Licensing guide · Manitoba

How to Become a Cook in Manitoba

Last checked 7 sources checkedNOC 63200

Do you need certification?

Certification is voluntary

Cook is a voluntary trade in Manitoba. You can work in the trade without a certificate.

Protected titles
Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“Some trades in Manitoba require you to be certified; these are known as compulsory certification trades. Other trades are voluntary.”

From gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/trade-qualifier...., checked October 11, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status
Voluntary certification See the source
Routes
Annual fees
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Your roadmap

Every route is listed. Follow the one that matches where you trained.

Trained in Canada

  • 2 fees depend on your situation and are not in the total
  • 4 steps without a listed fee

  1. Apprenticeship Manitoba sends you the Apprenticeship Agreement by email, and you and your employer must both sign it.

    Source
    “Apprenticeship Manitoba sends an email to you with the Apprenticeship Agreement - you can print out the agreement and sign it, or electronically sign the agreement - your employer must also sign Part C of the agreement”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

  2. Submit the signed Apprenticeship Agreement along with your education records and any related work or educational experience documentation to Apprenticeship Manitoba.

    Source
    “Follow instructions on your Apprenticeship Agreement to submit: - a copy of your education records (post-secondary transcript, or high school diploma, and/or Grade 12 transcripts, GED certificate/ Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC), or equivalent).”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

  3. Work on the job to learn the knowledge and skills of the trade from a certified journeyperson, completing the minimum on-the-job training hours required for each level.

    Source
    “You will spend about 80 per cent of your apprenticeship working on the job. Here you will learn the knowledge and skills for your trade from a certified journeyperson. Each trade has a minimum number of on-the-job training hours required for each level.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

  4. Once you have completed the required on-the-job hours, register for and pass the classroom technical training before progressing to the next level.

    Source
    “Once you have completed the required number of on-the-job hours, you can register for technical training delivered by a recognized technical training provider. You need to complete and pass the technical training before progressing to the next level.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

  5. After completing all levels and apprenticeship requirements, pass the certification exam with a minimum grade of 70 per cent to earn your Certificate of Qualification.

    Source
    “Once you’ve completed all levels and apprenticeship requirements for your program, you must pass the certification (final) exam. The minimum passing grade is 70 per cent.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

Listed fees for this route

2 fees depend on your situation and are not in the total.

4 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 4 steps without a listed fee
  • Listed time: 1.4 months (only 1 of 4 steps state a time)

  1. Review the work experience form for your trade to determine if you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to write the qualification exam.

    Source
    “Determine if you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to be eligible to write the qualification exam by reviewing the work experience form for your trade on the Apprenticeship Manitoba website.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  2. Submit your trades qualification application with the completed work experience form, employer letters and copies of previous trades certification if you meet all requirements.

    Source
    “Submit to Apprenticeship Manitoba your trades qualification application (along with your completed work experience form, employer letter(s) and copies of previous trades certification) only if you meet all requirements to write the qualification exam in your trade.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  3. Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba, as application review typically takes about six weeks, and approval means you are eligible to write the exam.

    Time: 6 weeks
    Time source
    “application review typically takes about six weeks”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations
    Source
    “Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba (application review typically takes about six weeks). Approval of your application means you are eligible to write the exam.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  4. Write the certification exam for your trade to earn your Certificate of Qualification.

    Source
    “Trade qualifiers challenge the certification exam for their trade to earn their Certificate of Qualification.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

4 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

  • 4 steps without a listed fee
  • Listed time: 1.4 months (only 1 of 4 steps state a time)

  1. Review the work experience form for your trade to determine if you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to write the qualification exam.

    Source
    “Determine if you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to be eligible to write the qualification exam by reviewing the work experience form for your trade on the Apprenticeship Manitoba website.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  2. Submit your trades qualification application with the completed work experience form, employer letters and copies of previous trades certification if you meet all requirements.

    Source
    “Submit to Apprenticeship Manitoba your trades qualification application (along with your completed work experience form, employer letter(s) and copies of previous trades certification) only if you meet all requirements to write the qualification exam in your trade.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  3. Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba, as application review typically takes about six weeks, and approval means you are eligible to write the exam.

    Time: 6 weeks
    Time source
    “application review typically takes about six weeks”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations
    Source
    “Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba (application review typically takes about six weeks). Approval of your application means you are eligible to write the exam.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  4. Write the certification exam for your trade to earn your Certificate of Qualification.

    Source
    “Trade qualifiers challenge the certification exam for their trade to earn their Certificate of Qualification.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

4 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Other listed fees

The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Education

  • Apprentices must submit a copy of their education records, such as a post-secondary transcript, high school diploma, Grade 12 transcripts, GED certificate or Canadian Adult Education Credential, or equivalent.

    Source
    “a copy of your education records (post-secondary transcript, or high school diploma, and/or Grade 12 transcripts, GED certificate/ Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC), or equivalent).”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

Experience

Residency

Other

  • If you are on a work permit, you must provide the approved Authorization Letter from the Government of Canada to Apprenticeship Manitoba before registering for technical training.

    Source
    “You are required to provide the approved Authorization Letter from the Government of Canada to Apprenticeship Manitoba before you will be able to register for technical training while on a work-permit.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/newcomers.html

Already licensed in another province?

Not stated

The pages state that for a voluntary trade like cook, the CFTA certification process does not apply because you can work in Manitoba without mandatory credentials, but they do not describe a registration process based on an out-of-province licence.

Source
“If your trade is categorized as voluntary, the CFTA certification process does not apply because you can work in Manitoba without mandatory credentials. You are legally allowed to work in the trade without certification.”
gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/labour-mobility.html

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Exams

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 63200, Cooks. Wages for 2023-2024 in Canadian dollars an hour; outlook for 2025-2027.

Job Bank wages and outlook in Manitoba and Canada
WhereLowMedianHighOutlook
Manitoba $16.00 $16.50 $21.00 Moderate (3 of 5)
Canada $15.00 $18.00 $25.00 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Manitoba

Wages in every province and territory

Cooks in other provinces and territories

Regulated in all 12 other jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

Compare cook licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 11, 2026.

  1. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/trade-qualifier.... · fetched October 10, 2026
  2. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice... · fetched October 10, 2026
  3. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr... · fetched October 10, 2026
  4. Regulated Occupations | Manitoba Immigration immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations · fetched October 10, 2026
  5. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/newcomers.html · fetched October 10, 2026
  6. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/trade-profiles/cook.html · fetched October 10, 2026
  7. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/labour-mobility.html · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as a cook in Manitoba?

No. Certification is available, but it is not required to work in the trade in Manitoba. Certification is managed by Apprenticeship Manitoba.

Which exams are required?

Level Placement Exam.

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