63210 Hairstylists and barbers

What this occupation covers

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.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 14 main duties for this code.

• 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.
• 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.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 3 of its 14 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 63211 Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
• 41210 College and other vocational instructors

Excluded from this code

• Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations (See 63211 Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations)
• Hairdressing teacher - community college (See 41210 College and other vocational instructors)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

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 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.