If you want to work and be paid in Canada or access Canada’s government programs and benefits, you’ll need a SIN. Those three letters stand for “social insurance number,” a nine-digit number unique to you.
Many people have questions about getting their SIN numbers. If you’re wondering how to apply for a SIN number in Canada (whether you’re a full-time resident or an international student), how to update your SIN number, or how to apply for a SIN number online, you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about social insurance numbers in Canada.
By the time you finish reading, you’ll be equipped with new knowledge about applying for a SIN number for minors, adults, and international students.
What is a SIN Number?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the application process, it’s important to understand what a SIN number is. These nine-digit numbers were created in Canada in 1964 as account numbers for the administration of Canada’s Pension Plan and other employment insurance programs nationwide.
Nowadays, they’ve developed to have a wider variety of uses. SIN numbers are issued by Service Canada, and they’re necessary to legally work, get paid, file taxes, and access government assistance programs.
When you apply for a SIN number, you’ll receive it in a paper format that gets mailed to the address you put on your application.
Some Canadians have SIN numbers that were issued on plastic cards. That’s okay too – Service Canada changed its SIN distribution method beginning in 2014, but as long as your SIN isn’t expired, it’s fine to keep your plastic card.
Who Needs a SIN?
Many Canadians rely on their SIN numbers to complete various financial tasks and responsibilities. People who may need a SIN include:
- Citizens and permanent residents, including new immigrants, of Canada
- Temporary foreign workers earning wages in Canada
- Parents of a newborn child
- International students studying in Canada.
Each of these groups can use their SIN for different purposes, including opening a bank account, submitting an income tax return, getting government benefits, and registering a child’s birth.
How to Register a Child for a SIN
If you have a child who’s under one year old, you can register the child’s birth with your province and apply for its SIN at the same time.
Each province has its own Newborn Registration Service to complete these tasks. In Ontario, registering a birth is free if you do so within 12 months of the child’s birth.
Children who are over 12 years of age can apply for their own SIN. However, since these children are still under the age of majority, they’ll need to provide additional required documents.
If the child cannot provide these documents, a representative, such as a parent, can apply for a SIN number on their behalf.
How to Apply for a SIN Number
There are two general options to apply for a SIN: online or in person. If you choose to apply online, you can do so through the Government of Canada website.
If you choose to apply for your SIN in person, you can do that by booking an appointment at any Service Canada Centre.
Application Process
If you apply for a SIN online, you’ll need to upload digital copies of your required documents. After that, you’ll typically receive your SIN through the mail within 15 days of submitting your application.
If you apply in person, you’ll have to bring original copies of your documents with you to the Service Canada Centre. You’ll receive your SIN that day at the location.
Required Documents
The documents you need will depend on your residency status at the time of your application.
For instance, if you’re applying as a non-citizen permanent resident, you’ll need one primary identity document (Canadian Permanent Resident Card, Confirmation of Permanent Resident card, etc.) and one secondary document (either your foreign passport or any ID issued by the Canadian government).
If you’re applying as a Canadian citizen, you’ll need one primary identity document (such as your birth certificate or your certificate of Canadian Citizenship) and one secondary document that shows your legal name and date of birth (such as your passport or any other ID issued by the Canadian government).
If you’re applying online, you’ll also need a third document showing your proof of address. Regardless of the method you choose to use to submit your application, there’s no fee to apply for a SIN in Canada.
How Long Will it Take?
Depending on the method that you use to apply for your SIN, you should be able to get the paper copy within 15 days.
If you bring your documents to an in-person Service Canada Centre, you can even get your SIN that day. When you apply online, you’ll have to wait for it to arrive in the mail.
When is Your SIN Valid?
For Canadian citizens or permanent residents, your SIN never expires. Temporary residents of Canada, however, may get temporary SINs to work in Canada.
These SINs are valid until the expiration date indicated on the immigration document that allows the individual to work in Canada. Temporary SINs always begin with the number “9.”
How to Apply for a SIN in Canada for International Students
If you’re an international student studying in Canada, you may want to apply for a SIN to work part-time while you complete your studies.
You’ll have to apply in person at a Service Canada Office, and you’ll get your SIN on the day that you apply.
When you go to the office, you should bring your Study Permit that was issued by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You’ll also need a secondary document, such as your foreign passport.
FAQs
The best way to get your SIN number immediately is to apply in person at a Service Canada Centre. You’ll be given your SIN that day if you have all the required documents.
Service Canada allows you to get a SIN number online as long as you have the three required documents. You’ll need primary and secondary identification documents as well as proof of address.
If you are outside of Canada, but you have a Canadian Study Permit or Work Permit, you can apply for a new or extended SIN. You won’t need a Canadian address to do so.
You’ll need to provide documents confirming the address on your SIN application. a Canadian address to get a SIN. The document can be issued by a government, a company, an institution, an organization, a landlord or an employer.
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