The author, Silvia Sanchez, graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.A. in Psychology and has over 15 years of experience in the career-consulting field.
The path you must take to become an esthetician in Canada depends on the province you live/plan to live in.
Regulated provinces
Certification standards to work as an esthetician in Canada differ from province to province. Some provinces have regulation trade requirements, for example:
Saskatchewan divides their esthetic regulations between Nail Technicians and Skin Care specialists, also through an apprenticeship and trade certification commission.
Manitoba regulates their Electrologists and Estheticians through Apprenticeship Manitoba
Training and on-the-job hours may transfer to a regulated province if you meet their individual criteria. If you are moving outside of a regulated province, your training and certification will be appealing to employers in a province that does not have these requirements.
International Training
If you completed your esthetics training abroad, you may be able to use your education to work as an esthetician in Canada. This depends on whether the province you live in is regulated. However, we strongly recommend studying your province’s health and safety regulations in order to align your skills with Canadian safety and infection control guidelines.
Finally, there are two ways to become an esthetician in Canada in an unregulated province. Some employers may choose to train on the job. Many estheticians have started with training in one service, for example, waxing. As they gain practice and clientele, they build on their technical skills until they can offer a full service menu. In fact, because Alberta is an unregulated province when it comes to esthetics, many estheticians have been able to build successful businesses in this manner.
If your province is regulated, you can legally work as an esthetician in Canada after meeting expected training and hours.
While there is no official certification required, most nail salons require a new hire to have training. In addition, professional tools and supplies are sold by distributors who require proof of training to sell products. Distributors do not sell to the public.
Furthermore, Nail Technicians- like all other beauty service providers- must follow Alberta Health Standards and Regulations. The elimination of transmission of diseases is of utmost importance when delivering these services professionally. In other words, offering manicures and pedicures is about more than beautifying nails, it’s about hand, nail, and foot health. Good training courses review contraindications, infection control, and safety protocols.
On the other hand, if you plan to be self-employed you will require a business license.
Home Business License
While you do not need to be certified to work from home as a Nail Technician in Alberta, you do require a home business license. These are granted municipally. In other words, you have to apply for a home business license through your city. This isn’t always a quick process, so give yourself at least 3 months for your application to be processed post submittal.
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Different Paths to Becoming a Nail Educator in Alberta, Canada
There are different ways to become a Nail educator in Alberta, depending on your final goal. Ask yourself a few questions to help you clarify your goal. For example, do you visualize one-on-one training or large classes? Do you want to be self-employed? Or would you prefer to work for a school?
Working at an existing school is a good path for those that want to mentor future service providers without worrying too much about administrative details . This pathway follows a student-centered approach where the focus is the development of your students.
Schools have their own criteria when hiring these positions. Leadership and organizational skills are important qualifications for instructors.
Smaller classes
On the other hand, smaller classes or one-on-one training, also known as private trainers or private vocational training, is the path for entrepreneurs.
Private trainers develop their own curriculum. In addition, they are often responsible for student recruitment and procurement of goods. One-on-one training is a good way to start as it allows for low delivery costs with little financial risk.
Certainly regulations exist at most levels of government to ensure private trainers meet minimum licensing requirements in their fields. Consequently, there are many requirements to meet to achieve a training license. For instance, private trainers must show that they have consulted industry leaders in approving their curriculum.
Are there teaching requirements?
Nail technicians are not regulated in Alberta, Canada. However, industry guidelines exist to help Nail Technicians reach their goal of becoming effective nail educators. We recommend that Nail Techs have at minimum 2-3 years of experience in their field before taking the next step into education.
If you are visualizing larger classes or courses that will cost students over $1,000 in tuition fees, you will need a teaching license. This license is different than a business license issued by your municipality.
Not all private educators have curriculums that require a teaching license. There a few exemptions to licensing revolving around the price and purpose of your course amongst other factors.
EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP Beauty Industry Resource Centre (780) 604-2772 info@executivespagroup.com
There is this wonderful thing called the Alberta Human Rights Act. It applies to everyone, including employers who are interviewing potential employees.
This act was created by the Government of Alberta to promote fairness and equality. The act emphasizes 15 protected grounds which are off limits when asking interview questions.
The Alberta Learning Information System lists the following protected grounds (alisalberta.ca, 2024).
In other words, any questions regarding the items on the list above are deemed inappropriate. Take a look at this ALIS article on how to handle unacceptable questions.
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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP (780)604-2772 info@executivespagroup.com
What sets the trades apart from other occupations is that they are directed by a board of directors who use the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act to regulate the involved trades. This board consults with industry experts, for example, schools and employers, to establish and update certification requirements to meet the needs of employers (Tradesecrets, 2024).
Did you know that Alberta has over 50 designated trades?
Amongst this group of trades is Hairstyling. In the case of hairstylists, the board identifies the particular activities that hairstylists do, for example, cut, colour, perm, etc. These are called “restricted activities.” In other words, only people in the trade can perform those activities. Anyone performing or wanting to perform those activities must identify themselves either as a certified journeyperson, or as a sponsored apprentice with Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT).
This is done by either passing an exam to confirm that you meet industry standards, or registering as an apprentice after securing employment under the direct supervision of a certified journeyperson. You can also complete a designated occupational program, but then you still have to work the required hours, plus pass the exam.
List of References
Tradesecrets 2024, accessed 21 May 2024, <https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/learn-about-designated-trades>.
Tradesecrets 2024, accessed 21 May 2024, <https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/0424>.
Tradesecrets 2024, accessed 21 May 2024, <https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/0424/scope-of-profession/#restricted>.
