Part-Time Jobs in Canada 2026: Minimum Wage in Every Province, Your Rights and Where to Apply

Part-time jobs in Canada can fit around school, family or another job. Five provinces raised their general minimum wage on October 1, 2026, and part-time employees are covered by the same employment standards law as full-time staff in their province or territory.

Statistics Canada counts you as part-time if you usually work less than 30 hours a week at your main job. On October 23, 2026, a Job Bank search for “part time” returned 5,296 postings, from dishwashers and store clerks to warehouse and security roles. In New Brunswick, the government reports that 64 per cent of minimum wage earners worked part time.

This guide explains minimum wages, shifts and your rights, with a full table by province. To see current postings, use the button below. It opens Job Bank, the Government of Canada’s job board, where you apply directly with each employer. We are not an employer or a government agency, and we do not take applications.

What counts as a part-time job in Canada

For its labour statistics, Statistics Canada defines part-time work as less than 30 usual hours a week at your main or only job. Employers and collective agreements may use their own definitions.

Employers use many labels: part-time, casual, on-call, seasonal or weekend only. Employment standards still apply to employees under any of these labels. What matters is the number of hours you are scheduled, how predictable they are and what the employer puts in writing.

Where part-time jobs in Canada are most common

Retail, food service, cleaning, grocery and warehouse employers often offer part-time shifts, especially evenings and weekends. The table shows the median hourly wages Job Bank reports for common part-time occupations in the three largest provinces outside Quebec.

Job Bank also notes that food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related workers usually work less than 35 hours a week, which is why these jobs are often a good match for part-time schedules.

Source: Job Bank wage pages for each occupation, checked October 23, 2026. A median is the middle value of reported wages, not an offer. Your pay depends on the employer and the posting.

Minimum wage for part-time jobs in Canada, October 2026

Part-time workers are owed at least the general minimum wage of the province or territory where they work. These are the general rates in force on October 23, 2026, with the date each one took effect.

Sources: Government of Canada and each provincial and territorial government. Prince Edward Island has announced a further increase to $17.60 on April 1, 2027.

The federal rate applies to federally regulated private sectors such as banks, postal and courier services, telecommunications and interprovincial transportation. If the provincial or territorial rate is higher, the employer must pay the higher rate.

Student rates

Two provinces have a lower rate for some students. In Ontario, students under 18 who work 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or during school breaks, can be paid $16.90 an hour. In Alberta, students under 18 can be paid $13 an hour for the first 28 hours a week while school is in session, and $15 for any hours above that.

Hours, shifts and call-in pay

Part-time schedules often change week to week. A few rules protect you when a shift is cut short:

• Ontario: under the three-hour rule, if you regularly work more than three hours a day and are sent home early, you are generally paid for at least three hours.
• British Columbia: if you report for work, you must be paid for at least 2 hours, or at least 4 hours if you were scheduled for more than 8.
• Breaks: in Ontario, you cannot work more than five hours in a row without a 30-minute eating period.

Overtime also applies to part-time workers who pick up extra shifts. It starts after 44 hours a week in Ontario, after 8 hours a day or 44 a week in Alberta, and after 8 hours a day or 40 a week in British Columbia.

How to find and apply for part-time jobs, step by step

1. Write down the days and hours you can work each week, including travel time.
2. Open Job Bank with the button on this page, search “part time” and add your city.
3. Set up a free Job Bank job alert so new postings reach your inbox daily or weekly. You do not need an account to create one.
4. Read each posting for the schedule, pay, location and how to apply.
5. Send a short résumé with your availability at the top, and apply the way the posting asks.
6. Follow up once after about a week, then ask for the offer in writing before your first shift.

Studying while working part time: grants and training

If you study part time, the Canada Student Grant for Part-Time Students can give you up to $2,520 a year until the end of the 2026 to 2027 school year, based on financial need. Students from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut use their own territorial student aid programs instead.

Provincial programs can also help you train for better-paid work:

• Ontario: Better Jobs Ontario can fund up to $28,000 in training costs for programs of one year or less, for eligible people who were laid off or have been unemployed for 12 weeks or more in a low-income household.
• British Columbia: the StrongerBC future skills grant covers up to $3,500 of short-term training at public post-secondary schools for residents aged 19 or older.

Your rights in part-time jobs in Canada

• Vacation pay: in Ontario, you get at least 4% of gross wages with less than five years of service, and 6% after five years, whether you work part time or full time.
• Written information: since July 1, 2025, Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must give new hires their pay, pay day, work location and expected hours in writing.
• Trial shifts: in Ontario, a person working a trial shift is an employee, so the hours count as work time.
• Termination: notice or pay in lieu is owed after three months of employment in Ontario and BC, and after 90 days in Alberta.

Rules differ in each province and territory. If you think you were underpaid, contact your provincial employment standards office. Federally regulated workers are covered by the Canada Labour Code.

Résumé and interview tips

Put a clear availability line under your name, for example “Available weekday evenings and weekends.” Hiring managers for part-time roles fill gaps in a schedule, so this line matters.

List school projects, volunteering or family responsibilities that show reliability. At the interview, be honest about your limits, ask how schedules are posted and how far in advance, and ask whether hours tend to change by season.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Accepting more shifts than you can keep, then cancelling at short notice.
• Not checking your pay stub for the correct hourly rate after a minimum wage increase.
• Assuming vacation pay or overtime do not apply because you work part time.
• Applying through ads that ask you to message a stranger instead of a company.

How to spot part-time job scams

Many scams pose as easy part-time work from home. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warns about fake online store and web survey jobs, “boosting” tasks that ask for deposits, mystery shopper offers with cheques, and requests to receive or forward money through your bank account.

Be careful with messages that arrive soon after you post your résumé online. The Centre says fraudsters contact people by text message, WhatsApp, email or Messenger after they share their résumé on recruitment websites.

A real employer never asks you to pay a fee to start. Never send your SIN, ID or banking details by text, WhatsApp or social media before a real written offer from a company you have checked. Report suspected fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Similar jobs to explore

For short-term work around the holidays, see our guide to holiday jobs in Canada. Many part-time shifts are also posted for warehouse jobs and kitchen helper jobs. If you are just starting out, read about jobs with no experience.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours is part-time in Canada?

Statistics Canada counts work as part-time when you usually work less than 30 hours a week at your main or only job. Employers may use their own definitions.

What is the minimum wage for part-time jobs in Canada in 2026?

The same general minimum wage as full-time work in your province or territory. On October 23, 2026, it ranged from $15.00 an hour in Alberta to $20.17 in Nunavut, and the federal rate is $18.15.

Do part-time workers get vacation pay?

Yes. In Ontario, for example, it is at least 4% of gross wages with less than five years of service. Check your provincial rules for the exact rate.

Am I paid if my shift is cut short?

Often, yes. Ontario’s three-hour rule and British Columbia’s minimum daily pay of 2 hours protect you in many cases, with some exceptions.

Is there a grant for part-time students?

Yes. The Canada Student Grant for Part-Time Students offers up to $2,520 a year until the end of the 2026 to 2027 school year, based on need.

Where can I find part-time jobs in Canada?

Job Bank, the Government of Canada’s job board, lists part-time jobs across the country. You apply directly with each employer. We do not take applications.

Sources

• Government of Canada: Federal minimum wage rises to $18.15
• Government of Ontario: Minimum wage
• Government of British Columbia: Minimum wage increase, June 1, 2026
• Statistics Canada: Guide to the Labour Force Survey
• Government of Canada: Canada Student Grant for Part-Time Students
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: Job scams