Summer begins and academic holidays. Many teens who have freed themselves from the burden of studying wonder what possibilities they have for earning money before next year starts. But what kind of jobs could they aspire to be?

The International Labor Organization (ILO) stipulates that you can start work from the age of 15 in all countries of the world that have ratified it Minimum Age Convention (1973)in particular 176. Despite this, the exploitation of children and adolescents reaches 180 million minors worldwide.

For his part, normative The European Union also sets a minimum age of fifteen. But Spain, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Romania and San Marino have increased this limit by establishing sixteen as the minimum age. The rest of the member states adhere to a minimum age standard of fifteen years. Switzerland does not raise these standards for public works but requires nineteen years for certain hazardous work and twenty years for an apprenticeship.

In Latin America, the minimum age varies by case, always around ILO standards. Accordingly, a minimum of fourteen years applies in Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama (except for maritime work and maritime fishing, fifteen years, and underground work in mines, eighteen years), Paraguay, Peru , and the Dominican Republic . Fifteen is the minimum age in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador and Mexico, while only Brazil has a sixteen year old.

In Spain, those over the age of sixteen need the consent (not required) of their guardian if they are not released, either to do work for someone else or for their own benefit, and also for those in detention centers for children. under age. , Spanish or foreign.

Age to work in hazardous activities

The minimum age for hazardous work in the European Union is eighteen years. This is also the case for countries which have ratified ILO conventions, although it is recognized that any country may allow children of sixteen years of age to perform hazardous work, provided their health, safety and “morality” are guaranteed and they have training. at such a risk.

In Spain, youth aged sixteen and over are allowed to carry out work with a certain risk, as long as they are not one of very dangerous (in mines, with explosives, at scaffolding height), so they can work in all kinds of other jobs.

Special precautions apply to them in whatever work they do:

1. They are unable to perform overtime, shift work or night work (only hours until 10pm), exposing them to the occupational hazards associated with these working conditions.

2. Adherence to longer special breaks is required of those over the age of eighteen: among other things, a sandwich break, at least half an hour, or a weekend break.

We are unable to know the number of youth under 18 who are working, as employment statistics reflect the range of workers between the ages of sixteen and twenty. In the first quarter of 2023, the number of new enrollments of workers up to the age of twenty was just over 2,000.

Light work or public performance

Some countries have taken advantage of exceptions recognized by the ILO to allow a reduction in the age from fifteen to fourteen years, and even allow the work of children from the age of thirteen (or up to twelve years) in so-called “light work”, when it is not endanger their health or development or interfere with their schooling (they do not involve excessive physical effort and do not require the dedication of more than two hours a day; in Spain public entertainment is considered this way). In use of this authorization, the Dominican Republic permits such work to children between the ages of twelve and fourteen.

In Spain, the occasional work of minors under sixteen years of age (without setting a minimum age) in public performances is permitted, logically with the authorization of their guardian, and with express administrative authorization for any performance in which they participate.

For this reason, they may participate in film and television shoots, or other events, if their health, safety, schooling, and development are assured.

Therefore, the audiovisual or production company must inform about the hours of recording or performance (as only a few hours are allowed based on age group), the provisions and precautionary measures that will be implemented, and the education center will also do so regarding their schools. show.

Work on vacation or sporadically

Minors can work under any type of contract, but mostly they do so part time. They suffer more from job insecurity. The unemployment rate in Spain is 47%, the activity level is about 10%. In other words, of the 10% of youth in this group who are actively looking for work, only 53% have found one.

Some companies have summer jobs for their employees’ children that allow them access to their first job. They may also work closely with small family businesses, although this work is considered independent.

And what about the sporadic “side jobs” that most teens do for extra money? Babysitting, tutoring, and dog walking are jobs with no set rules. As it is done, as a general rule, without continuous dedication, but sporadically, it is obligatory only to enroll in activities when it is a livelihood: that is, if they represent an annual income equivalent to interprofessional minimum wagethe same for all ages.