It can take up to 2 years for foreign lawyers to become qualified to practise in Canada. Here are the steps;
- Apply to the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) through the Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC) website to request an assessment. The assessment will set out the requirements (number of exams and months you must article) that you must meet, to be granted a Certificate of Qualification. You will need a Certificate of Qualification to get called to the Bar in the province of your choice. Apply here: https://flsc.ca/
- Sit the NCA exams, note that these are only held twice a year in January and June.
- Apply directly to law firms for articles. Here is a list of major firms, most of whom have experience hiring foreign lawyers: http://www.lexpert.ca/500/canadas-largest-law-firms/
- The last step is to apply for admission to the Bar in the province in which you intend to practise. Each province has its own Law Society, listed here: https://flsc.ca/about-us/our-members-canadas-law-societies/
- Once you have a year’s experience post articling in Canada, your career options will open up and a recruitment consultant can help you move to a firm which may offer a better fit. Please contact us with your CV for a confidential discussion of your options at that point.
Good Luck!
