Canada
Vocational or trade skills in Canada have different licensing regulations depending on the province. Some provinces have strict laws, while others are more lenient. This is true for beauty services in the country. That’s why it’s essential to understand the different regulations set by every regulatory body in each province, so you know how to start your journey to becoming a certified journeyperson.
This page allows you to learn the common terms used in the trade skills industry and what they are. You’ll also be guided on how you can generally become a successful apprentice in the country.
Simply click the province you want to visit to know the different regulations for the various beauty services:
Compulsory and Non-compulsory Trade Skills
Many provinces in Canada have compulsory and non-compulsory trade skills. Compulsory trades require professionals to secure a certificate of qualification or provisional certificate of qualification or to be registered apprentices to work in their chosen trade. Non-compulsory trades don’t need professionals to be certified journeypersons or registered apprentices to get a job.
Journeyperson
A journeyperson in trade skills is a certified tradesperson by the provincial government. They are given a certificate as proof of their professional training and work experience. Being certified means they are recognised by the provincial government and have met the standards set by the province in terms of skills and experience. Successful journeypersons can also enjoy the benefit of getting hired fast and increasing their income potential than those without certifications.
Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol
This protocol is about giving apprentices the flexibility to pursue jobs anywhere in Canada without interruption to their continuous education and learning. Apprentices are allowed to work temporarily or take classroom instructions from another province while attending registered apprenticeship programs in their own jurisdictions. Each province should also recognise completed education and successful exams of those in the same trade without needing them to repeat the same or equivalent training.
Although this protocol gives apprentices some flexibility in their training, they still need to consider specific regulations for each province on how to transfer apprentices.
Below is the link to the full details of the protocol:
Red Seal
The Red Seal Program is a recognised national job endorsement in Canada that sets common guidelines or protocols for tradespeople. It’s a partnership between the provinces and national government to raise the standards of skills among tradespersons working across the country.
The program gives an examination to designated trade skills to receive the Red Seal Endorsement. Successful tradespersons will see the Red Seal logo on their journeyperson certificates, allowing them to work in different provinces across the country.
For the beauty industry, only hairstylists are listed as a trade skill that can take advantage of the Red Seal Program. Check out this list of all designated trades for Red Seal here:
How to Become an Apprentice in Canada
This process is a standard procedure for becoming an apprentice in Canada. Provinces may differ depending on the trade or the provincial laws.
Find an Employer
Once an interested individual finally figures out which trade to pursue, the next thing to think about is finding an employer to facilitate their on-the-job training. Many trade skills in Canada start with on-the-job training, followed by classroom instructions.
The tradesperson and employer must agree to create a contract about the apprenticeship. It’s also important to register the agreement with the proper regulatory body in the same province. Tradespersons can enjoy learning while getting paid by their employers.
Complete the Training
The training varies on the trade skill and regulations of the province. It must be a combination of practical training and the theoretical aspect, each with a specific number of required hours. Completion of the training allows a tradesperson to earn a certificate of apprenticeship.
Become a Certified Journeyperson
After completing the training, tradespersons can challenge the provincial examination for the journeyperson certificate. This serves as the “ticket” to start earning or to legally work in the trade in the same province.