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How to Become a Skilled Tradesperson in Ontario

Earn while you learn. Here is the whole route — which trade, how to find a sponsor, what it costs and where to go next — with every fact linked to the official source.

STEPS TO CERTIFICATION
8
TRADES PROFILED
6
FACTS CHECKED
November 8, 2026

To become a skilled tradesperson in Ontario, you find an employer (a sponsor) willing to train you, register an apprenticeship with Skilled Trades Ontario, then learn mostly on the job — paid — with blocks of in-school training, and finish by writing the Certificate of Qualification exam. You can start at 16, you need legal permission to work in Canada and your trade's education requirement, and you do not need any courses first. Apprenticeships take about 2 to 5 years depending on the trade.

Facts checked against the official sources listed at the bottom of this page. Rules and fees change — confirm with the organization before you rely on them.

The 8 steps, start to finish

Open any step to see what to do and where to do it. Pick where you are starting from to see which steps matter most for you.

Where are you starting from?

  1. Step 1: Is a trade right for me?Find out what an apprenticeship really is: paid work, plus some time in class.
    • An apprenticeship is mostly paid, on-the-job training with some classroom time. Skilled Trades Ontario describes it as about 80% paid on-the-job training and about 20% in the classroom, over 2 to 5 years depending on the trade. The Government of Ontario says 85 to 90% of an apprenticeship is paid, on-the-job training — the two official sources differ.
    • Read about a few trades, talk to people who work in them, and go to a career fair if you can.
  2. Step 2: Pick a tradeTake the Trade Match quiz, then compare what each trade involves.
    • Take the Trade Match quiz for a starting point, then read the trade pages.
    • Check whether the trade is compulsory (you must be registered or certified to do the work — Ontario has 23 compulsory trades) or voluntary.
    • Check whether it is a Red Seal trade — Red Seal is the interprovincial standard, and passing its exam adds an endorsement to your certificate.
  3. Step 3: Get ready — in school or nowOYAP, Specialist High Skills Major, pre-apprenticeship programs and college programs.
    • Still in high school? The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) lets you start an apprenticeship through co-op — you need to be at least 15 with at least 14 credits.
    • A Specialist High Skills Major bundles 8–10 courses in Grades 11 and 12 around a sector such as construction, energy, horticulture and landscaping, or manufacturing.
    • Out of school? A pre-apprenticeship program runs up to 52 weeks, includes a work placement of 8–12 weeks, and is free — textbooks, safety equipment and tools are covered.
    • You do not need to take any courses before you start an apprenticeship.
  4. Step 4: Find a sponsorAn employer (or union, or group) agrees to train you. This is the step that starts everything.
    • Ways to find one, from Skilled Trades Ontario: your school’s guidance office (OYAP, SHSM, dual credit); college career centres; job websites; Employment Ontario; unions and trade groups; local companies; family and friends.
    • Employment Ontario can help you look — call 1-800-387-5656.
    • Contact local contractors in your trade directly: say you want to become an apprentice and ask if they sponsor apprentices.
  5. Step 5: Register as an apprenticeSign a Training Agreement with your sponsor and register it with Skilled Trades Ontario.
    • You must be at least 16, have legal permission to work in Canada (for example, a Social Insurance Number), meet the education requirement for your trade, and have a sponsor in Ontario.
    • Apply through the Skilled Trades Ontario Portal if you are 18 or older; at 16 or 17 use the paper form, signed by a parent or guardian.
    • You and your sponsor sign and register a Training Agreement. You get a wallet card, and apprentices in compulsory trades appear on the Public Register.
    • Download your Apprenticeship Training Standard — the logbook your sponsor signs as you master each skill.
  6. Step 6: Do the trainingLog your on-the-job hours and complete each in-school level.
    • The ministry sends your in-school invitation about 105 days before the class starts.
    • Classroom fees: Level 1 is covered for classes starting on or after January 1, 2026; Levels 2 and up still charge $10 a day.
    • Apprentices may be eligible for Employment Insurance while in class; you need the ministry’s Enrolment Confirmation Letter.
    • Ontario’s Tools Grant pays $400 to $1,000 depending on your trade’s sector. Apprentices in a Red Seal trade can apply for up to $4,000 in interest-free loans through the Canada Apprentice Loan — a loan you repay, not a grant.
  7. Step 7: Get certifiedWrite the Certificate of Qualification exam; in a Red Seal trade you can earn the Red Seal too.
    • In exam trades, a Provisional Certificate of Qualification is issued automatically when you complete your apprenticeship. It is valid for one year.
    • The Certificate of Qualification exam costs $150 + HST, and the first attempt is free for apprentices who complete an Ontario apprenticeship. If you need to rewrite, you wait 30 days.
    • Passing the Red Seal exam adds a Red Seal endorsement to your provincial certificate.
    • In a compulsory trade you renew your certificate every year ($60 + HST).
  8. Step 8: Work, grow — and maybe run your own businessLicences to run a business, safety training, and building a reputation.
    • Running your own business can need a licence: ESA for electrical contractors, TSSA for gas work, HCRA for building or selling new homes. Each trade page says which applies.
    • Health and safety training and WSIB coverage matter once you hire anyone.
    • Homeowners check reviews and credentials before they hire. ProScore for Pros explains how your profile works.

