Minors and Youth

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-21

Minimum Age for Employment

In accordance with provisions of Employment Act, a child under the age of 14 years may not be employed except for light work carried out under the supervision of an adult aged over 18 years and work which does not affect child’s education. Light work is the work which is not harmful to a child’s health; not harmful to child’s development; not prejudicial to child’s attendance at school; not prejudicial to child’s participation in vocational training; and not in excess of 14 hours per week. A list of light activities is contained in regulations.

Child labour is defined under the Children (Amendment) Act of 2016 as “work that is mentally, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to a child and the circumstances under which it is performed jeopardizes the health, safety, morals and education of a child”.  The minimum age for employment is set as 16 years.

A child must undergo a medical examination before engaging in any job and then after every six months. Before hiring a child between fifteen to seventeen years, authorization from Commissioner is obligatory. Commissioner verifies child's age; parental permission; prior instruction and training in the required job; availability and use of protective clothing and a medical certificate before authorisation. Employer must also maintain a register as prescribed in the schedule 5 of the employment regulations.

Children’s exploitation is also prohibited under the Children (Amendment) Act 2016 and it is defined as “employment of a child in activities from which other people derive a benefit, whether financial, sexual or political and includes activities such as child trafficking, child prostitution, child pornography and involvement of children in armed conflict.

Source: §32 of the Employment Act 2006; §2-4 of the Employment Regulations 2012; §8 of the Children (Amendment) Act of 2016, amending the Children Act, Cap 59 of 1997

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

The minimum age for hazardous work is 18 years. A child, under the age of 18 years, may not be employed to do work which is injurious, dangerous, hazardous or in the worst forms of child labour. Overtime work is prohibited for a child aged between fifteen to seventeen years. A child may not be employed at night between the hours of 19:00 and 07:00. The Regulations contain restrictions on the employment of children, penalties for violations (up to three months imprisonment or a fine or both), a list of hazardous activities prohibited to children under 18. The list of hazardous activities includes prohibitions by different age groups of tasks in a variety of areas including several agricultural sectors, construction, mining, domestic services, entertainment and urban informal work.

 

Sources: § 32 of the Employment Act, § 5-6 & 11-12 of the Employment (Employment of Children) Regulations 2012

Regulations on Minors and Youth

  • The Employment Act, 2006
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