In Manitoba, the Red Seal exam is run by Apprenticeship Manitoba. Apprentices write the certification exam once they have met their trade's apprenticeship requirements, including all levels of technical training, often in their classroom on the last day of the last level, and they pay no exam fee. Experienced workers apply as trade qualifiers: you send the Trades Qualification Application Form, employer declarations and copies of your credentials with a $200 non-refundable assessment fee, and processing takes up to eight weeks. Once approved, you are emailed an exam application form and the exam schedule, you choose your preferred time, date and place, and you have one year to write. The trade qualifier exam fee is $400 and a re-exam is $100. You must reside in Manitoba and write in person in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson or The Pas. The exam is four hours of multiple-choice questions with a 70% pass mark. If you fail twice, the Experienced Tradespersons FAQs say additional approved training is required before a third exam, while the certification exams page says any upgrading is decided case by case.
| Who runs it | Apprenticeship Manitoba (Province of Manitoba). Depending on your trade, the certification exam is a Red Seal exam or a provincial exam. |
|---|---|
| Exam fee | Trade qualifiers: $200 non-refundable assessment fee, then $400 for the exam. Apprentices pay no exam fee. Tax status is not stated. |
| How you book | Trade qualifiers fill in an Exam Application form that is emailed after approval, choosing a preferred time, date and place. Apprentices usually write in class at the end of their last level. |
| Where you write | In person in Manitoba only: Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson or The Pas. You must reside in Manitoba. |
| Pass mark | 70%, with a four-hour time limit and multiple-choice questions. |
| If you fail | Trade qualifiers pay a $100 re-exam fee and can re-schedule a second attempt within one year of the previous attempt without reapplying. For a third attempt the FAQs say additional approved training is required, while the certification exams page says upgrading is decided case by case. No waiting period is stated. |
| Results | Exam results plus a trade exam report showing how you did in each section. No turnaround time or delivery method is published. |
| Approval lasts | One year to write, from written confirmation that you are approved as a trade qualifier. Do not register within that year and you re-apply, pay the fees and complete your documentation again. |
01Who can write the Red Seal exam in Manitoba?
Apprenticeship Manitoba puts the rule in one sentence: "Whether you're an apprentice or a trade qualifier, you must pass the certification exam for your trade to become a journeyperson." Which exam that is depends on the trade: "Depending on your trade, this will be a Red Seal exam (also called an interprovincial exam) or a provincial certification exam." The office publishes one certification exams page for apprentices and another for experienced tradespersons.
Apprentices. "When you have met the trade's apprenticeship requirements, including all levels of technical training, you will write a certification exam." For most apprentices there is nothing to book, because "certification exams are often written in your classroom on the last day of your last level of technical training."
Trade qualifiers. This is Manitoba's name for the challenge route. The Apply to Become a Trade Qualifier page sets three minimums, each specific to the trade: "a minimum number of years working in the trade", "a minimum number of hours working in the trade", and "experience (skills) in at least 70 per cent scope of the trade". There is no single Manitoba figure. As one example, the Carpenter trade profile lists 6 years of experience and 10,800 hours for trades qualification, and says an additional practical exam is required.
Time spent as a registered apprentice does not count toward those totals: "If part of your work experience was as a registered apprentice, these hours are considered training hours and will not qualify for experience towards trade qualification."
Residency. Manitoba limits the challenge route to its own residents: "You must reside in Manitoba to challenge a Red Seal, provincial or practical certification exam." For how the challenge route works across Canada, see our guide on challenging the Red Seal exam without an apprenticeship.
02How to apply and book the exam
Most apprentices do not book anything, because the exam is normally written in class. The order of events for a trade qualifier:
- Put the application together. You need the Trades Qualification Application Form (there is also an online version that requires an AccessManitoba login), Employer Declaration forms "filled and signed by your direct supervisor (current and past)" or a Statutory Declaration if you were self-employed, and "copies of all trade-related certificates and credentials". The forms are on the applications and forms page.
- Pay the assessment fee. "Include a $200 payment (non-refundable). Make cheque payable to: Apprenticeship Manitoba."
- Wait for the assessment. "Applications take up to eight weeks to process after payment and all documents are received." To verify your experience the office may ask for T4s, ROEs or invoices, and "Apprenticeship Manitoba may request an interview".
- Receive your approval and the exam application form. If you are approved, "you will be notified via email that you have been approved to challenge the certification exam". Then: "Once you have received written confirmation that you are approved as a trade qualifier, you will be sent an exam application form." "The exam application form and exam schedule are emailed to trade qualifiers and are not available online."
