Province comparison
Lawyer Licensing by Province
Licence status by province and territory
Boundaries simplified for display. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census boundary files.
- Licence required
- Not confirmed yet
- British Columbia: Licence required
- Alberta: Licence required
- Saskatchewan: Licence required
- Manitoba: Licence required
- Ontario: Licence required
- Quebec: Licence required
- New Brunswick: Licence required
- Nova Scotia: Licence required
- Prince Edward Island: Not confirmed yet
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Not confirmed yet
- Yukon: Not confirmed yet
- Northwest Territories: Not confirmed yet
- Nunavut: Not confirmed yet
| Where | Licence status | Regulator | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Licence required | Law Society of BC | Read the guide for British Columbia |
| Alberta | Licence required | Law Society of Alberta | Read the guide for Alberta |
| Saskatchewan | Licence required | The Law Society of Saskatchewan | Read the guide for Saskatchewan |
| Manitoba | Licence required | Law Society of Manitoba | Read the guide for Manitoba |
| Ontario | Licence required | The Law Society of Ontario | Read the guide for Ontario |
| Quebec | Licence required | Barreau du Québec | Read the guide for Quebec |
| New Brunswick | Licence required | Law Society of New Brunswick | Read the guide for New Brunswick |
| Nova Scotia | Licence required | Nova Scotia Barristers' Society | Read the guide for Nova Scotia |
| Prince Edward Island | Not confirmed yet | — | — |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Not confirmed yet | — | — |
| Yukon | Not confirmed yet | — | — |
| Northwest Territories | Not confirmed yet | — | — |
| Nunavut | Not confirmed yet | — | — |
Compare the provinces
Listed one-time fees
| Where | Fees | Route | No-fee steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Not listed | — | — |
| Alberta | Not listed | Trained in Canada | 3 |
| Saskatchewan | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 2 |
| Manitoba | $168 | Trained outside Canada | 0 |
| Quebec | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 2 |
| New Brunswick | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 3 |
| Nova Scotia | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 6 |
Listed time
| Where | Listed time | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Manitoba | 12.7 to 24.7 months | Trained outside Canada |
Time not stated for every step: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Side by side
| Where | Routes | Exams | Language | Listed fees | Listed time | Median wage | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | — | qualification examination | — | Not listed | — | $65.00 an hour | Good (4 of 5) |
| Alberta | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province | — | — | Not listed | — | $78.85 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Saskatchewan | Trained outside Canada | — | — | Not listed | — | $57.88 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Manitoba | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | NCA examinations | — | $168 (Trained outside Canada) | 12.7 to 24.7 months | $47.18 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Quebec | Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | Civil law I and related proceedings exam, Civil law II and related proceedings exam, Exam on legislation, regulations and ethical aspects of the practice of law in Quebec | — | Not listed | — | $51.28 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| New Brunswick | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | Bar Examinations | — | Not listed | — | $59.94 an hour | Good (4 of 5) |
| Nova Scotia | Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | — | — | Not listed | — | $56.15 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
Moving between provinces
- Direct transfer (14)
- Extra steps (14)
- Not stated (28)
All answers as a table
Demand and pay
Median wage
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $30.22 | $59.76 | $107.14 |
| British Columbia | $37.98 | $65.00 | $107.69 |
| Alberta | $27.88 | $78.85 | $126.92 |
| Saskatchewan | $32.05 | $57.88 | $92.31 |
| Manitoba | $16.83 | $47.18 | $81.28 |
| Ontario | $32.05 | $65.21 | $112.98 |
| Quebec | $29.81 | $51.28 | $84.13 |
| New Brunswick | $36.06 | $59.94 | $72.12 |
| Nova Scotia | $24.13 | $56.15 | $80.99 |
| Prince Edward Island | $25.64 | $57.69 | $81.03 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $34.87 | $66.85 | $87.91 |
| Yukon | $40.00 | $61.54 | $76.92 |
| Northwest Territories | Not stated | $64.41 | Not stated |
| Nunavut | $45.64 | $68.33 | $89.04 |
Job outlook
| Where | Outlook |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | Good (4 of 5) |
| Alberta | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Saskatchewan | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Manitoba | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Ontario | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Quebec | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| New Brunswick | Good (4 of 5) |
| Nova Scotia | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Prince Edward Island | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Good (4 of 5) |
| Yukon | Good (4 of 5) |
| Northwest Territories | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Nunavut | Limited (2 of 5) |
Tools and tables
- Licence transfer checker Already licensed in one province? See what another province asks for.
- Roadmap builder Your steps, listed fees and time for one occupation and province.
- Language test scores Minimum IELTS, CELPIP and other scores, by occupation and province.
- Credential assessments Which regulators ask for an assessment of your education.
- Licensing exams Which exams each regulator asks for.
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