On March 9, 2023, the federal government proclaimed into force amendments to the Canada Labour Code (CLC) and Regulations that increase the general minimum age for employment from 17 to 18. However, persons under the age of 18 will still be eligible for employment if:
- the person is not required to attend school under the law of the province of ordinary residence; and
- the work in which the person is to be employed:
- is not carried out underground in a mine,
- would not cause them to be employed in or enter a place that they are prohibited from entering under the Explosives Regulations, 2013,
- is not conducting work as a nuclear energy worker,
- is not conducting work that they are prohibited from performing under the Canada Shipping Act, 2011 by reason of their age, or
- the work is not likely to be injurious to their health or to endanger their safety.
The change will come into effect on June 12, 2023.