Student Minimum Wage in Ontario 2026: What You Need to Know

Published on
October 1, 2026
Written by Saad Mirza

As of October 1, 2026, current student minimum Wage in Ontario is $16.90 per hour — up from $16.60.

The student minimum wage applies to you if you are:

Under 18 years old
Working 28 hours or less per week during the school year
Currently enrolled in school

All three conditions must apply at the same time. If any one of them does not — you move to the general minimum wage of $17.95 per hour.

How It Has Changed Over the Years

Period	Student Minimum Wage
Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027	$16.90 per hour
Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026	$16.60 per hour
Oct 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2025	$16.20 per hour
Oct 1, 2023 – Sep 30, 2024	$15.60 per hour

When the General Minimum Wage Applies Instead

Even as a student under 18, you are entitled to the general minimum wage of $17.95 per hour if:

You work more than 28 hours in a week during the school year
You are working during summer vacation or a school break — when you are not required to attend school
You are 18 or older

One Important Rule About Homeworkers

If you are a student of any age — including under 18 — working from home as an employee, the homeworker rate of $19.70 per hour applies. Not the student rate. The homeworker rate always takes precedence when work is performed from the employee’s own home.

A Simple Example

Ahmed is 17 and works at a grocery store on weekends — about 14 hours per week during the school year. He earns the student minimum wage of $16.90 per hour.
During the summer he picks up extra shifts and works 35 hours a week. Now he is entitled to the general minimum wage of $17.95 — because school is out and he is working more than 28 hours.
When September arrives and school resumes, if he drops back to 28 hours or less, the student rate applies again.

What to Do If You Are Being Paid Less

If your employer is paying you below the rate that applies to your situation, they are violating Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. You can:

Raise it with your employer in writing
File a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour at no cost
Get legal advice if the underpayment has been ongoing — you may be owed back pay going back up to two years

Your employer cannot punish you for raising a wage concern. Doing so is reprisal — a separate violation under the ESA.

The bottom line: The student minimum wage is now $16.90 per hour — but it only applies under specific conditions. The moment you work more than 28 hours, school is out, or you turn 18, you are entitled to the full general minimum wage of $17.95. Know which rate applies to you and make sure you are receiving it.