The Federation of Law Societies of Canada in association with its standing committee known as the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) conducts the NCA examination for international law professionals and students. This examination is open book based and conducted in multiple schedules every year to facilitate the foreign lawyers to practice in Canada. The NCA exam is similar to those conducted in Canadian law schools and checks the professional experience and academic knowledge of international lawyers. This is to ensure that they understand Canadian law and policies and are eligible to work in the country. In this article, let’s discuss everything you need to know about the NCA examination. What is the NCA exam? The NCA examination is a fact-based open book examination conducted to ensure that foreign lawyers and law students have adequate knowledge about Canadian law systems and that the public interest is protected. Getting NCA certification allows you to write barrister examinations in different provinces in Canada which enables you to practice in that province. NCA examination format As mentioned, the NCA exam is an open-book examination conducted several times a year. It is a computer-based online examination with three hours to complete. Even if you finish early than the allotted time, you are not allowed to leave the place before the time ends. The examination is similar to those conducted in Canadian law schools. You must collect the resources outlined by the NCA authorities and prepare on your own or hire a private tutor or enroll in NCA preparation programs in certain universities in Canada. To get a better idea of the exam pattern, you can refer to the law school question papers of previous years and attempt mock tests for each subject organized by the NCA. NCA registration The NCA assesses your documents to see if you are eligible to attempt the examination. If you pass the NCA assessment you can register on the official website and attempt the examinations at your own pace. It is mandatory that you complete the NCA subject areas within five years of receiving your assessment. If you do not qualify for the NCA assessment, the authorities might ask you to attend a Canadian law school to improve your knowledge and then write the examination. The registrations will be open six to eight weeks before the commencement of exams. The NCA conducts twelve sessions every year, but not all subjects will be available in every session. You must check the schedules listed on the official website to know more about them. The examination results will be available ten to twelve weeks after the last exam is scheduled. Once you complete the NCA assignments either in the form of examination or law school programs, you will be eligible to receive the NCA certification which will allow you to apply to Canadian bar admission programs which include all provinces except Quebec. This allows you to gain experience through rigorous training methods. The NCA examination is the pathway to practicing law in Canada and preparing well is the key to success in the examination.