I applied through Indeed and was directly invited to an onsite written test at their downtown Vancouver office. The office is located on the 3rd floor, and it can be a bit difficult to find if it's your first time in the area. The parking entrance is on the opposite side of the plaza, and there is also street parking nearby, though some spots have time restrictions (for example, no parking from 3–6 pm).
When you arrive, you need someone from the team to unlock the door for you. The restroom is located to the right after entering. A staff member checks you in, gives you a visitor pass, and asks you to record your arrival and departure time on a sign-in sheet. You are then seated at a small table in the hallway area, where some drinks (like Coke) are available.
The written test is completed on a Windows laptop they provide. You work facing the wall while staff members walk behind you, and the area is connected to meeting rooms and the open office, so there is consistent background noise and conversation. Around lunchtime, you may even smell food from nearby restaurants. There is also a camera placed near the tables, facing the candidates taking the written tests.
Regarding the test format: the laptop contains multiple tabs, and the staff gives you a sheet with your name and the corresponding test slots. Each tab requires a password, and the passwords differ depending on the position you applied for. You must click into each tab and enter the correct password before starting each section.
It’s also worth noting that the company has relatively low ratings across several platforms (Glassdoor, Indeed, Google Maps), and after visiting, I can understand some of the recurring feedback. The office environment appears to be predominantly Mandarin-speaking, with occasional English and Cantonese conversations. Many staff members seem to be of East Asian background, with some South Asian employees as well (writing this neutrally as an Asian person myself).
Although the location and office layout are objectively quite good, publicly available salary data suggests most software engineering roles fall roughly between $60,000 and $95,000. I also came across a widely shared internal message online that reportedly asked employees to work 10–12 hours on weekdays and also weekends. Relative to that workload, the compensation may feel low for Vancouver.
From reviewing several employee LinkedIn profiles, many appear to have completed their bachelor’s or master’s degrees in Asia before moving to Canada. This suggests the company may offer entry points for newcomers who are looking for their first stable job in Vancouver. D3 Security also has a long-standing presence in its industry, which may explain why people have mixed experiences, some appreciate the stability and location, while others raise concerns about culture or workload.
General suggestions for future candidates:
1. If you are driving and unfamiliar with downtown roads, consider arriving 30 minutes early, traffic patterns and one-way streets can be tricky.
2. Bring earplugs. The written test area is not quiet, and the noise level may affect concentration during the three-hour assessment.
