Job prospects Paralegal in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "paralegal" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Paralegals and related occupations (NOC 42200) in Ontario for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
• Several positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Public administration
• Legal services

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Steady demand for legal services overall may help support work in this occupation
• Demand for more affordable legal services, though paralegals can only offer a certain scope of services

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• The Law Society of Ontario regulates and licenses paralegals in Ontario

Here are some key facts about Paralegals and related occupations in Ontario:

• Approximately 22,450 people work in this occupation.
• Paralegals and related occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 26%
  • Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 26%
  • Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 25%
  • Legal services (NAICS 5411): 21%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 91% compared to 81% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 9% compared to 19% for all occupations
• 74% of paralegals and related occupations work all year, while 26% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 18% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 82% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 50% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 33% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 9% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "paralegal" Paralegal and related occupations (NOC 42200) or across Canada.

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