Reports · Cabinetmaker (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-08-04
Cabinetmaker (438A) Wages & Outlook in Canada — Trade Report
Also known as: 438A, cabinet maker.
A sourced snapshot of the cabinetmaker (red seal) trade in Canada: pay, demand, the certification route, and the exam's real structure — each figure dated and linked back to where it came from.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 5,200 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 72311 (Job Bank/COPS group 72311 counts apprentices and bench-carpentry titles alongside certified cabinetmakers; the stats are not journeypersons-only)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 1989 [7]. Trade certification is voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut. [4]
Practice Cabinetmaker (Red Seal) free →
What you'll earn
Per Job Bank (reference period 2023-2024), the national median hourly wage is $24.00/hour, with a spread from $19.00 to $31.00 [1]. The published spread runs from $22.50/hour in Manitoba to $26.00/hour in British Columbia.
Median hourly wage by province/territory, highest to lowest
Some smaller jurisdictions don't publish separate wage data for this occupation.
View exact numbers
| Province / territory | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $26.00 | $20.00–$33.35 |
| Ontario | $25.00 | $19.00–$33.00 |
| Quebec | $24.00 | $19.00–$30.00 |
| Alberta | $23.00 | $18.00–$30.00 |
| Manitoba | $22.50 | $17.00–$31.84 |
| New Brunswick | — | no data published |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | — | no data published |
| Northwest Territories | — | no data published |
| Nova Scotia | — | no data published |
| Nunavut | — | no data published |
| Prince Edward Island | — | no data published |
| Saskatchewan | — | no data published |
| Yukon | — | no data published |
Source: Job Bank wage report, NOC 72311, updated 2025-11-19 [1]. Nationally, at least one non-wage benefit reaches 85.3% of workers in this occupation.
If you already hold your Red Seal: it's interprovincially portable by design — the table above is your negotiation and mobility benchmark.
Where the jobs are
The federal occupational projection assesses this trade as: moderate risk of labour shortage, 2024-2033, at the national level [3] The workforce is 47% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 64.0 [2]. Most work is in construction 66%; textile, clothing, leather and furniture manufacturing 23% [3].
Why openings exist
expansion ~7%; replacement ~93% — almost every opening comes from someone leaving, not from the trade growing.
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
View as a table
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Moderate | Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta |
| Limited | British Columbia |
| Very limited | Quebec |
| Undetermined | Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 72311, updated 2025-12-10 [2].
The path to Red Seal
Total apprenticeship hours, by jurisdiction
- 7,200 total hours in NL/PE/NS/NB/BC/YT/NT/NU
- 6,400 in MB/SK/AB
- Ontario the longest at 8,000
- Quebec runs a 2-3 year program rather than an hour total
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
For experienced workers who never went through an apprenticeship:
Challenge / trade-qualifier hours, by jurisdiction
- 10,800 in NL/PE/NS/NB/YT
- 9,720 BC
- 9,600 MB/SK
- 9,000 NT/NU
- 8,160 AB
- 8,000 ON
- no challenge route in QC
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
Money on the table: the federal Team Canada Strong package includes: $6B plan to recruit 80,000-100,000 new Red Seal trades workers over five years; $400/week Apprenticeship Training Grant during in-class technical training, worth up to $16,000 per apprentice, in addition to EI; one-time $5,000 Red Seal completion bonus. amounts are 'up to' figures; first payments expected no earlier than fall 2026; core funding starts 2026-27 [9]
- certification is VOLUNTARY in every province and territory — no jurisdiction requires a ticket to do the work, so the Red Seal here is a credential you choose, not one you must hold [4]
- the trade runs on a longer clock than most: 7,200 hours is the common term where the national norm for many trades is 5,400 [4]
The exam — and what to study most
The Red Seal exam for this trade is 120 questions, pass mark 70% [8], writing time four hours [5]. Some blocks are worth far more than others on this exam — the official split, unfiltered:
Official exam weightings, highest to lowest
Sorted highest to lowest — Performs machining (top) carries the most marks on its own (17%).
View exact numbers
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| B — Performs machining | 17% | — |
| E — Performs shop assembly | 17% | — |
| G — Performs on-site assembly and installation | 13% | — |
| A — Performs common occupational skills | 12% | — |
| C — Performs forming and laminating | 11% | — |
| D — Installs veneers and laminates | 11% | — |
| F — Performs finishing | 11% | — |
| H — Performs specialized operations | 8% | — |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
Read it plainly: Performs machining is 17% of the whole exam by itself. Don't assume where you're weak — a per-block diagnostic will show you. Try a free diagnostic on Cabinetmaker (Red Seal) →
Practice against the same standard
The cabinetmaker (red seal) practice questions here follow the exam's real block structure exactly — free to try, no account needed. The full bank runs 600 questions.
Practice Cabinetmaker (Red Seal) free →
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal Cabinetmaker page: designation, the standard, and the exam links.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's real structure from the source: 120 questions across eight blocks.
- red-seal.ca — The official block weightings — what the exam asks about, and how much of it.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024).
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Job Bank: three-year prospects by province plus the ten-year national outlook.
- occupations.esdc.gc.ca — COPS 2024-2033: projected openings, seekers, and the retirement-driven split behind them.
- ellischart.ca — Ellis Chart (ESDC): apprenticeship hours and voluntary status in all 13 jurisdictions.
- red-seal.ca — The official exam guide: 70% pass mark, four-hour writing time, question style.
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Cabinetmaker (NOC 72311). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2025-11-19. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 72311). updated 2025-12-10. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- ESDC — Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) 2024-2033. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- Ellis Chart (ESDC) — interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- Red Seal — exam information. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- Red Seal — exam weightings. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- Official Red Seal Cabinetmaker page: designation, the standard, and the exam links. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- The official exam guide: 70% pass mark, four-hour writing time, question style. Accessed 2026-08-04.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-08-04.
This is a sourced reference page, not advice of any kind. The wage/outlook figures are dated government data and will shift — the source links above stay current.