In Canada, dependent teenagers accompanying foreign workers or international students cannot work on a standard visitor record or high school study permit. Under IRCC rules introduced on January 21, 2025, dependent children of temporary residents are no longer eligible to apply for an open work permit, meaning they generally cannot work unless they hold a previously approved permit or qualify under transition measures.
Relocating to Canada as a family is an exciting adventure, and many teenagers naturally want to find part-time jobs to earn their own money and gain experience. However, immigration laws for dependent minors are highly restrictive. While a high school student in Canada might have a study permit, that specific document generally does not authorize off-campus employment like a university study permit does. To avoid accidentally violating federal law, consulting a local immigration lawyer from our directory is a fantastic first step to understand how the law affects your teenager’s ability to enter the Canadian labour market. 📝
The legal framework for teenage employment in Canada is highly restrictive. First, a foreign minor must possess explicit federal work authorization from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). However, under rules implemented on January 21, 2025, IRCC eliminated the open work permit stream for dependent children of temporary foreign workers and international students. Second, even if a minor has an existing permit under grandfathering provisions, they are strictly bound by provincial labour laws. Each province dictates the minimum age to work, restricted hours, and types of permitted industries. 📎
Step-by-Step Process in Canada
Whether your family has settled in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, or Halifax, navigating federal immigration law alongside local provincial labour standards requires careful attention. Understanding the modern restrictions on dependent minors is essential to avoid violating Canadian regulations. 📍
Step 1: Verify Provincial Legal Working Age Laws
Before dealing with immigration, check your local provincial employment standards. In Ontario, the general minimum age to work in most establishments is 14 years old. In Alberta, 13 and 14-year-olds can do “light work” with parental consent, but the standard working age is 15. In British Columbia, the general working age is 16, though 14 and 15-year-olds can work with formal parental permission. A federal work permit does not override these provincial minimums. 📄
Step 2: Understand Federal Work Permit Restrictions
Next, you must evaluate federal immigration restrictions. Previously, dependent children of temporary workers or post-secondary students could apply for an open work permit. However, under the January 21, 2025 rules, new applications for dependent open work permits are no longer accepted for children of temporary residents. They may only hold work authorization if they qualify under select pilot programs, transitional renewal rules for existing permits, or if they obtain an independent LMIA-supported work permit. 👪
Step 3: Check Transition and Extension Rules
If your teenager already holds an open work permit issued under previous regulations, they are permitted to continue working until the document expires. If you need to extend this existing permit, you may apply online through the IRCC portal under specific transition rules. However, if they do not already have an approved work permit or an active extension pathway, they cannot legally start any employment. 📩
Step 4: Obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Once the open work permit is approved and mailed to your Canadian address, the teenager must apply for a Social Insurance Number. This can be done online or by visiting a local Service Canada centre in your city. Employers legally cannot hire the teenager or put them on the payroll without a valid SIN, which will start with a “9” to indicate temporary residency. 💰
Step 5: Sign Parental Consent Forms (If Required)
Depending on the province, the final step involves signing local regulatory forms. If your teenager is applying for a job in a fast-food restaurant or a grocery store in cities like Calgary or Vancouver, the employer will likely demand a signed “Parental Consent Form” before scheduling their first shift, ensuring the business complies with provincial Ministry of Labour audits. ✍️
How Much Does it Cost in Canada?
Securing federal work authorization for a minor involves standard government processing fees. These IRCC fee estimates are current as of May 2026. 💵
| IRCC Open Work Permit Fee | $155 CAD |
| Open Work Permit Holder Fee | $100 CAD |
| Biometrics Fee (If 14 years or older) | $85 CAD |
| Immigration Lawyer Fee (Application Prep) | $750 to $1,500 CAD |
How Long Does the Process Take?
The timeline relies heavily on IRCC’s inland processing speeds. Submitting an online open work permit application from within Canada currently takes approximately 60 to 120 days. If the minor needs to provide biometrics at a Service Canada location, this may add 1 to 2 weeks to the timeline. It is generally best to apply well before the summer break if the teenager wishes to secure a summer job. ⏳️
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can my 16-year-old work using their high school study permit?
No. Secondary (high school) study permits do not include the condition that allows off-campus work. Only eligible post-secondary students at Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) can work using their study permit. Furthermore, under current rules, high school dependents of temporary residents are no longer eligible to apply for a family open work permit.
What happens if my teenager works without a permit?
Working without proper authorization is a strict violation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). If caught by the CBSA, your child could face a removal order, which might jeopardize the entire family’s future applications for Permanent Residency.
Can teenagers work in hazardous jobs like construction?
Generally, no. Provincial labour laws heavily restrict minors from working in hazardous environments, such as construction sites, commercial kitchens using deep fryers, or logging. Even with an open work permit, these safety restrictions strictly apply.
Do teenagers pay taxes in Canada?
Yes. If a teenager earns an income in Canada, they must file a T1 tax return with the CRA. However, because their part-time income is usually below the basic personal amount, they generally receive all their deducted income tax back as a refund.
Does the work permit expire when they turn 18?
No, the expiry date of the dependent’s open work permit is typically tied to the expiry date of the primary parent’s work or study permit, or the child’s passport expiry date-whichever comes first.
Leave a Reply