Minimum Age for Employment
The minimum age for employment is 15 years. However, a child above 15 can be employed only if the work does not interfere with the child’s schooling.
Children under 15 are generally not allowed to work, except when the work done is light work in technical schools (provided the child is 13 years of age or more).
A child cannot be engaged to work in any commercial or industrial undertaking except in a family enterprise where up to five family workers are employed.
The minimum age for light work is 13 years. Light work is defined as work that:
- does not harm the child’s health or development
- does not affect the child's attendance at school or the capacity of the child to benefit from school.
Minors under the age of 15 years cannot be required to work for more than four consecutive hours without a break of at least one hour or for more than eight hours in any one day.
A child cannot be engaged in exploitative labour, which is defined as work which deprives or hinders a child’s access to health, education and development.
Primary education is free and compulsory. The compulsory education age is 13 years.
Sources: §195 & 196 of the Labour Act, 2024 (Act No. 3 of 2024); §22(k) and 228 of the Children’s Protection and Welfare Act, 2011; §3 of the Education Act, 2010
Minimum Age for Hazardous Work
The minimum age for hazardous work is 18 years. Hazardous work is defined as the work which poses a danger to the health, development, safety or morals of a person.
Hazardous work includes:
- mining and quarrying;
- lifting and transporting heavy loads;
- chemical production;
- workplaces where dangerous machines are used;
- work in places where a person may be exposed to immoral behaviour;
- commercial sexual work; and
- tobacco production and drug trafficking.
Additionally, night work (18:00 to 06:00) is prohibited for children under 18 years.
Sources: §226-230 of the Children’s Protection and Welfare Act, 2011; §196-202 of the Labour Act, 2024 (Act No. 3 of 2024)
