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Legal working age

Minimum age required by law for a minor to work

Legal working age
Summary

Minimum age required by law for a minor to work

1973 Minimum Age Convention

]] The legal working age is the minimum age required by law in each country or jurisdiction for a person to be allowed to work. Activities that are dangerous, harmful to the health or that may affect the morals or well-being of minors fall into this category.

Africa

CountryLegal Working AgeKenyaNigeriaSouth AfricaEgyptMorocco
url=https://mywage.ng/labour-law/fair-treatment/minors-youthtitle = Minors and Youth in Nigeria - Children and Youth Services - Mywage.ng}}
15: (Restricted working hours and the type of work)
18: (Unrestricted)
14: (Restricted working hours and the type of work)
16: (Unrestricted)
16: (easy work)
19: (Unrestricted)

Americas

Federal legal working age legislation
This list was incomplete.
Minimum Age Standards for nonagricultural Employment
State laws: Alabama–Hawaii
Federal state
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia (U.S. state)
Hawaii
State laws: Idaho–Massachusetts
Federal state
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
State laws: Michigan–New Mexico
Federal state
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
State laws: New York–South Dakota
Federal state
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
State laws: Tennessee–Wyoming, Puerto Rico
Federal state
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Puerto Rico

| |}

Asia

CountryLegal Working AgeChinaHong KongIndiaIndonesiaIranIsraelJapanRepublic of KoreaMacauMalaysiaNorth KoreaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanVietnamThailandTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesYemen
Under 16: Article 61 states that an organization or individual may recruit a minor under the age of 16 if prescribed by the State.
13: Subject to restrictions and required to complete Form 3 secondary education.
15: Subject to restrictions for employment in industrial undertakings.
14: Restricted working hours and the type of work
21: (Unrestricted)
13: Minimum Employment age.
15: Restricted working hours and the type of work.
18: (Unrestricted)
15: Minimum employment age
18: Hard Work
21: (Unrestricted)
14: Minimum employment age
15: Restricted working hours and the type of work
18: (Unrestricted)
Both sexes:
Under 12: Film production and theatrical performance
12: Light work
Under 15: Cannot work during school hours
Male:
15: Restricted working hours
19: (Unrestricted)
14: Work during summer holidays.
16: Subject to approval of Labour Affairs Bureau after consultation of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, or after completion of compulsory education.
14: Easy Work.
16: (Unrestricted)
16: By default
15: (Restricted working hours and the type of work)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: Generally, a child must be at least 13 years of age before they can start working. The minimum legal age for working in Singapore is governed by the Employment Act and the Employment (Children and Young Persons) Regulations, and is enforced by the Ministry of Manpower.
15: Young persons above 15 may work in an industrial environment. However, the employer must inform the Commissioner of Labour within 30 days of their employment, and submit a medical certificate certifying their fitness for work.
16: Generally speaking, a person who is above the age of 16 is not a child or a young person, and is considered an adult worker (Unrestricted).
15: A worker aged fifteen years old, shall be considered as a child worker.
16: No child worker and no worker aged sixteen or seventeen years old shall be permitted to do work that is potentially dangerous or hazardous in nature.
18: (Unrestricted)
15: By default
15 (with registration to Labour Inspection Officer until 18)
13: (Part-time employment; restricted to easy work)
15: (Unrestricted)
15 (with some restrictions) 18 (unrestricted)
14: Light work with restricted hours.
15: Industrial work.
18: (Unrestricted)

