Reports · Hairstylist (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-10
Hairstylist (332A) Wages & Outlook in Canada — Trade Report
Also known as: 332A, hairdresser. In Ontario this is a compulsory certified trade (332A).
What the hairstylist (red seal) trade actually pays, where the work is, how the certification path works, and how the exam is weighted — sourced and dated, all on one page. Nothing below is a guess.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 90,500 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 63210 (group includes barbers and apprentices (barber, hairdresser, wig stylist titles); stats are not certified-hairstylists-only)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 1986 [7]. Trade certification is compulsory in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta; voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut. [4]
Practice Hairstylist (Red Seal) free →
What you'll earn
Job Bank's federal wage figures (reference period 2023-2024) show a national median of $19.88/hour, with a spread from $15.00 to $30.00 [1]. The published spread runs from $16.32/hour in Manitoba to $23.00/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 | $23.00 | $18.25–$32.97 |
| Quebec | $21.63 | $16.60–$32.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $21.15 | $15.35–$33.17 |
| Prince Edward Island | $20.00 | $17.00–$23.08 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $19.93 | $16.35–$28.67 |
| Alberta | $19.23 | $15.00–$26.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $19.00 | $16.75–$25.00 |
| New Brunswick | $18.60 | $15.90–$29.48 |
| Ontario | $18.00 | $17.60–$28.57 |
| Manitoba | $16.32 | $16.00–$25.00 |
| Northwest Territories | — | no data published |
| Nunavut | — | no data published |
| Yukon | — | no data published |
Source: Job Bank wage report, NOC 63210, updated 2026-06-02 [1]. The same Job Bank page reports 47.8% of workers here also receive a non-wage benefit nationally.
Holding a Red Seal already pays off here: it moves with you across provinces, so the table above is a genuine reference for relocating or negotiating.
Where the jobs are
The official federal assessment for 2024–2033: labour demand and supply expected to be broadly in line, 2024-2033 — a balanced-market call, not a shortage [3] The workforce is 38% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 65.0 [2]. Most work is in repair, personal and household services 99% [3].
Why openings exist
expansion ~25%; replacement ~75% (retirements ~78% of replacement); annual growth 1.0%/yr vs 1.2% national avg.
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
View as a table
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan |
| Moderate | Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia |
| Undetermined | Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 63210, updated 2026-06-02 [2].
The path to Red Seal
Total apprenticeship hours, by jurisdiction
Sorted shortest to longest. A few trade-qualifier-only or differently-measured jurisdictions aren't safely comparable as an hours figure and are omitted here -- see the full breakdown below.
View exact numbers
- ~3,500-3,600 total hours in most offering jurisdictions (Ontario 3,500 = 3,020 on-job + 480 in-school, ~2 years, per Skilled Trades Ontario — matches Ellis; Alberta 2 periods of 1,450 work hours + 10 wks classroom each, ~3,500 total, per Tradesecrets — matches Ellis)
- PE 5,400
- Quebec '1 to 2 years'
- NS and NB don't publish standard hours — check the provincial apprenticeship site directly
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
If you've been doing the work without formal certification:
Challenge / trade-qualifier hours, by jurisdiction
- 8,100 PE
- 5,400 NL/MB/SK/YT/NT/NU
- 4,725 BC
- 4,350 AB
- 3,500 ON
- NS hours not published (check the provincial site)
- n/a NB/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 [12]
- ⚠ ONTARIO DOES NOT OFFER THE RED SEAL ENDORSEMENT for this trade — the regulator's own wording: 'Hairstylist is an Interprovincial Red Seal trade, but Ontario does not currently offer a Red Seal Endorsement.' Ontario completers receive a provincial C of Q only, and it requires ANNUAL renewal (compulsory trade, 332A). [9]
- Barber is a separate provincially designated trade in Alberta (Tradesecrets profile 0425) — NOT a Red Seal trade [10]
- estheticians/electrologists are a different NOC group (63211)
The exam — and what to study most
The Red Seal exam for this trade is 120 questions, pass mark 70% [11], writing time four hours [5]. The exam isn't evenly split — the source's own weightings show exactly where to focus:
Official exam weightings, highest to lowest
Sorted highest to lowest — Alters hair colour (top) carries the most marks on its own (21%).
View exact numbers
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| F — Alters hair colour | 21% | ~25 |
| C — Cuts hair | 20% | ~24 |
| E — Chemical texture services on hair | 14% | ~17 |
| D — Styles hair | 13% | ~16 |
| A — Common occupational skills | 12% | ~14 |
| B — Hair and scalp care | 9% | ~11 |
| H — Salon operations | 6% | ~7 |
| G — Specialized services | 5% | ~6 |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
The math that matters: Alters hair colour alone is 21% of your score. A per-block diagnostic run is the fastest way to find real gaps. Try a free diagnostic on Hairstylist (Red Seal) →
Practice against the same standard
This hairstylist (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 Hairstylist (Red Seal) free →
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal Hairstylist page: designation history, standard, exam links.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's authoritative 120-question breakdown across 8 blocks.
- red-seal.ca — The full Red Seal Occupational Standard (2019) the exam is built from.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024 LFS).
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Job Bank: 3-year prospects by province + the 10-year national outlook.
- ellischart.ca — Ellis Chart (ESDC): hours, compulsory status, and challenge pathways per jurisdiction.
- www.skilledtradesontario.ca — Ontario's regulator page for 332A: compulsory, annual renewal, and the no-Red-Seal-endorsement note.
- tradesecrets.alberta.ca — Alberta's profile: compulsory, 2-period program, Red Seal exam on completion.
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Hairstylist (NOC 63210). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 63210). 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.
- Red Seal — exam weightings. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Official Red Seal Hairstylist page: designation history, standard, exam links. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- The full Red Seal Occupational Standard (2019) the exam is built from. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ontario's regulator page for 332A: compulsory, annual renewal, and the no-Red-Seal-endorsement note. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Alberta's profile: compulsory, 2-period program, Red Seal exam on completion. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — Exam Preparation Guide (70% pass mark, four-hour writing time). Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-07-10.
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.