- Register for a sitting. You "complete the Exam Application form to register for your exam. In the form, you can select your preferred exam time, date and place." The place is one of the four Manitoba exam centres listed in section 09. Apprenticeship Manitoba's Exam Accommodation Request form says "you will receive written confirmation of your exam time, date and location".
- Write the practical exam, if your trade has one. This comes after the written exam: "Trades Qualifier will complete practical portion once successful at the written examination."
The one-year clock. Approval as a trade qualifier does not last indefinitely. "You will have one year to write your certification exam and, if applicable, your practical exam." Let the year pass and the process starts over: "If you do not register for your exam within that year, you will have to re-apply, pay the fees and complete your documentation again."
Apprentices. You use the Exam Application form only in three situations: a level placement test, exceptional circumstances, or an exam written with accommodations. Practical exams work differently too: "Apprentices book practical exams through technical training providers."
Temporary permits. Trade qualifiers in the Hairstylist, Esthetician, Skin Care and Nail Care trades "will be mailed a temporary permit" so they can work while waiting to challenge the exam.
03What the exam costs
All amounts are as published by Apprenticeship Manitoba on September 17, 2026. The pages give dollar figures without naming a currency, which we read as Canadian dollars, and they do not say whether GST applies.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Trades Qualification Application (assessment), non-refundable | $200.00 |
| Trades Qualification Certification Exam | $400.00 |
| Trades Qualification Certification Re-Exam | $100.00 |
| Apprentices, certification exam and rewrites | No exam fee |
| Trade qualifiers applying through the Military Credential Recognition Process | Free of charge |
| Costs of an exam accommodation, such as an interpreter or reader you bring | Your own cost; not reimbursed |
| Adding a Red Seal endorsement to an existing Certificate of Qualification | Not published |
The certification exams page for experienced tradespersons lists the three trade qualifier fees and states: "All fees are paid to Apprenticeship Manitoba." The Trades Qualification for Experienced Tradespersons guide (September 2025) agrees: "Trades Qualification Certification Exam fee is $400. (Re-exam fee is $100)."
These fees apply to trade qualifiers only. Apprenticeship Manitoba states: "There is no exam fee for Apprentices." That covers rewrites as well as the first attempt.
One group challenges without charge. The Trade Qualifier page says: "You can apply as a trade qualifier to challenge the Red Seal exam free of charge through the Military Credential Recognition Process".
04Exam day: format, language, what to bring
Format. Apprenticeship Manitoba says the certification exam "has a time limit of four hours", "is made up of multiple-choice questions" and "requires a passing grade of 70 per cent". That matches the Red Seal Program's national rule of a 70% pass mark and four hours of writing time. Manitoba's provincial (non-Red Seal) certification exams use the same format: "The Provincial Exam has a pass mark of 70%. The writing time is four hours." The number of questions varies by trade. Our guides cover the question count for each trade and what 70% means in marks.
Where. In person, at one of four exam centres in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson and The Pas (addresses in section 09). "Trades qualification certification exams must be written in Manitoba."
What is supplied. Apprenticeship Manitoba's Provincial Exam Preparation Guide, which is written for the provincial (non-Red Seal) certification exam, lists what the exam centre hands you: "an exam booklet", "a diagram booklet (if required)", "other reference material, if required: acronym list, math formulas, code book information", "a pencil and eraser", "a calculator, if needed" and "a bubble sheet". The Red Seal Program's exam preparation guide gives the same list for the Red Seal exam. Under the Red Seal Program's room rules you use the calculator provided, not your own.
What you cannot bring. Manitoba's Examination Cheating Policy (PL-#3019, effective January 4, 2022) defines "unauthorized electronic devices" to include "cellular telephones, programmable calculators, smart electronic devices", and "unauthorized materials" to include "text books, notebooks, study aids, and other written materials". Penalties can include a period during which you are barred from rewriting and the cancellation of a certificate you already hold. An appeal must be filed within 30 days. Our exam day guide covers the Red Seal Program's own room rules, which also bar electronic devices.
What to bring. No public Apprenticeship Manitoba page lists an identification requirement for exam day. The Red Seal Program's guide tells candidates to "Know what you need to bring (e.g., government issued photo ID, proof of apprenticeship, etc.)", so read your written exam confirmation closely and ask the office if it does not say.
Language. The Red Seal Program's advice is to "Confirm with your provincial or territorial office that your exam will be in the official language (English or French) of your choice." In Manitoba a printed translation dictionary is allowed only as an approved accommodation, not as of right. See section 07.
