Hairdressing apprenticeships in New Zealand
A hairdressing apprenticeship in New Zealand takes 36 to 42 months: you are employed by a commercial salon for at least 20 hours a week while you work towards HITO's Level 4 Professional Stylist certificate. Funded apprentices pay $1,715 a year in fees. Here are the five steps, the costs and what you are paid on the way.
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How long did your apprenticeship take?
Put it on the record. Anonymous, about two minutes.
Add your timelineHow does a hairdressing apprenticeship work?
You get the salon job first, and the training is built around it. HITO, the hair, beauty and barbering training provider, runs the apprenticeship: your salon trains you on real clients, HITO sends theory work and assessors, and at the end you hold the New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing (Professional Stylist) (Level 4). The order:
- Get a job in a commercial salon. A hairdressing apprenticeship is a job first. HITO requires you to be employed in a commercial hairdressing salon for at least 20 hours a week under an employment agreement, to be 16 or older, and to be a citizen, permanent resident or hold a visa that covers the length of the programme.
- Sign a training agreement with HITO. Your salon contacts HITO, a Sales and Training Advisor visits the workplace, and once the training agreement is signed HITO sends your training materials and a personalised training plan. You can start at any time of year.
- Train on the job, every week. You learn by doing: consultations, cutting, colouring and styling on real clients, trained by a qualified stylist. HITO recommends the salon sets aside at least 2 hours a week for your training, and puts the total workload at 8 to 14 hours a week, including online theory assignments.
- Pass practical and theory assessments. Practical assessments happen at set points in a commercial salon, assessed by a HITO Industry Assessor. Theory assignments are marked online by HITO markers. Your advisor visits regularly to check progress.
- Finish the Level 4 certificate. The qualification is the New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing (Professional Stylist) (Level 4), NZQA code 2413. HITO expects it to take 36 to 42 months of work and study. After it you can go on to Level 5 advanced cutting or colouring, or the Level 4 commercial barbering certificate.
How much does a hairdressing apprenticeship cost?
$1,715 a year if you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, $6,004 over the whole apprenticeship, plus about $1,000 of equipment. On a work visa the fees are $5,500 a year. Fees Free refunds the final 2 years only if you finish by 31 December 2026. Ask the salon before you sign who pays: some salons cover the fees or the kit, some do not.
| Cost (HITO, 2026) | Funded apprentice | Non-funded (work visa) |
|---|---|---|
| Fee each year | $1,715 | $5,500 |
| Fees for the whole apprenticeship | $6,004 | $19,246 |
| Total with equipment (fact sheet) | $7,004 | — |
Worked example: a funded apprentice starting now pays $1,715 a year for about three and a half years, $6,004 in all, plus the $1,000 kit. Fees Free is a refund, not a discount, and Inland Revenue currently requires you to finish by 31 December 2026, so do not count on it if you are only starting. HITO invoices once a year from your start date, can split each year into monthly payments, and takes 5% off if you pay a year upfront. How apprenticeship fees and Fees Free work →
How much do hairdressing apprentices get paid?
At least $19.16 an hour if you are 20 or over and your agreement requires 60 credits a year of training; otherwise at least $23.95. Under 20 you are on the starting-out or adult rate, depending on your situation. Qualified hairdressers earn more, and senior stylists often earn commission on top.
| Stage | Rate | A year at 40 hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice, training minimum wage (floor) | $19.16 an hour | $39,853 |
| Apprentice, adult minimum wage (floor) | $23.95 an hour | $49,816 |
| Qualified hairdresser, starting out | $24 an hour | — |
| Qualified hairdresser, most common | $24–$33 an hour | — |
| Experienced hairdresser | $43 an hour | — |
The gap between the two floors is $4.79 an hour, about $9,963 a year at 40 hours. Check which one your agreement uses before you sign. How the two wage floors work →
How do you get a hairdressing apprenticeship?
Find the salon first. HITO points apprentices to its own Job Hub, SEEK and Trade Me, and says its local Sales and Training Advisors often know salons looking for an apprentice. What helps:
- NCEA Level 2 if you are still at school. Tahatū lists it as the usual entry point.
- Asking salons in person with a short CV. Many take on the person who walked in at the right time.
- Starting as a salon assistant. Washing, sweeping and reception get you in the door.
- Gateway at school, if your school offers a salon placement.
Ask whether the salon will claim Apprenticeship Boost, which makes a first-year apprentice cheaper for them. Starting later? Adult apprenticeships covers what changes. The hairdresser trade page lists salons that take apprentices on.
Common questions
How long does it take to become a hairdresser in NZ?
About three to three and a half years through an apprenticeship. HITO gives 36 to 42 months of work and study for its Level 4 Professional Stylist certificate. A full-time polytechnic course is the other route, and Tahatū lists an intermediate hairdressing certificate as an alternative, but you still need salon experience before you are working on your own clients.
How much do hairdressing apprentices get paid in NZ?
At least $19.16 an hour, the training minimum wage, if you are 20 or over and your employment agreement requires at least 60 credits a year of training. Otherwise the floor is the adult minimum wage of $23.95. Those are floors; salons can pay more. Once qualified, Tahatū gives $24 an hour starting out and $24–$33 an hour for most hairdressers.
How much does a hairdressing apprenticeship cost?
HITO's fees are $1,715 for each year for a funded apprentice (a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident), $6,004 in total for hairdressing. Its fact sheet puts the total at $7,004 including $1,000 of equipment. On a work visa you are non-funded: $5,500 a year, $19,246 in total. Fees can be paid monthly, and paying the year upfront takes 5% off.
Can you get a hairdressing apprenticeship with no experience?
Yes. HITO's programme is written for people who want to enter the hair industry as well as those already in a salon. What you need is a salon willing to employ you for 20 or more hours a week. Many apprentices start as a salon assistant, washing hair and helping stylists, and move into the apprenticeship from there.
Is Fees Free available for a hairdressing apprenticeship?
Only if you finish in time. HITO says its learners may be eligible. Fees Free covers the final 2 years of work-based learning, but it is a refund you claim in myIR after you finish, and Inland Revenue currently requires you to start your final year on or after 1 January 2025 and complete by 31 December 2026. Someone starting a 36 to 42 month apprenticeship now would not meet that date under the current rules.
Programme, length, assessment and entry requirements from the HITO — Apprenticeship in Commercial Hairdressing fact sheet (released July 2026); fees from HITO — Apprenticeship fees (current from 1 January 2026); finding a salon from HITO — Hair, beauty and barbering apprenticeships, all checked 2026-10-29. Qualified pay from Tahatū Career Navigator, checked 2026-09-18. Wage floors from Employment New Zealand — Minimum wage rates and types, checked 2026-09-18. Fees Free from Inland Revenue. Annual figures are our arithmetic.