Can my employer legally require a doctor's note in Canada?

It depends on your province and how the leave is governed. Several jurisdictions have restricted when an employer can demand a medical certificate for short absences — Ontario, for example, generally prevents employers from requiring a certificate from a qualified health practitioner for the job-protected sick leave provided under the Employment Standards Act. Employer policies and collective agreements may still request documentation for longer absences. Always confirm against your province's current employment standards and your workplace policy.

Which provinces have paid sick leave in 2026?

British Columbia provides employer-paid sick days under its Employment Standards Act, and federally regulated workers receive paid medical leave under the Canada Labour Code. Quebec and Prince Edward Island also provide a limited number of paid days under certain conditions. Most other provinces provide job-protected but unpaid sick leave under their employment standards. Entitlements change, so verify with the official source linked for your province.

How many sick days am I entitled to?

There is no single national number — sick leave is set by each province's employment standards (or the Canada Labour Code for federally regulated workplaces). Entitlements range from a few job-protected unpaid days to several employer-paid days. Use the province table in this guide and follow the official government link to confirm the current figure for your situation.

Does a virtual doctor's note satisfy an employer's request in Canada?

Yes. A medical certificate from a physician or nurse practitioner licensed with a provincial regulatory college carries the same legal weight whether the assessment was in person or by telehealth. The note must contain the practitioner's name, licence number, and signature.

What if I need a note but my province limits when employers can ask for one?

Legal limits on requiring notes protect you from being forced to obtain documentation for short statutory leave — but many employees still choose or are asked to provide a note for longer absences, insurance, or workplace policy. If you need one, a licensed Canadian physician can assess you and issue a note when medically appropriate.

Sick Leave & Doctor's Note Laws by Province in Canada (2026 Guide)

Key Takeaways

Sick leave in Canada is set provincially (or federally for federally regulated workplaces) — there is no single national entitlement
British Columbia and federally regulated employees have employer-paid sick days; most provinces provide job-protected but unpaid leave
Several provinces have restricted when an employer can require a doctor's note for short statutory sick leave — Ontario is the clearest example
A telehealth medical certificate from a licensed physician or nurse practitioner is legally equivalent to one from an in-person visit
This guide links to every official government source — always confirm the current figure for your situation

How sick leave works in Canada

Canada has no national sick-leave standard. Your entitlement depends on which government regulates your workplace:

Provincially regulated employees (the large majority) follow their province's employment standards legislation.
Federally regulated employees (banks, telecoms, interprovincial transport, federal Crown corporations, etc.) follow the Canada Labour Code.

Two questions matter for most people: how many days am I entitled to, and can my employer require a doctor's note. Both are answered by statute, then layered with your employment contract, workplace policy, or collective agreement (which can be more generous, never less).

This article summarizes general rules for information only and is not legal advice. Entitlements change with new legislation. Always confirm the current rule with the official source linked for your jurisdiction.

Sick leave by province (2026)

Jurisdiction	Governing law	General sick-leave entitlement	Official source
Federal (Canada Labour Code)	Canada Labour Code, Part III	Up to 10 paid medical-leave days per year for federally regulated private-sector employees	canada.ca — medical leave with pay
Ontario	Employment Standards Act, 2000	3 unpaid, job-protected sick days per year; employers generally cannot require a certificate from a qualified health practitioner for ESA sick leave	ontario.ca — sick leave
British Columbia	Employment Standards Act	5 paid + 3 unpaid sick days per year	gov.bc.ca — sick leave
Quebec	Act respecting labour standards (CNESST)	First 2 days of a sickness absence per year may be paid after 3 months' service; further job-protected leave unpaid	cnesst.gouv.qc.ca
Alberta	Employment Standards Code	Job-protected unpaid personal & family responsibility leave; long-term illness leave available	alberta.ca — leaves
Saskatchewan	Saskatchewan Employment Act	Job-protected unpaid sick leave	saskatchewan.ca — labour standards
Manitoba	Employment Standards Code	Job-protected unpaid leave for illness/injury	gov.mb.ca — employment standards
Nova Scotia	Labour Standards Code	Short, job-protected unpaid sick leave	novascotia.ca — labour standards
New Brunswick	Employment Standards Act	Job-protected unpaid sick leave	www2.gnb.ca — employment standards
Newfoundland & Labrador	Labour Standards Act	Job-protected sick/family leave; a limited number of paid days may apply	gov.nl.ca — labour standards
Prince Edward Island	Employment Standards Act	A limited number of paid sick days based on length of service, plus unpaid leave	princeedwardisland.ca — employment standards

Numbers and conditions change with new legislation and depend on factors such as length of service. Treat the table as a starting point and follow the official link to confirm what currently applies to you.

Can your employer require a doctor's note?

This is the most misunderstood part of Canadian sick-leave law. The trend in several provinces has been to limit when an employer can demand a medical certificate for short statutory absences, because routine note-chasing burdens the health system for minor, self-limiting illness.

Ontario is the clearest example: for the job-protected sick leave provided under the Employment Standards Act, an employer generally cannot require a certificate from a qualified health practitioner (physician or nurse practitioner). See the official ESA sick-leave guidance.
In other provinces, an employer may still ask for "reasonable" evidence of entitlement — what counts as reasonable varies, and longer absences are treated differently from a single day.
Workplace policy, contracts, and collective agreements can still require documentation in situations the statute doesn't restrict (for example, longer absences, paid-sick-leave verification, or short-term disability claims).

The practical takeaway: you should not be forced to pay for a note for a one-day illness where the law protects you — but notes still have a legitimate role for longer absences, insurance, accommodation, and return-to-work. For a deeper breakdown of the employer side, see our employer guide to sick notes in Canada and when you do and don't need a note.

Does a telehealth note count?

Yes. A medical certificate is valid based on who signed it, not where the assessment happened. A physician or nurse practitioner licensed with a provincial regulatory college (CPSO, CPSBC, CPSA, CMQ, and the others) can issue a legally equivalent note after a virtual assessment, provided it includes the practitioner's name, licence number, and signature. Nurse practitioners can issue notes in their own right — see can a nurse practitioner write a sick note.

Province-specific resources

If you need a physician-certified note, Medinote connects you with a licensed Canadian doctor by phone, same day, for a flat $55 CAD:

Bottom line

There is no single answer to "how many sick days do I get in Canada" — it is set by your province or the Canada Labour Code, and whether an employer can demand a note increasingly depends on the type and length of the absence. Use the table above as a map, confirm the current figure with the official government source, and know that if you genuinely need a medical certificate, a licensed telehealth physician can provide one when it is clinically appropriate.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Content reviewed by licensed Canadian physicians. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical decisions.