The working guide · Melbourne
Working as a barber in Melbourne
What Melbourne shops are paying, where the chairs are, and what they want from the person filling them. Every number on this page comes from the live board: 22 open roles, checked 24 August 2026.
Where the work is
Melbourne's open chairs cluster in Frankston, Prahran, Patterson Lakes and beyond. Each area links to its own live listing page.
What shops pay in Melbourne
- $60,000 to $90,000 a year11 open roles
- $30 to $50 an hour9 open roles
Another 2 listings don't state pay, which usually means it's negotiated on experience.
Australian barbering pays three ways. Hourly or salaried roles give you a guaranteed base, common in busier walk-in shops. Commission deals pay a percentage of what you cut, so a full book beats a quiet one. Rent-a-chair flips it: you pay the shop a fixed rent, keep everything you take, and run your own book. Plenty of shops blend a base with commission on top, and the listing states which model applies.
What shops ask for
- Beard design & sculpting20 roles
- Fades (skin, low, mid, high)18 roles
- Scissor cutting16 roles
- Taper cuts10 roles
- Blow-dry & styling9 roles
- Hot towel shaves8 roles
- Clipper work (all guards)8 roles
- Straight razor work8 roles
12 of the 22 open roles ask for under two years of experience. Most shops look for a Cert III in Barbering (SHB30516) or the hands-on equivalent, and many will trial first regardless.
How the roles are shaped
- Full-time18 roles
- Rostered / part-time3 roles
- Rent a chair1 role
Hiring right now: FADE GAME pty ltd, National Salon And Spa Recruitment (Patterson Lakes), Midnightbarbershop (Wollert), On Point Fade barbershop (Essendon North), Kings Domain Barber Collins St. - KINGS DOMAIN COLLINS ST. PTY LTD, Knucklehead Barbershop, railway and men (Ringwood East), Salmani Family PTY LTD (Officer).
Moving to Melbourne to cut hair
4 of the open Melbourne roles currently advertise visa sponsorship, and shops here hire relocating barbers year round. BarberRise exists so you can line up the chair before the flight: build a profile, talk to the shop, and land with work waiting. Justin, who built the platform, made exactly that move.
Frequently asked questions
- How many barber jobs are open in Melbourne right now?
- 22 open roles across Melbourne as of 24 August 2026. The count moves daily as shops post and fill chairs; the live board always has the current set.
- What do barbers earn in Melbourne?
- Going by what Melbourne shops are advertising right now: 11 roles pay $60,000 to $90,000 a year; 9 roles pay $30 to $50 an hour. Another 2 roles don't state pay up front, which usually means it's negotiated on experience.
- Can I get sponsored to barber in Melbourne?
- 4 of the 22 open Melbourne roles currently offer visa sponsorship. Shops that sponsor say so in the listing, so filter for sponsorship on the board to see them.
- Do I need experience to get hired in Melbourne?
- 12 of the 22 open roles ask for under two years behind the chair, so Melbourne has genuine room for early-career barbers. The rest want more mileage, and many shops will trial you regardless of what the ad says.
See the 22 open Melbourne roles
Live listings, verified shops, apply free. Or build a profile and let shops come to you.