Practical exams. Trade qualifiers in these trades write a practical exam as well as the written one: Auto Body and Collision Technician, Automotive Refinishing Technician, Bricklayer, Carpenter, Electrologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, Skin Care Technician, Hairstylist, Machinist, Tool and Die Maker and Welder. For apprentices the list is shorter: Electrologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, Skin Care Technician, Hairstylist and Welder.
05How you get your results
Apprenticeship Manitoba describes what you receive, but not when or how. On retaking the exam it says: "If you do not get a passing grade, you can retake your certification exam. You will be provided with your exam results and trade exam report that outlines how you did in each section." On passing: "When you pass, you will receive your Certificate of Qualification and become a journeyperson in your trade."
No Apprenticeship Manitoba page or PDF states how long marking takes, in days or weeks, or whether results arrive by mail, by email or through an AccessManitoba account. Ask when you submit your exam application form.
06If you do not pass
You can write again: "If you do not get a passing grade, you can retake your certification exam." Apprenticeship Manitoba describes the process in steps: a second attempt, then a third or fourth attempt.
Second attempt. The Experienced Tradespersons FAQs say: "if you take the exam within the year but fail to achieve a passing grade of 70 per cent or more, you can re-schedule your second attempt within one year of your previous attempt without needing to reapply." Trade qualifiers pay the $100 re-exam fee. Apprentices pay nothing. No mandatory waiting period between attempts is stated.
Third attempt and beyond. Two Apprenticeship Manitoba pages word this differently, so read both. The Experienced Tradespersons FAQs say: "If you still do not pass, you will need to take additional approved training before you can register for a third exam." The certification exams page says: "You may be required to upgrade your skills before making another attempt, which is determined on a case-by-case basis." Ask the office which one applies to you before you plan a third attempt. No hard maximum number of attempts is stated.
Another route. A trade qualifier who keeps missing the mark has an alternative: "you may decide to challenge a level test and enter the apprenticeship program as your pathway to certification."
If you wrote with an accommodation, you must request it again for the rewrite (section 07).
The trade exam report shows how you did in each section, so use it to decide where your study time goes. Our guide on how to study for the Red Seal exam builds a plan from the exam breakdown.
07Accommodations
Apprenticeship Manitoba names language among the reasons for an accommodation: "If you have dyslexia, exam anxiety, if English is not your first language or if you have other conditions affecting your exam, you may be able to have an exam accommodation."
The options Apprenticeship Manitoba lists are:
- Interpreter. You bring your own. "This person cannot work or be certified in the same trade as you", and "A time extension of one hour is provided".
- Reader. The same rules as an interpreter, with the same extra hour.
- Language dictionary. "You may use a printed language dictionary (no electronic copies) that provides translation. Trade specific dictionaries are not permitted. Dictionaries must be free of markings and/or notes".
- Time extension, private sitting, modified exam format, or another arrangement you describe on the form.
An interpreter or reader may not assist with the same exam more than once in 90 days.
How to ask. First, "a qualified professional must provide documentation in the form of a letter or note". Second, "You must complete and submit the Exam Accommodation Request Form at least one month before your exam." The Exam Accommodation Request form is blunt about the paperwork: "Your exam accommodation request will not be approved without a letter or supporting document."
Rewrites. An approved accommodation does not carry over. "If you are retaking an exam, you must complete another Exam Accommodation Request form. If the accommodation is different than the previous one, you will need to provide a new letter".
Cost and place. "You will not be reimbursed for costs associated with an exam accommodation." Accommodated sittings are held at the same four exam centres. Apprentices who need an accommodation register with the Exam Application form.
08Certificate and Red Seal endorsement
"Passing your certification exam will give you a Certificate of Qualification and make you a journeyperson." In a Red Seal trade, the certification exam is the Red Seal exam, and the Red Seal Program's program page explains what follows: "Tradespersons who have successfully passed the Red Seal examination receive a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial/territorial trade certificate."
If you already hold a Manitoba Certificate of Qualification without the endorsement, the experienced tradespersons guide gives a route: "If you want to obtain a Red Seal endorsement on your existing certificate of qualification, you can apply to challenge the Red Seal exam." No separate endorsement fee is published, so confirm with the office what you would pay.
In three trades the certificate is not the last step. Construction Electricians, Industrial Electricians and Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanics also need a licence from Inspection and Technical Services Manitoba after certification.
We found no Apprenticeship Manitoba page that states whether a Certificate of Qualification expires or has to be renewed. Ask the office.