Two quick tools

Not sure which trade? Start here.

The Trade Match quiz asks 12 quick questions and suggests three trades, with the reasons why. The calculator shows how long the on-the-job hours could take at your pace, and the fees and grants that are published.

Take the Trade Match quiz Time & cost calculator

Explore six trades

Each page covers the work, the apprenticeship, the pay, where to train and what to do first.

Official links

Go straight to the organizations that run apprenticeships, set the rules and train apprentices in Ontario.

Government

Regulators and safety

Training and competitions

Industry and trade associations

Inclusion

Frequently asked questions

How do I become an apprentice in Ontario?

Find an employer or other sponsor willing to train you, then sign a Training Agreement with them and register it with Skilled Trades Ontario. You must be at least 16, have legal permission to work in Canada, and meet your trade's education requirement. You do not need to take courses before you start.

Does it cost money to become an apprentice?

Skilled Trades Ontario's apprenticeship pages list no registration fee. In-school Level 1 classroom fees are covered for classes starting on or after January 1, 2026; Levels 2 and up charge $10 a day. The Certificate of Qualification exam is $150 + HST, and the first attempt is free for apprentices who complete an Ontario apprenticeship.

Do apprentices get paid?

Yes. Most of an apprenticeship is paid, on-the-job training with your sponsor. Ontario law sets no apprentice pay scale — the old government percentage schedules ended in 2013. Apprentices must be paid at least the general minimum wage ($17.95 an hour since October 1, 2026; any yearly change takes effect October 1). Above that, the employer sets the rate — or, for union members, the collective agreement. Each trade page shows what people in the trade earn by region, and, where a current union agreement is on file, the apprentice rates it sets.

What is a compulsory trade?

In a compulsory trade you must be a registered apprentice or hold a certificate to do the work legally, and you appear on Skilled Trades Ontario's Public Register. Ontario has 23 compulsory trades, including electrician (309A), plumber (306A) and refrigeration and air conditioning systems mechanic (313A). In a voluntary trade, such as general carpenter or roofer, certification is available but not required.

Can I start an apprenticeship while I am still in high school?

Yes, through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), which runs through co-op. You need to be at least 15 and have at least 14 credits. Ask your school's guidance office.

I trained in a trade outside Canada. What do I do?

Ask Skilled Trades Ontario about a Trade Equivalency Assessment ($235 + HST). It is for people with trade experience from outside Canada, from another province or territory without a Certificate of Qualification, or from the Canadian Forces, and it looks for experience in the trade at least equal to the trade’s total apprenticeship hours, on the job and in school combined.

Facts checked

Every number on this page comes from one of these official pages, read on that date. Where two official sources disagree, we show both. Where nothing official is published, we say so instead of estimating. ProScore is not affiliated with these organizations.

The 16 official sources