estimator only) | Program page |
| Vancouver Community College Vancouver · Public | Computer Systems Technology Diploma Public post-secondary institution source | 2 years | Start: September | $10,493 ($5,247 per year) | Program page |
| Thompson Rivers University Kamloops · Public | Computing Science Diploma Public post-secondary institution source | Two years | Start: September, January and May | not published no price on program page (TRU per-semester calculator shows a generic default, not used) | Program page |
| Camosun College Victoria · Public | Information and Computer Systems Technologist Diploma Public post-secondary institution source Up to three paid work terms | 2 years | Start: September | $14,286 domestic; $41,410 international (program, effective Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027) | Program page |
| Okanagan College Kelowna · Public | Infrastructure and Computing Technology Diploma Public post-secondary institution source Page: full program offered in Kelowna; covers secure modern computing systems (closest Okanagan option for cloud/infrastructure) | 2 years | Not published | Domestic: first year $7,153 (Kelowna/Penticton/Salmon Arm) or $7,051 (Vernon); program total $13,845 / $13,641. International: first year $34,943, total $66,355 (estimated costs) | Program page |
| Camosun College Victoria · Public | Information and Computer Systems Technician Certificate Public post-secondary institution source First year of the two-year ICS diploma; optional paid work terms | 1 year (nine months) | Start: September | $7,336 domestic; $20,078 international (program, effective Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027) | Program page |
| CompTIA (self-study + Pearson VUE exam) Online / test centre · Certification body | CompTIA A+ (core 1 and core 2) Industry certification source | Price not published, ask provider | Any time (exam booking) | Price not published, ask provider | Program page |
No. IT jobs are not regulated in BC. Employers may ask for a diploma or industry certifications such as CompTIA A+.
From the published figures, VCC’s Computer Systems Technology Diploma is $10,493 for two years. KPU works out to about $9,966 tuition plus $697.20 mandatory fees, but that is our calculation from KPU’s per-credit rates (60 credits at $166.10 plus $11.62), not a total KPU publishes.
Camosun’s Information and Computer Systems Technician Certificate is nine months, $7,336 domestic for 2026/27, and is the first year of its diploma. WorkBC lists user support technicians (NOC 22221) at a $33.65 hourly median.
We could not find the price on an official CompTIA page, so check CompTIA directly. A+ has two exams, Core 1 and Core 2, booked through Pearson VUE.
WorkBC Centres may fund training if you need it to get a job. The B.C. Access Grant gives up to $1,000 a year for full-time public programs of 2 years or more, and up to $4,000 for shorter ones, if you have low or middle income.
This page relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked November 1, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.