College Diploma - Paralegal

The Paralegal diploma is a two-year program accredited toward licensing with the Law Society of Ontario — one of the few college credentials leading to a regulated, independent scope of practice.

Coursework covers the Canadian legal system and constitutional framework, civil litigation procedure and the Small Claims Court, provincial offences and traffic matters, landlord and tenant law, employment and human rights law, administrative law and tribunal practice, evidence and advocacy, legal research and writing, ethics and professional responsibility, and legal accounting and practice management. Moot and mock tribunal work runs throughout, with a field placement in firms, clinics or tribunals.

The distinguishing feature in Ontario is that licensed paralegals represent clients independently in defined areas — Small Claims, provincial offences and tribunals — rather than only assisting lawyers. Licensing requires passing the Law Society examination after graduation, so plan for that step and confirm the pathway for internationally educated applicants.

The field placement is a graded part of the program, so you finish with documented Canadian experience and a referee rather than only a transcript.

Newnham is Seneca’s largest campus, on Finch Avenue East in North York, with its own residence, library, athletic centre and specialised technical labs. It sits on the TTC network with subway connections, and carries the bulk of Seneca’s business, technology and engineering catalogue — which means the widest range of student clubs, services and peers of any Seneca site.

Seneca Polytechnic — formerly Seneca College — is one of Ontario’s largest public colleges and a Designated Learning Institution. Newnham is its biggest campus, on Finch Avenue East in North York, and carries the bulk of Seneca’s business, technology, engineering technology, aviation and applied science catalogue. It has its own residence, a large library and athletic centre, and sits on the TTC network with connections to the subway.

Its field maps to CIP 22.0302 (Legal assistant/paralegal). Important: this is a college credential rather than a degree, so it is not exempt from the November 2024 PGWP field-of-study restriction — eligibility depends on this CIP field appearing on IRCC’s eligible list when you apply. Seneca publishes a PGWP-eligible program list; check it, and confirm with an Apply Study Visa counsellor before committing. IRCC makes the final decision.