Index

Intro
Main Duties
Employment Requirements
All Titles
Exclusions

Intro

Hairstylists and barbers cut and style hair and perform related services. They are employed in hairstyling or hairdressing salons, barber shops, vocational schools, health care establishments and theatre, film and television establishments.

The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.

Main Duties

Hairstylists perform some or all of the following duties:

Suggest hair style compatible with client’s physical features or determine style from client’s instructions and preferences
Cut, trim, taper, curl, wave, perm and style hair
Apply bleach, tints, dyes or rinses to colour, frost or streak hair
Analyze hair and scalp condition and provide basic treatment or advice on beauty care treatments for scalp and hair
Clean and style wigs and hair pieces
Apply hair extensions
May shampoo and rinse hair
May perform receptionist duties and order supplies
May judge in competitions
May train or supervise other hairstylists, hairstylist apprentices and helpers.

Barbers perform some or all of the following duties:

Cut and trim hair according to client’s instructions or preferences
Shave and trim beards and moustaches
May shampoo hair and provide other hair treatment, such as waving, straightening and tinting and may also provide scalp conditioning massages
May book appointments and order supplies
May train and supervise other barbers and barber apprentices.

Employment Requirements

Hairstylists

Some secondary school education is required.
Completion of a two- or three-year hairstyling apprenticeship program or completion of a college or other program in hairstyling combined with on-the-job training is usually required.
Several years of experience may replace formal education and training.
Employers may require applicants to provide a hairstyling demonstration before being hired.
Trade certification for hairstylists is compulsory in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified hairstylists upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Barbers

Some secondary school education is required.
Completion of a two-year apprenticeship or other barber program is usually required.
On-the-job training may be substituted for formal education.
Trade certification for barbers is available, but voluntary, in British Columbia and the Yukon.
Red Seal endorsement is also available to barbers, as qualified hairstylists, upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

All Titles