Reports · Floorcovering Installer (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-10
Floorcovering Installer (Red Seal) in Canada — Trade Report
A no-filler look at the floorcovering installer (red seal) trade in Canada — pay, outlook, certification, and exam structure, each fact traced to its government or regulator source.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 16,600 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 73113 (group includes apprentices + carpet layers/hardwood layers etc.; stats are not journeypersons-only)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 1990 [6]. Trade certification is compulsory in Quebec; voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut; not offered in Saskatchewan. [4]
What you'll earn
Per Job Bank (reference period 2023-2024), the national median hourly wage is $26.00/hour, with a spread from $17.00 to $43.00 [1]. The published spread runs from $20.50/hour in Nova Scotia to $36.60/hour in Quebec.
Median hourly wage by province/territory (low–high)
| Province / territory | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | $36.60 | $24.42–$43.27 |
| British Columbia | $30.00 | $22.00–$39.20 |
| Ontario | $26.00 | $17.60–$35.00 |
| Alberta | $25.00 | $17.00–$42.31 |
| Saskatchewan | $25.00 | $20.00–$31.25 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $23.69 | $16.64–$33.69 |
| New Brunswick | $23.14 | $20.25–$28.34 |
| Manitoba | $22.40 | $16.00–$31.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $20.50 | $20.00–$26.44 |
| Northwest Territories | — | no data published |
| Nunavut | — | no data published |
| Prince Edward Island | — | no data published |
| Yukon | — | no data published |
Source: Job Bank wage report, NOC 73113, updated 2026-06-02 [1]. The same page shows 66% of the national workforce here also gets a non-wage benefit.
Because the Red Seal travels between provinces, the wage spread above is genuinely useful for anyone already certified and weighing a move.
Where the jobs are
Ottawa's own labour-market projection rates this trade as: moderate risk of labour shortage, 2024-2033 — Job Bank's headline call, with COPS separately noting 'moderate signs of shortage' recently, trending to a 'moderate risk' outlook ahead [3] The workforce is 33% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 66.0 [2]. expansion ~33%; replacement ~67% (COPS CSV raw counts: expansion 2,000, retirements 3,100, other 1,100 — shares computed from counts, not page-stated). Most work is in qualitative only: construction companies, floor-covering contractors, carpet outlets, or self-employed (no quantified split found on the fetched pages).
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Alberta |
| Moderate | New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia |
| Very limited | Quebec |
| Undetermined | Newfoundland & Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 73113, updated 2026-06-02 [2].
The path to Red Seal
hours vary widely: NS/BC 5,400 (3 levels); Ontario 6,000 (5,400 on-job + 600 in-school, ~3.5 years, 2 levels, per Skilled Trades Ontario — matches Ellis); Quebec 6,900; YT 4,800; MB 4,200; NT/NU 3,600; Alberta 2 periods of 1,500 work hours (3,000 on-job, per Tradesecrets — OVERRIDES Ellis's 3,420) + 7 wks classroom per period; NL/PE/NB list no program hours on Ellis [4]
Been doing the work for years without a certificate? 8,100 NL/NS; 8,000 PE; 7,425 BC; 7,200 YT; 6,300 MB; 6,000 ON; 5,400 NB/NT/NU; 4,500 AB (Tradesecrets: 36 months + 4,500 hours — matches Ellis); no challenge route in QC [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]
- trade names vary: 'Floor Covering Installer' (BC/NT/ON), 'Resilient Flooring Layer' (QC), 'Floorcovering Mechanic' (NU) [6]
- a new RSOS is published with 'Exams based on this RSOS are currently under development' — the 120-question breakdown below is the current exam and may change when the new exam ships
The exam — and what to study most
This trade is tested with 120 questions, pass mark 70%, writing time four hours [5]. Study time should follow the actual weightings, not a guess — here's the official split:
Official exam weightings
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| D — Installs and repairs resilient flooring | 29% | ~35 |
| B — Prepares floor | 24% | ~28 |
| C — Installs and repairs carpet | 21% | ~26 |
| E — Installs and services wood, laminate and floating vinyl plank flooring | 15% | ~18 |
| A — Common occupational skills | 11% | ~13 |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
Read it plainly: Installs and repairs resilient flooring is 29% of the whole exam by itself. Don't assume where you're weak — a per-block diagnostic will show you.
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal trade page: description, name variants, standard, sample questions.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's authoritative 120-question block breakdown.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024).
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Job Bank: 3-year prospects by province + the 10-year national outlook.
- ellischart.ca — Ellis Chart (ESDC): hours, training, and ratios across jurisdictions.
- www.skilledtradesontario.ca — Ontario's regulator page for 448A: the 6,000-hour program and C of Q.
- tradesecrets.alberta.ca — Alberta's profile: 2-period structure and the 36-month/4,500-hour challenge route.
Practice against the same standard
This floorcovering installer (red seal) bank tracks the real exam's own block structure, so your practice results actually predict exam-day performance. Free to start. The full bank runs 600 questions.
Practice Floorcovering Installer (Red Seal) free →
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Floorcovering Installer (NOC 73113). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 73113). updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- ESDC — Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) 2024-2033. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ellis Chart (ESDC) — interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — exam information. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Official Red Seal trade page: description, name variants, standard, sample questions. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ontario's regulator page for 448A: the 6,000-hour program and C of Q. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Alberta's profile: 2-period structure and the 36-month/4,500-hour challenge route. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-07-10.
Nothing on this page is financial or career advice. Figures are Government of Canada data for the stated periods and will move over time — check the links above for the latest.