How to become a Judge
Official title: Judges
Also called: Judge - law, County judge, Puisne judge, Tax court judge, Trial court judge, Youth court judge, County court judge, Family court judge, Probate court judge, Administrative judge, District court judge, Juvenile court judge
Judges adjudicate civil and criminal cases and administer justice in courts of law. Judges preside over federal and provincial courts.
Main tasks
- Preside over courts of law, interpret and enforce rules of procedure and make rulings regarding the admissibility of evidence
- Instruct the jury on laws that are applicable to the case
- Weigh and consider evidence in non-jury trials and decide legal guilt or innocence or degree of liability of the accused or defendant
- Pass sentence on persons convicted in criminal cases and determine damages or other appropriate remedy in civil cases
- Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses
- Determine custody of children between contesting parents and other guardians
- Enforce court orders for access or support
- Supervise other judges and court officers
How to become one
Extensive experience as a lawyer or as a professor of law with continuous membership in the bar association is usually required. Membership in good standing with a provincial or territorial law society or bar association is required. Judges are appointed by federal or provincial cabinets. Those appointed to more senior positions in a court, such as chief justice, usually have experience as judges in that court.
Ways in
- University: Law & Justice degrees, Offered by 15 universities in Canada
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $387,006 a year
- About 4,100 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 4,500 are projected by 2033. (+9.8%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Judge?
Extensive experience as a lawyer or as a professor of law with continuous membership in the bar association is usually required. Membership in good standing with a provincial or territorial law society or bar association is required. Judges are appointed by federal or provincial cabinets. Those appointed to more senior positions in a court, such as chief justice, usually have experience as judges in that court.
How much does a Judge earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $387,006 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)).
Is a Judge a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2033, from about 4,100 to about 4,500 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a Judge?
Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03