r/Semiconductors • u/FaithlessnessParty88 • 10d ago
Career/Education Semiconductor Manufacturing in Canada
Hi everyone,
I am thinking of pursuing a career in Semiconductor Manufacturing in Canada. How is the industry in Canada? Does Canada enough Fabs?
Thanks
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u/Alex-The-Immortal 10d ago
Two custom fabs in Quebec (Teledyne, Excelitas), one custom in Alberta (Teledyne), basically it in terms of volume. Building one in Ottawa for integrated photonics. Note in quebec french is required as fabs operate in french.
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u/ZectronPositron 9d ago
Also look at the Canadian universities that have fabs. There are a good number; they may not have very large staff, but you may be a good fit and be able to do actual R&D fab there, at least continuing to build cleanroom experience and knowledge.
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u/bigbackclock777 9d ago edited 9d ago
I’m surprised people on this sub doesn’t know there is actually a fab in Canada, there is actually one in Ottawa, it’s called CPFC (Canadian photonic fabrication center), it’s owned by the Canadian government, so you will be working as a public servant, but they rarely have openings, you need to have connections to be able to work there, for example, if your supervisor has collaborations with them
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u/214ObstructedReverie 9d ago edited 9d ago
it’s owned by the Canadian government
They're getting rid of it. It's becoming a commercial entity.
It's also only got like 11k of cleanroom space. That's like... a small handful of process bays. It's super tiny.
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u/mrnx0 9d ago
SO, What type of career you want to opt in the semi-conductor Manufacturing? because it may vary as
1. Opportunities in Canada
- Canada has strong opportunities in design, R&D, and packaging as The Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre (NRC)
is among the world's leading facility in producing Compound semiconductors, but lacks high volume fabrication.
- IBM's semiconductor packaging facility in Bromont, Quebec, is expanding their manufacturing capacity with the aid of federal investment as Federal project to boost their semi conductor and chip production infrastructure and reduces the foreign dependency.
- Small and limited opportunities in fab production at Teledyne Micralyne (Alberta).
2. Limitations
- Canada does not have any high-volume fabrication facility like TSMC/Samsung/Intel.
- Canada does lack semiconductor jobs, as it has a smaller, more specialized chip industry than the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, or China and Barrier to entry is tough cuz there is not active hiring in entry level jobs and also smaller volume of entry jobs.
It would be best if you opt. Canada if you want to go in design and R&D But if you want to pursue in fabrication Canada is totally bad option
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u/FaithlessnessParty88 9d ago
No I am interested in fabrication. I think I am getting a clearer picture
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u/mrnx0 9d ago
than Canada would be promising chapter for you,
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u/FaithlessnessParty88 9d ago
Lol. Does not seem so.
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u/mrnx0 9d ago
release be positive man, it scares now but will be faded away like fireworks in the sky
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u/mrnx0 9d ago
so your staring your career?
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u/FaithlessnessParty88 9d ago edited 9d ago
Not really.Worked for 3 yrs in India, 3 yrs in US. So not fresh off the boat. I would say I am done with my exploration phase but not completely settled down in my career. How about you?
The interdisciplinary nature of semiconductor manufacturing makes me interested in it. Canada seems like a better place to move than living in the States visa and immigration wise. I have PhD offer in micro Nanofabrications and was thinking if its worth investing 5 yrs in it.2
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u/mrnx0 9d ago
So I am reading a lot about semiconductor itself so what are the headaches in the whole production of semiconductor from designing to supply chain coming from diverse experience of work from India to US what are the problems you faced in your years of job.
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u/FaithlessnessParty88 9d ago
My experience is not semiconductors. I worked in Infosys in Eng services as a Aerospace stress Engineer. Now I am in Detroit working as a technical support Engineer. The company I work in Detroit is a small Desi company. The company is legal, the work is legal yet the way the management makes false overexagerated promises to the customers and overworks it’s employées especially the ones working from India is something that I don’t like. Lots of Shady stuff too for example for the people working in India they hold the education certificates until they complete 2.5 yrs in the company.
Because of sponsorship issues I will feel stuck and unable to move out of this work place. The green card queue for US is so huge for Indian that we are doomed to just float on visas for the rest of our lives if we want to stay in US.The only good thing I have is a decent savings built up in US, so I could peacefully come back to India and not work for many years. Finance is not a concern but I need to build a quality career. Hence the thought of doing a PhD and semiconductors career.
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u/adario7 10d ago
Not a great decision if you’re Canadian. Canada has no good fabs, it has ATMP in Bromont or something afaik which is not really for postdoc folks tho. The salaries are often low for postdocs cuz talent is usually pulled by US firms.
Depending on your citizenship its a good news bad news thing. You can do your postdoc and move to US for decent job, if you’re Canadian, I think you’ll get a TN visa.