Updated: 19/08/2026
New South Wales (NSW) is one of Australia’s most populous states. It has a mix of busy cities, coastal towns and regional communities, with Sydney as its capital. While living in NSW offers a great quality of life, work and other responsibilities can sometimes make it difficult to manage health issues.
For those who are unwell, an online medical certificate in NSW can be a convenient way to provide proof of sickness and take time off work.
Yes. Medical certificates are generally accepted as legitimate leave documentation across Australia, including in New South Wales. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers can request evidence to support an absence from work, even if it’s just for a single day. This evidence is most commonly provided in the form of a medical certificate or statutory declaration.
A medical certificate is issued by AHPRA-registered health practitioners after assessing the individual’s condition. However, some enterprise agreements or workplace awards may specifically require a certificate from a particular type of health practitioner such as a GP. It is worth checking your employer’s policies before requesting a certificate.
The common types of online certificates in NSW are:
A sick leave certificate is issued when a person is unable to attend work due to illness or unexpected injury. It is sometimes referred to as an absence from work certificate or a medical certificate for work.
A carer’s leave certificate is issued when an employee needs to take time off to care for a family or household member. This may be because the person is sick, injured, or experiencing an emergency.
A university sick leave certificate is issued when a student is unable to attend classes or lectures due to illness or unexpected injury. This form of documentation serves as evidence supporting the student’s absence and addresses most universities’ requirements for leave evidence.
Under the Fair Work Act 2009, full-time employees are entitled to paid personal or sick leave when they are unable to work due to illness or unexpected injury. Full-time employees accrue 10 days of paid sick leave per year.
Part-time employees are also entitled to paid sick leave on a pro-rata basis, based on their ordinary hours of work. This means their sick leave entitlement is calculated in proportion to the hours they work.
Casual employees do not have an entitlement to paid sick leave. However, they are entitled to unpaid carer’s leave when they need to care for or support an immediate family or household member who is sick, injured, or experiencing an unexpected emergency.
You can get an online medical certificate from OnCare Health in two ways:
Every certificate request submitted through OnCare Health is assessed individually by a registered practitioner before a certificate is issued. Certificates are only issued based on the practitioner’s clinical judgement.
There are several benefits to obtaining a medical certificate from OnCare Health, including:
Not every situation is appropriate for an online certificate. The table below provides a general guide.
Suitable | Not Suitable |
Common cold or flu | Chest pain or difficulty breathing |
Light headache or migraine | Severe abdominal pain |
Mild diarrhoea or stomach upset | Any sudden or unexplained deterioration in health |
Minor illnesses where symptoms are manageable | Serious injuries requiring physical examination |
Mild stress or mental health symptoms affecting work | Ongoing or complex conditions requiring regular monitoring by a doctor |
Short-term absence from work or university | Requests for backdated certificates |
Caring for an unwell family member or dependent | Requests requiring a Certificate of Capacity for workplace injury |
If your condition is getting worse, seek in-person medical care. For a medical emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.
For NSW residents who are unwell and need formal documentation for work or university, OnCare Health provides an accessible service reviewed by a qualified health practitioner at a transparent flat rate. You can obtain an online medical certificate in NSW for $12.99 ($20.99 for phone consultations), with no hidden fees and no Medicare card required.
All certificates are reviewed by AHPRA-registered health professionals, issued only where clinically appropriate, and include practical guidance to support your recovery.
