Student jobs in Ontario: the student wage, the 28 hour rule, and the age you can start by workplace
Ontario's general minimum wage is $17.95 an hour as of October 1, 2026, and the student minimum wage for workers under 18 is $16.90, which applies when you work 28 hours a week or less during the school year, or any hours during a school break. Ontario sets working ages by workplace: 14 for stores, offices and restaurant serving areas, 15 for kitchens and factories, 16 for construction. The GTA and Ottawa have the most student openings.
Ontario minimum wage and the student rate
Ontario has two rates that matter to students. The general minimum wage is $17.95 per hour and the student minimum wage is $16.90 per hour, both effective October 1, 2026. They replaced $17.60 and $16.60. Ontario adjusts its rates every October 1 based on the consumer price index, with the new figures announced the previous spring.
The student rate applies only if you are under 18 and either work 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or work during a school holiday such as summer, March break or the winter break. If you are 17 and pick up 32 hours in a school week, every hour that week must be paid at the general rate, not just the four over 28. Turn 18 and the student rate stops applying regardless of hours.
Many Ontario employers pay students the general rate anyway, especially grocery chains, warehouses and municipal recreation departments. The gap is just over a dollar an hour, so weigh commute time and shift reliability as heavily as the rate itself.
How old do you have to be to work in Ontario?
Ontario's Employment Standards Act does not set a minimum age. The Occupational Health and Safety Act regulations do, and they vary by the kind of workplace.
| Minimum age | Workplace |
|---|---|
| 14 | Offices, stores, arenas, restaurant serving areas and other industrial establishments that are not factories |
| 15 | Factories, including manufacturing and assembly plants, repair shops, restaurant kitchens and automotive service garages |
| 16 | Construction projects, logging operations and surface mines (away from the working face) |
| 18 | Underground mines, the working face of a surface mine, window cleaning, offshore oil and gas rigs |
Source: Minimum age for work, Government of Ontario.
The restaurant split catches a lot of people. A 14 year old can host, bus tables and run the till at a restaurant because the serving area is not a factory, but the same teen cannot work in the kitchen until 15. Grocery stores count as stores, so 14 year olds can bag, stock and cash out, and many Ontario chains hire at that age. Ontario does not set hour limits by age the way some provinces do; your school schedule and the student wage threshold are the practical constraints.
Where the student jobs are in Ontario
Ontario has more student jobs than any other province, and they cluster around the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and the mid sized cities along the 401. The Campus Atlas page for Ontario shows live openings for each city.
Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and the GTA
The GTA is the largest youth labour market in Canada. Yorkdale, Square One, Bramalea City Centre and Scarborough Town Centre hire in waves each October and May, downtown Toronto's restaurant and cafe scene runs on students, the Mississauga and Brampton warehouse belt hires 18 year olds well above minimum, and the municipal recreation departments post lifeguard and camp roles every spring.
Ottawa
Ottawa's job market is steadier than Toronto's and less seasonal. Rideau Centre, Bayshore, St. Laurent and the ByWard Market are the retail and restaurant hubs; summer adds Bluesfest, Canada Day and tourism along the canal. The federal government's student hiring programs are a major source of summer work for post-secondary students.
Hamilton, London, Kitchener-Waterloo and Windsor
Each has a university, a large mall, a downtown restaurant strip and a warehouse or manufacturing base. Competition per job is lower than in Toronto.
Cottage country and Niagara
Muskoka, Wasaga Beach and Niagara Falls hire heavily from May to September for resorts, attractions, marinas and restaurants, and some offer staff housing for students 18 and over.
Typical first jobs in Ontario
- Grocery clerk, cashier or cart attendant at Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys, Food Basics or No Frills (14 and up)
- Restaurant host or busser at 14, kitchen crew at 15
- Mall retail associate, with hiring peaks in October and late April
- Lifeguard, swim instructor or day camp counsellor with a municipal recreation department
- Movie theatre and entertainment venue attendant
- Warehouse associate for 18 year olds in the GTA logistics corridor
- Summer attraction and resort staff in Niagara and Muskoka
Finding jobs near your school with Campus Atlas
In a province this size, searching by city alone returns too much. Campus Atlas narrows it to your campus. Open the Ontario page, pick your high school, college or university, and you see the live openings in that city with the wage printed on each. A Scarborough high school student, a Fanshawe College student in London and a Carleton student in Ottawa all get different lists.
The free Resume Builder turns school activities, volunteering hours and sports into a one page resume. For a province wide search, use the full job listing and filter by city.
Browse live student jobs near Ontario schools on Campus Atlas (free, wages shown on every listing).
Frequently asked questions
How old do you have to be to work in Ontario?
Ontario sets the minimum age by workplace, not with one number. You can work in stores, offices, arenas and restaurant serving areas at 14, in factories and restaurant kitchens at 15, on construction and logging sites at 16, and in underground mines or window cleaning at 18. Employers often set their own higher hiring age.
What is the student minimum wage in Ontario?
Ontario's student minimum wage is $16.90 an hour as of October 1, 2026, compared with the general minimum wage of $17.95. It applies to workers under 18 who work 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or who work during a school break. Work more than 28 hours in a school week and the whole week is paid at the general rate.
Can a 14 year old work at a grocery store in Ontario?
Yes. Grocery stores are classed as stores rather than factories, so the minimum age under Ontario's health and safety regulations is 14 for roles such as bagging, stocking shelves and cashiering. Many Ontario grocery chains hire at 14 or 15. The student minimum wage of $16.90 applies, subject to the 28 hour rule.
Which Ontario cities have the most student jobs?
Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton, together with the rest of the GTA, have the largest number of student and part time openings in Canada, led by retail, restaurants, grocery and warehouses. Ottawa is the second largest market, followed by Hamilton, London, Kitchener-Waterloo and Windsor. Niagara and Muskoka add seasonal summer work.
Sources
- Minimum wage, Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, Government of Ontario
- Minimum age for work, Government of Ontario
- Job Bank, Government of Canada
Disclaimer
This article is general information for young job seekers, not legal, financial or employment advice. Minimum wages, minimum working ages, hours limits and program rules change, often on April 1 or October 1, and they differ by province and territory. Always confirm the current rules with your provincial or territorial government, the employment standards office, or the relevant federal department before relying on them. YouthBoard makes every effort to keep articles accurate, but they may contain errors or be out of date, and we accept no liability for any loss or decision made based on this content. If you spot something wrong, tell us and we will fix it.
