The current minimum wage in Ontario is $17.60 per hour. That rate has been in place since October 1, 2025, and it applies to most workers in the province.
If you are under 18, there is a separate rate called the student minimum wage. In 2026, that rate is $16.60 per hour. Whether you qualify for the student rate or the general rate depends on a few conditions, and getting it wrong costs you real money.
Both rates are in effect until September 30, 2026. On October 1, both go up.
Who Qualifies for the Student Rate?
Three conditions all have to apply for the student minimum wage to kick in.
- You are under 18 years old.
- When school is in session, you work 28 hours per week or fewer.
- If you are working during a school break (summer, March break, Christmas holidays), all your hours qualify for the student rate.
All three conditions have to line up. If you are 17 and working 30 hours per week during the school year, your employer should be paying the general rate ($17.60/hr), not the student rate. Many teens do not know this. Worth checking your paystubs if you have been working for a while.
What about restaurants and bars? Ontario eliminated its separate liquor server minimum wage in 2022. Servers now earn the general minimum wage like everyone else.
What Your First Paycheque Will Actually Look Like
Here is what 15 hours per week looks like in real dollars.
Suppose you are 16. You work 15 hours per week at the student minimum wage.
Gross weekly pay: 15 hours × $16.60 = $249.00
Now for the deductions.
CPP (Canada Pension Plan): If you are under 18, your employer does not deduct CPP from your paycheque. CPP contributions start at 18. For now, this is $0.
EI (Employment Insurance): EI premiums are deducted at any age. The employee EI rate in 2026 is approximately 1.64%. On $249, that is about $4.08.
Income tax: Federal and Ontario income taxes are based on your total annual earnings. At 15 hours per week, your annual gross is about $12,948. The federal basic personal amount for 2026 is roughly $16,000, meaning you owe $0 in federal income tax at this income level. Ontario's basic personal amount is lower, so you may owe a small amount of provincial tax, but at part-time student hours it is minimal.
Approximate net weekly pay: about $245.
That is close to your full gross. At this income and age, the government takes very little.
When You Turn 18
A few things shift on your 18th birthday.
The student minimum wage no longer applies. You earn the general rate ($17.60/hr, or whatever the current rate is at that point). CPP deductions also begin.
Same 15 hours per week, now at the general rate:
Gross weekly pay: 15 × $17.60 = $264.00
CPP: CPP is calculated on earnings above the basic annual exemption of $3,500. On yearly earnings of about $13,728, your weekly CPP deduction works out to roughly $11.70.
EI: Approximately $4.33.
Income tax: Still $0 at this income level.
Approximate net weekly pay: about $248.
Your take-home barely shifts even though the wage went up. The higher hourly rate roughly offsets the new CPP contribution. That CPP money builds your Canada Pension Plan account, the government pension you can draw on after age 65.
Some Jobs Pay More Than Minimum Wage
One thing worth saying before you start your job search: minimum wage is the legal floor. Some employers pay more, especially for jobs that require experience, customer contact, or physical work.
When you are looking at a job posting, check the wage before the interview. If it just says "minimum wage," that is legal information. If it says $18 or $20 per hour, that is worth noting too.
You are allowed to ask. Most employers expect it. A simple question at the end of an interview: "What does the wage look like for this role?" is completely reasonable. The worst they say is that it is minimum wage, and you already knew that.
A Rate Increase Arrives October 1, 2026
Both minimum wage rates go up on October 1, 2026.
General minimum wage: $17.60 rising to $17.95/hr
Student minimum wage: $16.60 rising to $16.90/hr
If you are starting a summer job now, that October raise happens automatically when the date arrives. Your employer is required to apply it. You do not need to ask for it or negotiate it.
One Thing to Do Right Now
Bookmark the official Ontario government page: ontario.ca/minimumwage. That page is updated whenever rates change, so you always have the accurate number straight from the source. Do not rely on a friend, a Reddit thread, or even this article for the most current rate. Go to the source.
If you believe your employer is paying you below minimum wage, that is a violation of the Employment Standards Act. You can file a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour online, for free, without a lawyer.
You showed up and did the work. Your paycheque should say so.