09Contact and exam locations
Apprenticeship Manitoba. 100-111 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0T4. Phone 204-945-3337, toll-free 1-877-978-7233, fax 204-948-2346. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Email apprenticeship@gov.mb.ca for general questions and TradesQ@gov.mb.ca for trades qualification and exam forms. The full listing is on the contact page.
Exam centres. "Certification exams are held at four locations in Manitoba":
- Winnipeg: 111 Lombard Avenue. Apprenticeship Manitoba's own address is given as 100-111 Lombard Avenue.
- Brandon: 340 9th Street
- Thompson: 118-3 Station Road
- The Pas: 305 4th Street West
The exam schedule for these centres is not posted online. It is emailed to trade qualifiers along with the exam application form. The Red Seal Program's directory of provincial and territorial authorities lists the apprenticeship office for every province and territory.
10What Manitoba does not publish
We looked for each of these on Apprenticeship Manitoba's pages and the Red Seal Program's pages on September 17, 2026 and could not find them stated. Rather than guess, we list them, so you know what to ask the office directly.
- How long marking takes. No Apprenticeship Manitoba page or PDF gives a turnaround in days or weeks.
- How results are delivered: by mail, by email or through an AccessManitoba account.
- What identification you must show on exam day. Rely on your written exam confirmation, and ask the office if it does not say.
- A mandatory waiting period between attempts. None is stated, which is not the same as a guarantee of an immediate rewrite date.
- A hard maximum number of attempts. The pages describe second, third and fourth attempts, but state no cap.
- Which of the two third-attempt rules governs. The FAQs say approved training is required before a third exam; the certification exams page says upgrading is decided case by case. Neither page says how the two fit together.
- Whether GST applies to the $200, $400 and $100 fees. There is also no single fee schedule page; the old fees address redirects to the Apprenticeship Manitoba homepage.
- The fee, if any, for adding a Red Seal endorsement to an existing Certificate of Qualification.
- Whether a Certificate of Qualification expires or must be renewed.
- The exam schedule itself. Dates are emailed to approved trade qualifiers and are not available online.
11Sources
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Certification Exams (Experienced Tradespersons) — exam format, the $200, $400 and $100 fees, the four exam locations, the write-in-Manitoba rule, retake steps, accommodations.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Certification Exams (Apprenticeship Program) — certification exams for apprentices.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Apply to Become a Trade Qualifier — the years, hours and 70 per cent scope requirements, the $200 non-refundable fee, eight-week processing, the residency rule.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Trade Qualifier — the free challenge through the Military Credential Recognition Process.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Experienced Tradespersons FAQs — the one-year window, the second attempt within a year, approved training before a third exam.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Trades Qualification for Experienced Tradespersons (guide, September 2025, PDF) — the $400 exam and $100 re-exam fees, challenging the Red Seal exam to add an endorsement, practical exam trades, contact details.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Experienced Tradespersons, Applications and Forms — the Trades Qualification Application Form and declaration forms.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Carpenter trade profile — example trade qualifier requirement: 6 years, 10,800 hours, additional practical exam.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Examination Cheating Policy PL-#3019 (effective January 4, 2022, PDF) — unauthorized devices and materials, penalties, the 30-day appeal period.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Provincial Exam Preparation Guide (PDF) — supplies provided at the exam.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Exam Accommodation Request form (PDF) — written confirmation of exam time, date and location; documentation rules for accommodations.
- Apprenticeship Manitoba: Contact Us — address, phone numbers and office hours.
- Red Seal Program: Exam Preparation Guide — the national 70% pass mark and four-hour writing time, supplies provided.
- Red Seal Program: Exam Preparation Guide (PDF) — what to bring, exam room rules on electronic devices.
- Red Seal Program: Register for your Red Seal Examination — confirming the exam language with the provincial office.
- Red Seal Program: About the program — the Red Seal endorsement on the provincial certificate.
- Red Seal Program: Provincial and Territorial Authorities — directory of apprenticeship offices.
Every figure above was read on an official page on September 17, 2026. Fees and rules change; the office's own pages are the final word, and if you find one of ours out of date, tell us.
12Other provinces and territories
Eligibility, fees and rewrite rules are set by each province and territory, not by the Red Seal Program. The same guide for the others:
Related: all guides · challenging the exam without an apprenticeship · exam day: what to expect · the 70% pass mark · if you fail: rewrite rules compared
13Practice for this exam
The exam you write in Manitoba is the same Red Seal exam written everywhere else in Canada, built from the trade's published breakdown and marked to the same 70%. TicketPrep practice tests are weighted to that breakdown for each trade, every answer is explained, and the first test is free.
Ten free questions per trade, no account: free practice questions. How our questions are written and checked: how our questions are made.