Skilled trades · Red Seal · Canada
The Red Seal trades: all 54
What a Red Seal is, which trades have one, and how to register for the exam. Plus which trades can claim the new $5,000 Red Seal Completion Bonus.
By Nick Gonzalez, founder, U.S. Air Force veteranPublished Last reviewed How we research and correct this
The basics
What is a Red Seal?
A Red Seal endorsement is a seal on your provincial or territorial trade certificate. It shows that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to practice your trade across Canada. To get it, you need to pass the Red Seal exam.
Not every trade is a Red Seal trade. There are more than 300 designated trades in Canada and 54 of them are Red Seal trades. Your province or territory certifies the trade; the Red Seal is added on top for the trades that have one.
Official list
All 54 Red Seal trades
Alphabetical, spelled as the official Red Seal site spells them.
- Agricultural Equipment Technician
- Appliance Service Technician
- Auto Body and Collision Technician
- Automotive Refinishing Technician
- Automotive Service Technician
- Baker
- Boilermaker
- Bricklayer
- Cabinetmaker
- Carpenter
- Concrete Finisher
- Construction Craft Worker
- Construction Electrician
- Cook
- Drywall Finisher and Plasterer
- Floorcovering Installer
- Gasfitter — Class A
- Gasfitter — Class B
- Glazier
- Hairstylist
- Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
- Heavy Equipment Operator (Dozer)
- Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator)
- Heavy Equipment Operator (Tractor-Loader-Backhoe)
- Industrial Electrician
- Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)
- Instrumentation and Control Technician
- Insulator (Heat and Frost)
- Ironworker (Generalist)
- Ironworker (Reinforcing)
- Ironworker (Structural/Ornamental)
- Landscape Horticulturist
- Lather (Interior Systems Mechanic)
- Machinist
- Metal Fabricator (Fitter)
- Mobile Crane Operator
- Motorcycle Technician
- Oil Heat System Technician
- Painter and Decorator
- Parts Technician
- Plumber
- Powerline Technician
- Recreation Vehicle Service Technician
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic
- Roofer
- Sheet Metal Worker
- Sprinkler Fitter
- Steamfitter/Pipefitter
- Tilesetter
- Tool and Die Maker
- Tower Crane Operator
- Transport Trailer Technician
- Truck and Transport Mechanic
- Welder
Source: Red Seal Trades, red-seal.ca, read November 1, 2026. Launch League is independent of the Red Seal Program and the Government of Canada.
Getting yours
How to register for the exam
Exams are run by your provincial or territorial apprenticeship office.
Check your eligibility
Make sure you meet the Red Seal exam requirements of your province or territory. They can differ by trade and by type of tradesperson, such as apprentice or trade qualifier.Apply through your province or territory
Complete the Red Seal exam application form from your provincial or territorial apprenticeship and certification office, or contact them.Ask about language and accommodations
Confirm the exam will be in the official language you choose, English or French. If you need accommodations, ask well in advance.Plan for the fee
The cost varies by province and territory. Your office will tell you when you register.
Official steps: How to register for the Red Seal exam. New to the trades? Start with our skilled trades guide.
Free help from Launch League
Want a hand with the application?
Nick will walk you through it, free, whether you are a tradesperson or a trades employer.
- Check whether you qualify and whether your trade is Red Seal
- Get your documents together before you start so you finish inside the 28-day window
- Walk through the official Government of Canada application while you fill in your own
- Employers: work out which apprenticeship programs fit your business and what you need to apply
- No charge and no catch. You enter your SIN and banking details yourself on the government site. We do not collect or store them, cannot approve an application and cannot guarantee a result
Questions
Red Seal, answered
- What is a Red Seal?
- A Red Seal endorsement is a seal on your provincial or territorial trade certificate. It shows that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to practice your trade across Canada. To get the Red Seal endorsement, you need to pass the Red Seal exam.
- How many Red Seal trades are there?
- There are 54 Red Seal trades on the official list, out of more than 300 designated trades in Canada. Not all trades are designated Red Seal.
- How do I get Red Seal certification?
- Check that you meet the Red Seal exam requirements of your province or territory, which can differ by trade and by type of tradesperson such as apprentice or trade qualifier. Then complete the Red Seal exam application form from your provincial or territorial apprenticeship office, or contact that office. Exams are administered by the provincial and territorial authorities.
- How much does the Red Seal exam cost?
- It varies by province and territory. Your provincial or territorial office tells you the cost when you register.
- Is a Red Seal chef a Red Seal trade?
- The Red Seal trade on the official list is called Cook. Baker is a separate Red Seal trade.
- Can I get the $5,000 Red Seal Completion Bonus?
- Only if you completed an apprenticeship and earned certification in a designated Red Seal trade on or after April 1, 2025. The Government of Canada says applications open November 16, 2026.
Keep going
More for the trades
- $5,000 Red Seal Completion Bonus guideWho qualifies, the dates, what to have ready and how to apply.New
- Apprenticeship grants, loans and incentivesEvery federal program for apprentices, tradespeople and employers in one place, with what is open and what is coming.Funding
- Red Seal trades list: all 54 tradesWhat the Red Seal is, which trades have it and how to register for the exam.List