NOC 63210: Hairstylists and barbers
What hairstylists and barbers do
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. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Hairstylists
- Suggest hairstyle 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 train or supervise other hairstylists, hairstylist apprentices and helpers.
- Barbers
- 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.
Job titles under NOC 63210
13 job titles are classified here, including barber, barber apprentice, hair colour technician.
- barber
- barber apprentice
- beauty salon operator
- hair colour technician
- hair dyer
- hair-care specialist
- hairdresser
- hairdresser apprentice
- hairstyling specialist
- hairstylist
- hairstylist apprentice
- men's hairdresser
- wig stylist
Employment requirements
- Hairstylists
- Completion of secondary school education is required.
- Completion of a one- or two-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.
- In New Brunswick, licensing by the Cosmetology Association of New Brunswick is mandatory to use the titles "hairstylist" or "hairdresser".
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified hairstylists upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
- Barbers
- Completion of secondary school education is required.
- Completion of a seven-month to one-year apprenticeship or other barber program is usually required.
- On-the-job training may be substituted for formal education.
- Trade certification for barbers is compulsory in Ontario and available, but voluntary, in the Yukon.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to barbers, as qualified hairstylists, upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Hairstylists and barbers wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $15.00/hr | $19.88/hr | $30.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $28.57/hr |
Montréal QC | $16.10/hr | $21.63/hr | $32.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.75/hr |
Calgary AB | $15.00/hr | $19.23/hr | $26.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $15.00/hr | $17.00/hr | $22.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $17.60/hr | $19.00/hr | $27.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $16.00/hr | $16.32/hr | $25.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $16.10/hr | $21.63/hr | $32.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $17.60/hr | $19.71/hr | $27.03/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $18.50/hr | $35.26/hr |
London ON | $17.60/hr | $19.01/hr | $24.26/hr |
Halifax NS | $16.50/hr | $19.00/hr | $25.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $17.85/hr | $21.00/hr | $33.33/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $17.86/hr | $22.57/hr | $35.80/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00/hr | $19.93/hr | $28.67/hr |
Nova Scotia | $16.50/hr | $19.00/hr | $25.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $15.65/hr | $18.60/hr | $29.48/hr |
Quebec | $16.10/hr | $21.63/hr | $32.00/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $18.00/hr | $28.57/hr |
Manitoba | $16.00/hr | $16.32/hr | $25.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $15.35/hr | $21.15/hr | $33.17/hr |
Alberta | $15.00/hr | $19.23/hr | $26.00/hr |
British Columbia | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $32.97/hr |
Using NOC 63210 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 13 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations (NOC 63211)
- Hairdressing teacher - community college (NOC 41210)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for hairstylists and barbers?
Hairstylists and barbers are NOC 2021 unit group 63210. Example job titles in this group include barber, barber apprentice, hair colour technician, hairdresser.
What TEER is NOC 63210?
NOC 63210 is TEER 3 (College or apprenticeship (under 2 years)). Usually requires a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do hairstylists and barbers earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $19.88/hr, about $39,000 a year full-time, with a range of $15.00/hr to $30.00/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.