Youth FAQs – Work

How old do I have to be to get a job?

It depends on your age and the kind of job:

Youth 12 years old or younger

You can only work in an “artistic endeavour” if the government issues a permit AND if your parent or guardian consents. An artistic endeavour means work in:

• recorded entertainment, such as film, radio, video or TV, including TV or radio commercials
• voice recordings for video and computer gaming
• live performances, including theatre and musical performances

The permit may allow you to work during normal school hours. The permit must also include a condition that the employer pay you for a minimum number of hours of work (determined by the government) at minimum wage or higher.

Youth 13 or 14 years old (“adolescents”)

You can work in the following jobs:

• delivery person for newspapers, flyers or handbills
• delivery person for small goods or merchandise for a retail store
• clerk or messenger in an office or retail store
• food service employee at a place where food is prepared and served or sold (includes hosting, cashier duties, dish washing, bussing tables, providing customer service, assembling food orders, waiting on tables, sweeping and mopping floors in common areas)
• janitorial assistant or office cleaner
• coach for a recreational athletic club or association
• tutor

However, there are special rules that apply. For example:

• the job cannot be harmful to your life, health, education or welfare
• your parent or guardian must give your employer written consent before you start work
• you cannot work during certain times of the day or for certain lengths of shifts
• you must be supervised by an adult at all times

Youth 15, 16 or 17 years old (“young persons”)

You can work in many more areas, but there are still rules that apply to you. For example:

• you must be supervised by an adult if you work between 9pm and midnight in retail (selling food, beverages, goods or fuel) or hospitality (hotel, motel or other place providing overnight accommodation)
• you cannot work in retail or hospitality between midnight and 6am
• you can work in jobs other than retail or hospitality between midnight and 6am if your parent or guardian gives written consent to your employer AND you are supervised by an adult

For more information see, the Government of Alberta’s web page on Youth employment laws.

Last Reviewed: May 2022

When am I old enough to babysit?

There is no law that says what age you must be before you can babysit. It is up to the adults to determine if a youth is ready, capable and prepared to babysit. Parents must leave their children in the care of a person who can properly look after them.

Your ability to care for children will depend on things like:

• your age
• your maturity
• your training and experience
• the number of children and their ages and needs
• how long you will be alone with the children

Last Reviewed: May 2022

How old do I have to be to be paid minimum wage?

The minimum wage for students is different than the minimum wage for people 18 years and older, starting June 26, 2019.

The minimum wage for students is $13.00 per hour for:

• work done during a school break (including spring break, Christmas or winter break, and summer vacation)
• the first 28 hours in a work week (other than during school breaks)

For example, if a student works 35 hours per week during the school year while also going to school, the student would be paid $13.00 per hour for the first 28 hours of work and then $15.00 per hour for the last 7 hours of work in the week. The minimum rate of $13.00 per hour applies to all hours worked during a school break, such as summer vacation.

The minimum wage laws are different for some workers and do not apply to other workers. Minimum wage laws do not apply to babysitters.

For more information on minimum wage, see:

• FAQs on Pay
• Government of Alberta – Minimum Wage

Last Reviewed: May 2022

At what age do I have to start filing an income tax return?

There is no specific age. It depends on whether you have earned enough income do so.

If you earn more than the amount of the personal exemption allowed by the Canada Revenue Agency within one tax year, you will need to report that income on an annual tax return. Things to consider:

• If you work in a job that does remit part of your pay for taxes, some of those taxes have already been paid.

• If you work in a job that does not remit part of your pay for taxes and you think you might earn more than the personal exemption in a tax year, you may want to put some of your income away to pay the income tax when it becomes due.

• If you work in a job that does remit part of your pay for taxes and you did not earn as much as the personal exemption, you may want to submit a return in order to get those funds back.

To learn more about income taxes, see the Canada Revenue Agency’s website.

Last Reviewed: August 2019

At what age do I have to start paying taxes?

There is no specific age. It depends on how much income you have earned in a tax year (January 1 – December 31).

If you earn more than the amount of the personal exemption allowed by the Canada Revenue Agency within one tax year, you will need to report that income on an annual tax return and you may have to pay taxes. Whether or not you will need to pay taxes depends on exactly how much you earn and how many deductions and credits you have.

To learn more about income taxes, see the Canada Revenue Agency’s website.

Last Reviewed: August 2019

Do I need to pay income tax on money earned babysitting?

If you earn more than the amount of the personal exemption allowed by the Canada Revenue Agency within one tax year, you will need to report that income on an annual tax return. Most casual babysitters will not earn enough income from babysitting alone to owe income tax.

Parents who hire you to babysit do not need to take any deductions off your pay, as they are not considered “employers”. Similarly, you are not considered an employee. Instead, you are considered an “independent contractor”. If you think you might earn more than the personal exemption in a tax year, you may want to put some of your income away to pay the income tax when it becomes due.

The parents of the children you are babysitting may still want a receipt from you, as they may be able to use it for their income tax return.

Last Reviewed: August 2019

How old do I have to be to start a business?

Technically, there is no minimum age for starting a business on your own.

However, if you are under the age of 18, you will run into many problems because you have not yet reached the age of majority. For example, you will not be legally allowed to enter into most of the contracts that you will need, and you may not be able to get a credit card or bank loan. You will need the help of someone who is over 18, such as a parent, guardian or other responsible adult.

Last Reviewed: August 2019