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Quick answer: A Construction Electrician apprenticeship is 7,200 training hours in most provinces and territories, 9,000 in Ontario and 9,800 in Quebec, combining on-the-job hours with four levels of technical training. You register with your provincial or territorial authority, work under a certified journeyperson, and finish by passing the written certification exam, which is usually the Red Seal exam.
Apprenticeship hours by province
| Province or territory | Total hours | On the job | Technical training |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | 7,200 | 6,000 | 1,200 |
| Alberta | 7,200 | 6,120 | 1,080 |
| Saskatchewan | 7,200 | 6,240 | 960 |
| Manitoba | 7,200 | 5,800 | 1,400 |
| Ontario | 9,000 | 7,950 | 1,050 |
| Quebec | 9,800 | 8,000 | 1,800 |
| New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador | 7,200 | 6,180 | 1,020 |
Source: Ellis Chart. Some programs are not purely hours-based; your authority’s rules decide.
Steps in a Red Seal electrician apprenticeship
- Find an employer willing to hire and register you as an apprentice.
- Register with the apprenticeship authority in your province or territory.
- Work under a journeyperson. Ratios differ: 1:1 in Ontario, one journeyperson to two apprentices in British Columbia and Alberta.
- Attend each level of technical training and pass level exams where your province requires them.
- Write the certification exam; the Red Seal exam has 100 questions and a 70 percent pass mark.
Practice for the Red Seal electrician exam
This page covers the route into the trade. For the exam itself, our main page is the Canada electrician exam guide: the Red Seal Construction Electrician exam format, the Quebec CCQ route, the wiring code and the official links in one place.
Try the free Canada electrician practice test in your browser. The questions are original and follow the Red Seal Construction Electrician exam breakdown and the Canadian Electrical Code; Quebec’s CCQ exam is not covered yet. The one-time Canada exam pack unlocks every Canada question and a printable PDF version, with no subscription.
FAQ
How many hours is a Red Seal electrician apprenticeship?
7,200 hours in most provinces and territories, 9,000 in Ontario and 9,800 in Quebec.
Is the electrician trade compulsory in Canada?
Yes in all ten provinces, according to the Ellis Chart. It is voluntary in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Do apprentices write level exams?
Most provinces require written level exams. Ontario and Manitoba list no written level exams.
Sources
- Ellis Chart: Construction Electrician
- Red Seal: Construction Electrician
- Red Seal: Construction Electrician exam information
Page updated: 2026-09-30. Figures were read from the linked official pages on 2026-09-30.
About the author: Tsai, creator of Tsai Electro, moved from an office job into electrical and MEP field work in Taiwan and holds Taiwanese indoor wiring and water piping technician certificates. Tsai has not completed a Canadian apprenticeship or held a Canadian certificate, so every Canadian rule on this page links to its official source.
