How to become a lawyer in Canada - the foreign lawyer route

 If you are a practicing lawyer contemplating a move to Canada and aspire to become a lawyer in the country, here's what you need to know:

To start the process, you must apply to the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) for an assessment. This assessment will outline the specific requirements you must fulfill to become accredited. The application fee for the assessment is $410 CDN, plus applicable taxes. Along with the application, you will need to submit official transcripts directly from your educational institution, a certificate of good standing from your legal regulatory body (if applicable), and official copies of transcripts from your legal regulatory body for any required examinations (if applicable).

If your legal training was conducted in a language other than French or English, you will have to demonstrate proficiency in English by obtaining a minimum score of 7.0 in writing, speaking, reading, and listening on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Once the NCA receives your complete application, it will take approximately 4-6 weeks for them to process your file. The factors they use to assess your application can be found on their website.

After receiving your assessment report, you will need to fulfill the requirements outlined in one of three ways:

• By writing the NCA administered exams (which include a minimum of 5 mandatory subjects).
• By taking prescribed courses at a Canadian law school.
• By completing a Canadian common law degree.
  

The last two options necessitate applying to Canadian law schools, which is a competitive process.

Once you have received your assessment report, you will have 5 years to complete the NCA requirements. After successfully completing the process, the NCA will issue you and the Canadian law society of your choice a certificate of qualification. This certificate allows you to commence the licensing process for the province* of your choosing.

*(The information provided above applies to all Canadian provinces other than Quebec. For details on the licensing process in Quebec, please consult Barreau du Quebec.)