Europe

CountryLegal Working AgeAlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustriaBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSerbiaSpainSwedenSwitzerland[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svgalt=leftframeless38x38px]]United Kingdom
14: (Easy work performed at school holidays)
16: (Unrestricted)
14: (Easy work performed at school holidays; Maximum 6 hours per day, with minimum 1 hours break; Minimum 2 following days of rest per week)
16: (Maximum 8 hours per day, with minimum 1 hours break; Minimum 2 following days of rest per week)
18: (Unrestricted)
16: (Unrestricted; No person under the age of 16 is allowed to work in Armenia)
14: (With many restrictions within a family setting)
15: (With minor restrictions assuming compulsory school years have been finished)
18: Unrestricted
14: Easy work with the permission from parents or legal guardians
16: Limited working hours up to 35 hours per week
18: Unrestricted
15: (Must have completed 2 years of secondary education; restricted to light work)
16: (only light work)
18: Unrestricted
15: (Restricted to light work; Restricted working hours)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: (Only for jobs as film actor or model; Strictly regulated)
15: (Strictly regulated)
16 (Minimum working age; Some occupations prohibited)
18: (Unrestricted)
15: (Restricted by the Labour laws)
18: (Unrestricted)
15: (Restricted by the Labour laws)
18: (Unrestricted)
14: (Only under special circumstances)
15: (Restricted occupations and working hours)
18: (Unrestricted)
None: (Only for activities in the cultural or artistic field. However, a police authorization must be obtained for these activities in advance.)
13: (Children 13–15 years of age may only perform light work, that is not in the vicinity of machinery. The working time may be on school days and up to 2 hours on other days up to 7 hours. In school-free weeks, the maximum working time must not exceed 35 hours per week.)
15: (Young people up to 18 years may not work in the following areas: with dangerous tools and equipment within hazardous work processes. The working time may not be between 18:00 und 6:00 on weekdays between 14:00 and 6:00 on holidays or Sundays. The maximum weekly working time must not exceed 40 hours.)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: A Person aged 13 may work under restrictions and parental permission.
15: Minimum Employment age. Minors under the age of 18 are restricted with working hours and certain occupations.
18: Unrestricted.
14: Someone aged 14 may practise "light work".
15: Minimum Employment age. Minors under the age of 18 are restricted with working hours and certain occupations.
18: Unrestricted.
14: (only for light work, regulated by Code du travail; No working at night; Strict time limitation; Parental permission is needed)
16: (No working at night; Strict time limitation; Parental permission is needed)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: (with parental permission; and only easy work for example: paper round)
15: (Part-time work with less than 8 hours per day and maximum 40 hours per week; No work on weekends, statutory holidays and at night time or in an imperiling environment). Further restrictions for work break and minimum vacation days.
18: Unrestricted
16: (The Hungarian Labour Code allows for the employment of people over 16 years old. Young workers apply a two-year period of protection: at the time of their working time must not exceed 8 hours. per day and forty hours per week. If you work a minimum of 4.5 hrs., They are entitled to 30 minutes. break, nor can they be employed on a night shift.)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: (Only safe and easy work. Subject to restrictions on working time related to mandatory schooling.)
16: (Employers have a duty to protect young workers from working in difficult and dangerous conditions in some sectors also apply to restrictions on working time.)
18: (Unrestricted)
14: (People aged under 16 years are not allowed to work full-time (full-time). The work of persons between the ages of 14 and 15 years must be obliged to comply with conditions:
• perform light work during the holidays - a person must necessarily have then at least 21 days off work
• work as part of the approved apprenticeship or training program.
• work in the film, when cultural undertakings, in advertising, or in connection with sporting events.)
16: (People aged 16 and 17 years old can only work the hours between 6:00 and 22:00.)
18: (Unrestricted.)
15: (Restricted working hours and the type of work.)
18: (Unrestricted)
15: (People between 15 and 18 years of age may work no more than 7 hours a day and 35 hours per week (including time learning - if they learn). There must they stay at work after hours or work at night. It is also prohibited to employ minors under conditions which may threaten their health, safety and morals. Workers under 18 years of age are entitled to a month's leave, in their case does not apply or trial periods.)
18: (Unrestricted)
14: (For light it is possible to hire 14-year-olds - but not longer than 9 hours per week during the school year and 15 hours a week during the holidays.)
15: (People aged over 15 but under 18 may work no more than 40 hours per week.)
18: (Unrestricted)
14: (Under certain conditions it is also possible to employ people aged over 14 years old but under 16 years of age. They have the right to perform easy work - during the school year for no more than two hours during the day and 12 hours a week during the holidays - 7 hours a day and 35 hours per week.)
16: (Persons who have completed 16 years but have not reached the age of majority have no right to work more than 8 hours per day and 36 hours per week.)
18: (Unrestricted)
16
16: (Until they reach adulthood under the special protection of the law - are entitled to work up to 8 hours per day and 40 per week (included in is also a time of learning and training). Young worker has no right to do the work between the hours of 22 and 6am.)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: (The minimum age of employment under the supervision and with no guarantee of a minimum wage.)
15: (The right to the minimum wage.)
16: (Persons over 16 years but less than 18 years, has most of the rights and obligations as workers age. However, you will not be able to work in harmful conditions - including noise, cramped quarters and with toxic substances.)
18: (Unrestricted)
13: (People aged over 13 but under 15 years of age may be employed only for light work that does not endanger the health, development, and does not interfere with learning.)
15: (Restricted working hours and the type of work.)
18: (Unrestricted)
None: (Cultural and artistic field)
15: (Light work only)
18: (Unrestricted)
16: (Restricted working hours and the type of work.)
18: (Unrestricted)
15: (Restricted)
None: (Artistic field only. Must have parental permission. Restricted working hours and shortened working week, must not interfere with school education or violate public morality)
16: By default
None: Artistic activities with parental permission and a specific authorization of the labor department.
16: Parental permission is required.
18: Unrestricted
None: (Only artistic field and some light risk free jobs. Must have parent permission. Restricted working hours and shortened working week.)
Age 13: (Must have parental permission; only easy work)
None: (Artistic fields such as television, theatre and modelling)

Oceania

CountryLegal Working AgeFurther notesAustraliaNew ZealandPapua New Guinea
Varies by state and territory.
13 (Queensland & Victoria; 11 when delivering newspapers, none for entertainment industries)
url=https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/rights-and-responsibilities/young-employees/title=Young employeeswebsite=Employment New Zealand}}
20: Unrestrictedurl=https://youthlaw.co.nz/rights/young-adults/work/before-you-start-work/title=Before You Start Work « Topics «website=youthlaw.co.nz}} there are multiple minimum ages of work for jobs with higher risk.
16

References

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