- Licence needed to barber for pay
- Yes, compulsory trade
- Regulator
- Apprenticeship Manitoba
- Credential
- Hairstylist certificate of qualification
- Hours
- 1,400 h training + 2 levels × 1,800 h
- Red Seal
- Yes
- Exam and fees
- Red Seal theory exam + practical exam
Who regulates barbers in Manitoba?
Apprenticeship Manitoba runs the Hairstylist trade. Section 3 of the Trade of Hairstylist Regulation, M.R. 251/2014 designates hairstylist a compulsory certification trade, and the regulation’s definition of the trade lists “basic barbering, including colouring and shaping facial hair and side burns.” Manitoba has no separate barber trade.
How do you get certified as a barber in Manitoba?
A prospective apprentice first completes a training program in the trade of at least 1,400 hours from a training provider. The apprenticeship then runs two levels, each at least 12 months and 1,800 hours, followed by a Red Seal certification theory exam and a practical exam, according to the Apprenticeship Manitoba trade profile.
- Entry training: a program of at least 1,400 hours from a training provider.
- Level 1: at least 12 months and 1,800 hours of practical experience and technical training.
- Level 2: at least 12 months and 1,800 hours of practical experience.
- Exams: a Red Seal certification theory exam plus a practical exam.
Is a barber different from a hairstylist in Manitoba?
No. Barbering is written into the hairstylist trade’s legal scope, so cutting, colouring and shaping facial hair for pay is work in a compulsory trade. A barber who only does men’s cuts still needs to be in the hairstylist system.
Can an out-of-province barber work in Manitoba?
A Red Seal hairstylist endorsement from another province is the cleanest route, because hairstylist is a Red Seal trade in Manitoba. Chapter Seven of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement also says a certificate from one province should be recognized by the others unless public health, safety or security requires more. Contact Apprenticeship Manitoba before starting work with any other credential.
What else does a Manitoba barbershop need?
Trade certification is only one gate. Check business licensing, zoning and any health inspection requirements with your municipality before you open.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a licence to be a barber in Manitoba?
Yes. Hairstylist is a compulsory certification trade in Manitoba, and its legal definition includes basic barbering, so barbers work as registered apprentices or certified hairstylists.
How many hours is the Manitoba hairstylist apprenticeship?
Two levels of at least 1,800 hours and 12 months each, after a training program of at least 1,400 hours.
Does Manitoba have a separate barber trade?
No. The Trade of Hairstylist Regulation folds basic barbering, including colouring and shaping facial hair, into the hairstylist trade.
Can I cut hair for pay in Manitoba as an apprentice?
Yes, as a registered apprentice with Apprenticeship Manitoba, after a training program of at least 1,400 hours. Working in the trade without registration or certification is not permitted.
- Hairstylist trade profile — Apprenticeship Manitoba
- Trade of Hairstylist Regulation, M.R. 251/2014 — Government of Manitoba
- Barber in Canada: job requirements — Job Bank, Government of Canada
- Hairstylist (NOC 63210) trade page — Red Seal Program
- Labour mobility (Canadian Free Trade Agreement, Chapter Seven) — Employment and Social Development Canada
