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Canada is in need of plenty of skilled workers in order to curb its crucial labour market shortages. One of these skilled occupations is as a lawyer which can practice under a number of titles. However, before you can practice law in Canada, you will need to evaluate your current qualifications and apply for conversion through the appropriate authority, which in this case is the National Committee on Accreditation which works in cohesion with the national lawyers association. To do this conversion you will also need to write the Canadian bar exam but successful candidates will only be allowed to practice in provinces and territories, not including Québec.
Discover how to make the conversion and immigrate to Canada as a lawyer through one of several different immigration pathways. Canada is one of the top immigration destinations currently with goals to welcome over a million foreign nationals into the country within the next three years (including more than 400,000 immigrants in 2021 alone). However, if you are currently working in an occupation that is semi-skilled or unskilled, there are plenty of other top jobs in Canada that do not require a degree to practice in the field.
Lawyers in Canada
Perks of Practicing Law
There are many perks to practicing law in Canada, starting with the salary which averages around $137,500 per year. Apart from this, every province and territory in Canada benefit from free basic education and public healthcare, and Canada is also known for its diversity and high quality of living. Lawyers are labeled under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) skill level A (skilled workers) and have many immigration pathways open to them in Canada.
Converting Your Qualifications
You will need to have recognized credentials if you are going to practice law in Canada. This recognition requires you to pass the Canadian bar exam and complete an assessment process that shows local employers that you are eligible for hire. You can apply at any time to be assessed as it is seen as a separate process to Canadian immigration.
Apply for assessment through the following process:
- Start an online application form, paying $400 CAD for processing.
- Submit:
- Academic transcripts;
- Certificates of membership from local authorities;
- Transcripts from local regulatory authorities with results from exams or other courses;
- IELTS score of 7 if the experience was in a language other than French or English.
This entire process should be completed and sent back to you with the results within four to eight weeks.
Best Ways to Immigrate
There are quite a few ways to immigrate to Canada including getting sponsorship from a spouse or family member living as a permanent resident or citizen in the country, studying at a recognized Canadian university, or working on a temporary work permit in a selected occupation, preferably one in-demand. Read on to find the most direct ways to immigrate to Canada as a lawyer through these main programs.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was designed to address specific labour market crises happening on a community level. 11 out of the 13 provinces and territories in Canada participate in this program and each offers its own pathways towards permanent residence.
| PNP Streams | |
|---|---|
| Province | Programs |
| Alberta |
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| British Columbia |
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| Saskatchewan |
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| Manitoba |
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| Ontario |
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| Nova Scotia |
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| Prince Edward Island |
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| New Brunswick |
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| Newfoundland & Labrador |
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| Northwest Territories |
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| Yukon |
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Express Entry System
The Express Entry system was created in 2015 to fast-track the three federal programs which are the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Applicants have their applications processed in as little as six months.
To get started on your application, create an online profile with Express Entry, selecting the program you would like to apply through. Your profile is then measured according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which is a set of criteria detailed below that awards a total score. The highest-scoring profiles are then issued with Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence during draws that typically happen every two weeks.
CRS Criteria Awards Points For:
- Age
- CLB Language proficiency (English and French)
- Level of Education (In and outside Canada)
- Work Experience (In and outside Canada)
- Arranged employment
- Provincial Nomination achieved
- Siblings living in Canada as permanent residents/citizens
- Your spouse’s profile (if married)
Our Service
We have three Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) who are all experts in the field of immigration policy. These professionals help you through an eligibility assessment for the over +60 different Canadian visa programs offered by the government to see which you should choose to apply for. From here they develop a personalized immigration strategy for you to make sure all the admin is taken care of (collecting and submitting documents) and that you are on track for permanent residence.
Sign up for our service in order to get started on your evaluation for one of the many Canadian visa programs. Once you know which pathways you are most eligible for, we can assist you in applying to immigrate to Canada as a lawyer and achieve permanent residence.
