41100 – Judges
Lead statement
Judges adjudicate civil and criminal cases and administer justice in courts of law.
Main duties
- 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.
Employment requirements
- 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.
Example job titles
administrative judge · appellate court judge · associate chief justice · chief justice · county court judge · Court of Queen's Bench justice · district and surrogate court judge · district court judge · family court judge · Federal Court of Appeal justice · federal court justice - trial division · federal trial court justice · judge - law · justice · youth court judge · magistrate court judge · probate court judge · provincial court of appeal justice · small claims court judge · superior court justice · Supreme Court justice · Supreme Court of Canada justice · Tax Court judge · provincial court judge · provincial supreme court justice · county judge · deputy justice · federal court justice · juvenile court judge · trial court judge · puisne judge
Wages (per year)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $310,000 | $387,006 | $414,900 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $311,400 | $426,900 | $426,900 |
| Nova Scotia | $331,920 | $414,900 | $414,900 |
| New Brunswick | $331,920 | $414,900 | $414,900 |
| Quebec | $264,030 | $310,000 | $414,900 |
| Ontario | $387,006 | $414,900 | $416,900 |
| Manitoba | $354,017 | $354,017 | $455,000 |
| Saskatchewan | $376,865 | $395,708 | $414,900 |
| Alberta | $348,102 | $348,102 | $414,900 |
| British Columbia | $369,360 | $369,360 | $414,900 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.