Restrictions about the field of work for minors in Quebec are going to change as of September 1 2023 because the government thinks that teenagers are working too much. 

For a while, the government observed that more teenagers working several hours per week. They work about 20-25 hours per week and sometimes more. This situation is starting to become a problem, because teenagers work more and more during the week, during the school period. Sometimes, they lack time for school, and their grades may go down. This problem is growing and the Legault government has promised to act.

The Labor and Manpower Advisory Committee have made a report in which they recommend that the average age for engaging a teenager should be 14 years old. Also, for teenagers under 16, working hours should be reduced to 17 hours per week during the school period. The maximum working hours from Monday to Friday would be 10 hours. This restriction is established in part because of parents: ” My children are working too much. They come back late, they are more tired and their school grades go down. ”

These new work rules will apply to all teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 and there will be no exceptions in the catering and retail trade.  For now, a Quebecer can work the number of hours he wants even under the age of 14 with written agreement from a parent. The only condition is that the working hours do not overlap with school hours and that they do not have a night schedule.