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Hairstylists and barbers (NOC 6341)

Occupation targeted by the Workplace Apprenticeship Program

Please note that detailed information for each of the occupations under the Workplace Apprenticeship Program is only available in French.

Job titles

Nature of work

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.

Fields of interest

  • Counseling, helping others
  • Working in sales and customer service
  • Working with your hands

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.

Main characteristics of the occupation

These headings are provided for the following occupation(s) :

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.

Skill type

  • Sales and service occupations

Skill level

  • Technical

More information

  • * The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility. Additional information from Emploi-Québec: Under the Agreement on Internal Trade, a worker holding certification in a regulated trade has access to interprovincial labour mobility, whether or not the worker’s certification bears a Red Seal endorsement.

Job titles - Classified elsewhere

Professional associations