Since there is no general minimum age for work in all workplaces in Ontario, it is not surprising that there has been some confusion among employers. To help you navigate this tricky part of Ontario`s labour laws, we`ve created a quick guide to the legal working age in Ontario. In this guide, we will discuss: For the following industries and workplaces, the legal age to work in Ontario is listed below: The above restrictions, which set the minimum age for work at 15 or 14 years, do not apply to workers who work as entertainers in the entertainment and advertising industry as defined in subsection 4(4) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation. but according to the Child Performers Protection Act, 2015, no children: Regulations made under the OHSA set the minimum age for admission to employment for certain industries. The legal age to work in Ontario is one thing, but did you know that there is also a legal age to visit certain workplaces in the province? Learn about the minimum age to work in specific industries and visit specific workplaces in Ontario. You have a “reasonable reason” for the lack of work if something beyond your control prevents you from working. For example: None (18 years old to work as a waiter in a restaurant that sells alcohol, or as a bartender. Age is not a factor in the job for a business for which the sale of alcohol is not the primary focus, as long as that business holds an off-site license, meaning alcohol cannot be consumed on the property.) 18 years: Unlimited (and the minimum age to work in: bars, discos, dance halls and nightclubs)[80] (The minimum age to serve or sell alcohol in a grocery store or supermarket is 16 years, provided the minor is supervised by a person over 21 years of age; The minimum age to work as a bartender or in a restaurant that sells alcohol is 21.) Under Ontario`s Employment Standards Act, 2000, there is no minimum age for work in Ontario. Instead, the province`s Occupational Health and Safety Act established minimum age requirements for various industries and workplaces. Not all students are entitled to minimum wage.
Students who are not eligible for minimum wage include: In addition to OHSA regulations that set the minimum age for work in Ontario workplaces, some employers have their own minimum workplace age guidelines. A child must be at least 16 years of age to work in occupations related to logging, surface mining or mining other than pruning and construction, with the exception of pit attendant work if a winch is used (must be 19 years old). You must now be at least 16 years old to work in Saskatchewan. Prior to May 2009, only five sectors had a minimum age for hiring youth: hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals and retirement homes. The new legislation aims to promote school education while giving young people some work experience. However, under certain conditions, 14-year-olds can work: with the consent of their parents or guardians, with health and safety training, no later than 10 p.m. if they have school the next day, before school begins on a school day and more than 16 hours during a school week. In addition, the new law will continue to restrict the employment of youth in casinos, in the sale, handling or service of alcohol and in certain high-risk occupations. – In British Columbia, children can work before the age of 12, with the permission of the Director of Labour Standards, who sets the terms and conditions of employment. Between the ages of 12 and 14, parental consent is sufficient, provided that the employer respects certain restrictions (for example, no work during school hours).
The province allows work on school days, but no more than four hours. The legal working age is the legal age required for a person in any country or jurisdiction if they have not reached the age of majority. Activities that are dangerous or harmful to health, or that may affect the morale of minors, fall into this category. While age requirements are an aspect of the minimum working age in Ontario, it is also important to consider the educational commitments of those under the age of 18. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), there is a minimum age at which a child can work in Ontario. Of course, children can work in Ontario, but they have to be a certain age and there are jobs they can do without breaking the rule. As a parent, you must respect family law when caring for your children or wards and make sure they are not minors. With this in mind, find out at what age a child can legally work in Ontario. If you have worked for five years or more, you are entitled to at least three weeks of leave for every 12 months of employment. 14: (Light work only. Must have parental permission. The limitation of working time and the reduction of weekly working hours must not interfere with school education) 16: (Light work only.
Full education required. 18: Without restriction However, if a child chooses to work as a performer in the entertainment and advertising industry, the age limit of 14 to 15 years may be waived in accordance with the Industrial Enterprises Regulations in subsection 4(4). You are responsible for showing your employer that you have a “reasonable reason” for not working. The minimum age for a child to work in Ontario is 14, but every industry has a minimum age for children. However, the parent must seek family law advice regarding the child`s decision to work to avoid breaking the law. Here is the minimum age a child can accept depending on the industry: That`s right, according to the regulation for industrial businesses under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, visitors to the following types of workplaces must meet certain age requirements: Women:15: Limited hours of work and type of work.18: Certain restrictions on working in manifestly unsanitary conditions.19: (Without restriction). [43] Articles 64 and 70-72 of the Labour Code introduce the minimum age. However, as noted earlier, the legal age to work in Ontario varies by industry and workplace. Some jobs are riskier or require more specialized skills. As a result, some industries, such as construction and mining, require employees to be over the age of 14. Women:15: With extensive restrictions on hours of work and type of work18: May only participate in underground work if they perform underground work by regulation:20 (Without restriction)[42]Chapter 6, sections 56-62 (Federal laws create stricter requirements in many cases!) Some employers require you to pay for work uniforms or other items as a condition of employment. You can only deduct the cost of the uniform or other items from your salary if you agree in writing.
You should ask your employer about the special requirements before accepting a job. For example, a restaurant`s kitchen would be considered a factory, meaning the legal working age is 15. However, keeping a cash register at the front of the restaurant would be considered a retail job, meaning the legal working age is only 14. It is also important to note that some employers set their own minimum wage guidelines for work. For example, you could legally hire 16-year-olds to work at your company, but you could implement a policy requiring employees to be at least 18 years of age or older. How old do I have to be to work in construction or take training to work at heights in Ontario? According to the Green Paper to Part 1 of the Safety Regulations, the minimum age of a worker or person authorized to be in or around an industrial workplace varies depending on the type of work performed: logging operations, non-logging mills and workplaces that are not factories. All of this is provided for in Regulation 851, at p. 4(1) of the R.R.O. 1990, which specifies the age requirement for a person authorized to remain in or near an industrial facility. If you typically work more than three hours a day and your employer asks you to work less, they will have to pay you at least three hours at your regular wage rate, even if you work less than three hours.
The only exception is if your employer is unable to perform work due to a cause beyond their control, such as a lightning strike or a power outage that stops work. In most workplaces, the minimum age for work is 14. But it depends on the work. If you run a business that employs a lot of young people, you need to know the legal age to work in Ontario. While most people will tell you that the legal age to work in the province is 14, this is not true for all industries and workplaces. Young workers with less than five years of employment are entitled to at least two weeks of paid leave every 12 months of employment, from the date of their recruitment. (21 years to work as a bartender; 19 years to work as a waiter in a restaurant that sells alcohol; 18 years is the minimum age to work in a liquor store or transport liquor) Minimum wage is the lowest rate of pay (amount of money) an employer can pay employees, whether full-time or part-time. Employers must pay young workers at least minimum wage, regardless of how they are paid. These include: According to the Education Act, children are generally required to attend school between the ages of 6 and 18. Employers are also prohibited from employing children under the age of 16 during school hours. However, the Education Act contains a list of legal exceptions to these requirements. For example, children aged 14 and older may be exempted from school or attend school only part-time to participate in supervised alternative learning programs that may include employment.