Licensing guide · Manitoba

How to Become a Hairstylist in Manitoba

Last checked 6 sources checkedNOC 63210

Do you need certification?

Certification required

Hairstylist is a compulsory trade in Manitoba. You need a certificate, or registration as an apprentice, to work in the trade.

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“If a trade is designated as compulsory certification, it means you must be registered as an apprentice or be a certified journeyperson to work in that trade.”

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

At a glance

Licence status
Certification required 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

  • 5 steps without a listed fee

  1. Before registering your Apprenticeship Agreement you must be enrolled in or have completed your technical training.

    Source
    “You must be enrolled in, or have completed, your technical training before you register your Apprenticeship Agreement.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

  2. Apprenticeship Manitoba emails you the Apprenticeship Agreement, which you and your employer must sign.

    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...

  3. You submit your education records, any trade-related experience documentation and the signed Apprenticeship Agreement to Apprenticeship Manitoba to register it.

    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...

  4. You complete the required on-the-job hours and technical training hours and exams according to the Act and your trade regulation.

    Source
    “complete on-the-job hours, technical training hours and exams according to The Apprenticeship and Certification Act and for your specific trade regulation or by-law.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

  5. After completing all levels and requirements you must pass the certification exam and the practical exam 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. Some trades also include a practical exam that you must also pass).”
    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

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

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total
  • 6 steps without a listed fee

  1. You complete and follow the instructions on the Trades Qualification Application Form.

    Source
    “Trades Qualification Application Form Complete and follow instructions.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  2. You submit as many employer or statutory declaration forms as needed to meet the trade's requirements for approval.

    Source
    “Submit as many declaration forms as needed in order to meet the trade’s requirements for approval.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  3. You provide copies of all trade-related certificates and credentials.

    Source
    “Provide copies of all trade-related certificates and credentials.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  4. You include a non-refundable $200 payment with your application to have it assessed.

    • Application fee: $200 (non-refundable, to assess your application)
      Source
      “Application fee - Include a $200 payment (non-refundable). - Make cheque payable to: Apprenticeship Manitoba. - This fee is to assess your application and does not guarantee that you will be approved.”
      gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...
    Source
    “Application fee - Include a $200 payment (non-refundable). - Make cheque payable to: Apprenticeship Manitoba.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  5. Apprenticeship Manitoba verifies your declarations and documents and, if you meet the requirements, notifies you by email that you are approved as a trade qualifier.

    Source
    “If you meet the requirements, you will be notified via email that you have been approved to challenge the certification exam and you are accepted as a trade qualifier.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  6. If you are successfully assessed through the trades qualification process, you are mailed a temporary permit that lets you work while waiting to challenge the certification exam.

    Source
    “If you have been successfully assessed through the trades qualification process, you will be mailed a temporary permit. This permit allows you to work while you are waiting to challenge the certification exam.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  7. You take the certification exam for your trade, which must be written in Manitoba.

    Source
    “Note: Trades qualification certification exams must be written in Manitoba.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

Listed fees for this route

1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total.

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

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

  • 3 steps without a listed fee

  1. You must provide the approved Authorization Letter from the Government of Canada to Apprenticeship Manitoba before you can register for technical training while on a work permit.

    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

  2. Once you have your Authorization Letter, you contact your Apprenticeship Training Coordinator who helps you register for technical training.

    Source
    “Once you have obtained your Authorization Letter, contact your Apprenticeship Training Coordinator and they will assist you with being able to register for technical training.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/newcomers.html

  3. You then apply either as an apprentice or as a trade qualifier to challenge the certification exam, while residing in Manitoba.

    Source
    “Whether you plan to be an apprentice, or plan to challenge the certification exam as a trade qualifier, you must reside in Manitoba when you apply.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/newcomers.html

Listed fees for this route

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

3 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

  • When registering as an apprentice you must submit education records such as a post-secondary transcript, high school diploma, Grade 12 transcripts, GED or CAEC, or state in your application if you do not have Grade 12 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). NOTE: If you do not have Grade 12 or equivalent education, state this in your application.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

  • Apprentices in the hairstylist trade must be enrolled in or have completed their technical training before registering their Apprenticeship Agreement.

    Source
    “You must be enrolled in, or have completed, your technical training before you register your Apprenticeship Agreement.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

Experience

  • Trade qualifier applicants must have a minimum number of years and hours working in the trade and experience in at least 70 per cent of the scope of the trade.

    Source
    “You must have: - a minimum number of years working in the trade - a minimum number of hours working in the trade - experience (skills) in at least 70 per cent scope of the trade”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  • For the hairstylist trade, challenging the exam through trades qualification requires three years of experience and 5,400 hours, with an additional practical exam.

    Source
    “Challenging the Exam - Trades Qualification: 3 Years of Experience 5,400 Hours Required Yes Additional Practical”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/trade-profiles/hairstylist....

Residency

Other

  • You must provide a letter from an employer or reference as proof that you meet the experience requirements, and your employer must have witnessed your work.

    Source
    “As part of your application, you must provide a letter from an employer or reference as a form of proof that you meet the experience requirements for your trade. Your employer must have witnessed your work and confirmed your experience as shown in your application.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

Already licensed in another province?

Extra steps

Red Seal certification is recognized in Manitoba, but certification that is not Red Seal in a compulsory certification trade is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Source
“If you have received Red Seal certification for any trade (voluntary or compulsory certification), it will continue to be recognized in Manitoba. If you received certification that is not Red Seal in a compulsory certification trade, this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/trade-qualifier....

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 63210, Hairstylists and barbers. 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 $16.32 $25.00 Moderate (3 of 5)
Canada $15.00 $19.88 $30.00 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Manitoba

Wages in every province and territory

Hairstylists in other provinces and territories

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

Compare hairstylist 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. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-... · 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/hairstylist.... · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

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

Yes. Certification, or registration as an apprentice, is required to work in the trade in Manitoba. Certification is managed by Apprenticeship Manitoba.

Which exams are required?

Certification exam, Practical exam, Level Placement Exam.

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