Consent to Employment of a Minor Child

This Consent to Employment of a Minor Child letter may be used by parents or legal guardians who wish to authorize a minor child to work. Each Province and Territory, or Canadian laws in the context of federal employment, will have differing definitions of a minor.

Under certain circumstances, the written consent of the parents or the legal guardian of the minor child may be mandatory; in which case, the employer should obtain and keep this written consent. The provincial or territorial legislation will provide the specific circumstances under which the authorization of a parent or legal guardian is necessary. Not all job types can legally hire minors even with parental consent. For example, working in mining or underground has strict rules in most jurisdictions that prohibit the hiring of minors.

How to use this document

This letter must be signed by at least one parent or legal guardian, but it is possible for two parents or legal guardians to sign it.

The parent or legal guardian using this document will have to provide the following information:

• the name of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) signing the letter;
• their relationship to the child (parent or legal guardian);
• the child's name and date of birth;
• the position that will be held by the child;
• the main duties that will be carried out by the child in their position.

Each parent or legal guardian will have to sign the document, which will have to be given to the employer of the child and the employee shall keep a copy as part of the employee's record of employment. Parents or legal guardians should keep a copy for their own records.

Applicable Law

There is no prescribed form for this document. However, each province and territory has specific legislation regulating the employment of minors. Such legislation includes either employment standards laws, occupational health and safety laws, educational laws, or direct youth employment protection laws. It's important to note that not every Province or Territory will permit minors to be employed despite parental consent. In certain cases, permission from the Employment Standards Director or Officer is needed.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.