Student jobs in Manitoba: the $16.40 wage, the certificate you need at 13 to 15, and where to look
Manitoba's minimum wage is $16.40 an hour as of October 1, 2026, with no lower rate for students. You can start work at 13, but anyone aged 13 to 15 must first complete the free online Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course and have a parent sign it. During the school year those workers are capped at 20 hours a week. Winnipeg holds most of the openings, followed by Brandon and Steinbach.
Start here if you are 13, 14 or 15: the Young Worker Readiness Certificate
Manitoba is unusual. Instead of a long list of approved jobs by age, it asks every 13 to 15 year old to pass a short online course before their first shift. The Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course covers your rights, safety basics and what to do if something feels wrong at work. You print the Certificate of Completion, a parent or guardian signs it, and your employer keeps a copy. It stays valid until you turn 16.
Do the course before you apply, not after you get an offer. Showing up to an interview with the signed certificate in hand tells a manager you are organised, and it removes the one administrative reason they might choose an older applicant.
Manitoba minimum wage for students
The minimum wage in Manitoba is $16.40 per hour, effective October 1, 2026, up from $16.00. It applies to everyone, including students and workers under 18; Manitoba does not have a student or youth rate. The province adjusts the wage every October 1 based on the previous year's inflation, so a new figure arrives each fall. Check the Employment Standards minimum wage factsheet if you are reading this after the next adjustment.
Age rules for young workers in Manitoba
| Age | Can you work? | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| 12 and under | No | Children under 13 cannot be employed |
| 13 to 15 | Yes, with the certificate | Young Worker Readiness Certificate signed by a parent; max 20 hours a week when school is in session; no work between 11 pm and 6 am; must be directly supervised by an adult in the workplace; no construction sites, industrial or manufacturing work, pesticides or work above 1.5 metres. At 13, no food prep with deep fryers, slicers, grills or knives |
| 16 to 17 | Yes | No forestry, saw or pulp mills, confined spaces, underground mining or asbestos work |
| 18 and over | Yes | No age based restrictions |
Source: Young workers factsheet, Manitoba Employment Standards.
The 20 hour cap only applies in weeks when school is in session. During summer and other breaks a 15 year old can work the same hours as any other employee, which is why many Manitoba teens work near full time in July and August and drop to a weekend shift in September. The "no working alone" rule is the one employers most often get wrong: a 15 year old cannot close a store without an adult physically present.
Where the student jobs are in Manitoba
Manitoba has one very large city and a handful of regional centres, and the job map matches. The Campus Atlas page for Manitoba shows the live openings by city.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is where most of the province's part time work sits. Polo Park, St. Vital Centre, Kildonan Place and the Osborne Village and Corydon strips are retail and restaurant hubs. City pools hire lifeguards each spring, the summer festivals (Folklorama, the Fringe, Folk Fest) create short term gate and concession work, and the universities and Red River College Polytechnic post campus jobs every term.
Brandon, Steinbach, Portage la Prairie and Thompson
Brandon has a university, a college and a steady retail and food service market. Steinbach and Portage la Prairie have grocery, fast food and agricultural supply employers that hire local teens. Thompson is smaller, but employers there often struggle to fill entry roles, so students face less competition.
Lake country in summer
Grand Beach, Gimli, Winnipeg Beach and the Whiteshell have campground, marina, ice cream stand and provincial park jobs from May to September, and they are rarely oversubscribed.
Typical first jobs for Manitoba students
- Grocery clerk or cashier at Sobeys, Safeway, Co-op or Superstore (14 and up with the certificate)
- Quick service restaurant crew, with kitchen equipment roles from 14
- Lifeguard, swim instructor or wading pool attendant for the City of Winnipeg
- Day camp leader at community centres and the YMCA-YWCA
- Hockey arena attendant, referee or canteen worker through the winter
- Retail associate at Polo Park or St. Vital, with a hiring wave every October
- Warehouse and distribution roles for 18 year olds in the Inkster and CentrePort areas
Find jobs near your school with Campus Atlas
Campus Atlas maps Manitoba's high schools, colleges, universities and youth centres to the live jobs in their city, so you search from where you spend your day. Open the Manitoba page, pick your school, and scan the openings with the hourly wage shown on each one. It works the same for a Winnipeg high school, Assiniboine College or a youth centre in The Pas.
Build a resume with the free Resume Builder, designed for first time applicants. To see everything in the province at once, the full job listing filters by city and job type.
Browse live student jobs near Manitoba schools on Campus Atlas (free, wages shown on every listing).
Frequently asked questions
How old do you have to be to work in Manitoba?
You can start work at 13 in Manitoba. Anyone aged 13 to 15 must first complete the Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course online and have a parent or guardian sign the certificate. Children under 13 cannot be employed. From 16 you can work without the certificate, with a short list of hazardous industries off limits until 18.
What is the minimum wage in Manitoba for students?
Manitoba's minimum wage is $16.40 an hour as of October 1, 2026, and it applies to students and young workers at the same rate as adults. There is no separate student or youth minimum wage. The province adjusts the rate every October 1 in line with inflation, so check the Employment Standards factsheet for the current figure.
How many hours can a 15 year old work in Manitoba?
A 13, 14 or 15 year old can work up to 20 hours a week while school is in session and cannot work between 11 pm and 6 am. During school breaks there is no special weekly cap, so summer hours can match any other employee. Young workers in this age group also cannot work alone and must be directly supervised by an adult.
Where are the most student jobs in Manitoba?
Winnipeg has the large majority of part time and student openings, concentrated in retail at Polo Park and St. Vital, restaurants, grocery stores, City leisure centres and summer festivals. Brandon is the next largest market, followed by Steinbach and Portage la Prairie. Beach and cottage towns add seasonal work from May to September.
Sources
- Manitoba minimum wage increase to $16.40, Province of Manitoba news release
- Minimum wage factsheet, Manitoba Employment Standards
- Young workers factsheet, Manitoba Employment Standards
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.
