<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Zambia </Td> <Td_colspan="2">? </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Zimbabwe </Td> <Td_colspan="2">? </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1995 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> #</Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> Education / Employment gap </Th> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> School leaving age </Th> <Th> Employment age </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Argentina </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> - 4 </Td> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Barbados </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 16? </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1997 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Belize </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 14 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Bolivia </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> - 2 </Td> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Brazil </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> - 2 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Schooling is mandatory for children 6 - 16 (years 1 - 9 in the new Brazilian school system). After that, there is no legal obligation to stay in school . Students who want to qualify for university admission must however complete three additional years (years 10 - 12) of secondary school (ensino médio), thus normally leaving school at age 17 or 18, depending on one's birthday date . The minimum age for legal work is 17; at 15, one is allowed to have an apprenticeship contract . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Canada </Td> <Td> 16 in Quebec, 17 everywhere else </Td> <Td> 14 - 18, varies by province and industry </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Chile </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> - 3 </Td> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> Students finish their secondary education (Educación Media in Spanish) at age 18, and working is legal only if the underaged employee (age 17 or younger) is authorised by legal guardian or parents, </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Colombia </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> - 1 </Td> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Costa Rica </Td> <Td> 17 - 18 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> - 20 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Cuba </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Dominica </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> - 4 </Td> <Td> 2004? </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Dominican Republic </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 2007? </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Grenada </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 14 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Guyana </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 15 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 2003 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Haiti </Td> <Td>? </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Jamaica </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> - 2 </Td> <Td> 2003 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mexico </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 15 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Paraguay </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 14 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> Since the initiation of the Education Reform in 1993, basic education is for a period of nine years to the age of 15 . According to the Constitution, compulsory education ends at 12 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peru </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> (Work is legal at 15, 16 if is authorised by legal guardian or parents) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Saint Kitts and Nevis </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 1997 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Saint Vincent and the Grenadines </Td> <Td>? </Td> <Td> 14? </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2001 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Suriname </Td> <Td> 10? </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Trinidad and Tobago </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> 16 - 19 * </Td> <Td> 14 - 18 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> The school leaving age varies from state to state with most having a leaving age of 16 or 17, but a handful having a leaving age of above that number . Students who complete a certain level of secondary education ("high school") may take a standardized test and be graduated from compulsory education, the General Equivalency Degree . Gifted and talented students are also generally permitted by several states to accelerate their education so as to obtain a diploma prior to attaining the leaving age . Young people may seek employment at 14 in many states but, in practice, most employers seek someone slightly older . However, it is common for those aged 14 (and even younger) to gain employment in agriculture . * Varies by State or Territory </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Uruguay </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Venezuela </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 14 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> #</Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> Education / Employment gap </Th> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

At what age do you leave high school in america