How Old Do I Need to Be to Get a Job?

Eventually, work comes for us all. But that’s okay!

Working is how you earn money, start saving, expand your horizons, meet new people, understand what you like (and don’t) about workplaces, and begin crafting an idea of your dream career.

There’s a benefit to starting a casual retail or hospitality role as soon as you’re legally able (the age you can begin working differs from state to state). However, some young people decide to wait a while, or only seek out a job once their high school studies are behind them, if not even later.

That’s why being old enough to work and actually being "job ready" are two totally different things. The good news is you can find out if you're personally "job ready" with our Job Ready Checklist.

Once you’ve figured out if you’re emotionally ready, you’ll need to find out if you’re age-appropriately ready by reading the rest of the article!

(Remember, if you have any questions, or anything's not answered below, follow the relevant links or get in touch with Fair Work. They have everything you need when it comes to appropriate hours and pay, to ensure you're not being taken advantage of!)

Australian Capital Territory (ACT):

The ACT Government’s Community Services website has all the information you need if you’re living in Australia’s capital (or nearby). If you’re over the age of 18, you’re definitely able to get a job. If you’re between the ages of 15 and 17, there are some conditions you’ll need to meet (specifically, employment "must not adversely affect a young person’s ability to benefit from education"). If you’re under 15, you can work for up to 10 hours a week, but only in a field described as "light work", which includes gardening, performing arts and, most vaguely, "going on errands". However, under 15s need written parental consent first. Find out more here.

New South Wales (NSW):

The NSW Government's Industrial Relations website tells us there is "no minimum legal age limit for starting work in NSW." However, if you’re under 16 years of age, there are certain regulations for young people working in entertainment, still photography and door-to-door sales, and further regulations if you’re under 16 and modelling. (Read about them here.) Among these regulations: "All employers need to make sure... a child’s combined work and schooling hours during one week is 50 hours or less." This also means a child can’t be employed past 9pm if they have school the next day (or had school earlier that day), or for more than four hours if they had schooling the same day as work. Phew.

Northern Territory (NT):

According to the NT Government, there is no minimum work age. Anyone under the age of 15 can work, provided it's "light work", such as office work, gardening and making deliveries. However, under 15s can't work during school hours, or "anytime [that's] detrimental to school attendance or performance" unless you get an exemption from the minister. Learn more.

Queensland (QLD):

The Queensland Government generally doesn’t allow employers to hire children under the age of 13. However, anyone under 11 can do delivery work (provided it’s not between 6pm and 6am) and children of any age may do volunteer work or work in the entertainment industry. In all instances, school-aged children can’t work between 10pm and 6am, or if they’ve already worked more than 12 hours in a school week (or 38 hours during a non-school week). You can see all the nitty gritty here.

South Australia (SA):

The SA Government's SafeWork website says there is no minimum working age in the state, but children between 6 and 16 years of age "cannot be employed during the hours that they are required to attend school." SA similarly excludes children from working at hours that makes them "unfit to attend school or obtain the proper benefit from such attendance." Find out more for yourself.

Tasmania (TAS):

According to the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania, you can’t work during school hours under the age of 16 unless you have an exemption from school. Otherwise, the only major restriction in Tassy is you have to be 18 or older to work behind a bar (which is pretty common across the country).

Victoria (VIC):

In Victoria, the minimum working age is 11, per the VIC Government. That is, unless you work for your family’s farm or business, and then there’s no minimum age (you just can’t work on school days during school hours). Similarly, you can work in the entertainment industry at any age. For the rest of you, until you turn 15, there are restrictions on the jobs you can hold. For instance, if you’re 11 or 12, you can only do delivery work, and if you’re 13 or 14, you can only work in retail or a food business (though, some business have their own minimum ages). This page explains in further detail.

Western Australia (WA):

The WA Government's labour relations page tells us children of any age can work in a family business, perform as part of the entertainment industry or work for charities and other not-for-profit businesses. However, you have to be at least 10 years old to make deliveries (and you’ll need to be supervised by a parent or approved adult and working between 6am and 7pm, and never during school hours) until you’re 12. When you’re 13 and 14, you can work in a shop, fast food outlet, café and restaurant, or collect shopping trolleys, as long as you have written permission from a parent, the job is outside of school hours and you work between the hours of 6am and 10pm. For more, go here.

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