Preview build People, jobs, listings and posts are samples. Guides, events and the directory are real.
ArboNation Join free

How long is an arborist apprenticeship?

The hours and years that Skilled Trades Ontario, SkilledTradesBC, the government of Quebec, TCIA and the National Careers Service give for arborist apprenticeships.

Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here.

Apprenticeship length is set by each province, state or country, and the sources below count it in different units. Some give hours, some years, some both. This page lists each figure as the source gives it and does not convert between them. The guide that compares the programs is arborist apprenticeships by country.

The figures side by side

ProgramLength and instruction
Ontario, Arborist6,120 hours: 5,400 on the job, 720 in school
BC, Climbing Arborist1,800 hours of work-based training, plus 8 weeks of technical training over 1 year
BC, Utility Arborist2,378 hours of work-based training, plus 8 weeks of technical training over 2 years
Quebec, ArboricultureAt least 1,800 hours under a certified worker, plus a 16-hour felling safety course
US, TCIA description3 years, 5,400 to 6,000 hours, plus 440 hours of related instruction
England, Level 2 and Level 3Usually a minimum of 2 years
England, Level 4 and Level 62 to 3 years

Notes on each source

  • Ontario. Skilled Trades Ontario gives the total as the time generally needed to become competent in the trade, and issues a Certificate of Apprenticeship on completion. The Certificate of Qualification follows a certifying exam.
  • British Columbia. The Climbing Arborist page says the Arborist Technician program is taken before Climbing Arborist, and also says an applicant for a Sign-off Authority number for Climbing Arborist does not need Arborist Technician certification. The Utility Arborist page carries the 2,378-hour figure.
  • Quebec. The arboriculture certificate page says the Ministry can reduce the length of the apprenticeship or exempt required training based on work experience, diplomas or professional skills.
  • United States. The TCIA page lays out requirements for a company that wants to register an apprenticeship with the US Department of Labor.
  • England. The National Careers Service says the Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships take a minimum of 2 years. The Skills England record for the Level 2 Arborist standard gives a typical training duration of 18 months and a typical assessment period of 3 months.

Not a figure for every country

The Australian and New Zealand pages read for this series do not give an apprenticeship length for arborists. Tahatu in New Zealand gives a training time of one year for the career, which is a qualification time rather than an apprenticeship term.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 for the National Careers Service profiles.

Sources