How to get Social Insurance Number in Canada?

Highlights: Everything you need to know about Canada’s Social Insurance Number!

• All Canadian residents, including PR holders and citizens, will be issued a unique 9-digit number known as SIN.
• Residents of Canada must have a Social Insurance Number to work in the country and receive government benefits.
• The Social Insurance Number (SIN) can be applied for online, via mail, or at any Service Canada location.
• The TRs and PRs residing in Canada are advised to apply for the SIN 3 days before the commencement of their work.

 

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Steps to apply for a SIN

One can apply for a Social Insurance Number online, via email, or at the local Service Canada centers. The application requirements may differ depending on the applicant, their situation, and their Canadian status. Irrespective of the situation or status, the documents that are to be submitted must fulfill the below criteria:

 

• Must be authentic and digitalized copies of the original documents
• Must be precise, legitimate, and completed documents
• The documents must be in English or French languages

 

Note: The ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) recommends that both temporary and permanent residents apply for a SIN number at least three days before working in the country.

 

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Checklist of documents for an online SIN application as a TR vs. PR

The table below lists the documents required for TRs and PRs to apply online for a SIN independently.

Factors	Permanent Resident (PR)	Temporary Resident (TR)
Primary Documents	PR card	Work permit
	COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence)	Study permit
		Visitor record
		Diplomatic Identity card
Secondary Documents	Passport (Foreign or Canadian)	Passport (Foreign or Canadian)
	A provincial or territorial ID card or driver's license	A provincial or territorial ID card or driver's license
	Any other IDs issued by the government	Any other IDs issued by the government
Supporting Documents	A legal document that has the recent name of the applicant. This document is required if the name is different in the primary & secondary documents and the SIN application.	A legal document that has the recent name of the applicant. This document is required if the name is different in the primary & secondary documents and the SIN application.

 

Points to consider while submitting the documents:

• The COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) requirement for permanent residents will only be accepted as the primary Document if:
• If it is utilized within 12 months of becoming a permanent resident
• If the Record of Landing is before June 28, 2002
• The secondary documents listed for the PR holders must include the applicant's complete legal name and date of birth.
• Temporary residents with an expired SIN can work in Canada while waiting for immigration documents to be released, provided they maintain a valid Canadian status.
• Temporary residents can then apply to the Service Center with the latest immigration document to update the expiry date on their SIN record.

 

Note: The expiration date on the SIN records must match the one in the immigration document.

 

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How to receive and update your SIN?

As per the ESDC, the SIN applications are usually processed in 5 working days if everything is correct and accurate. Temporary residents with a SIN number starting with a 9 must be updated, and the SIN expiration date must align with the expiration date in the IRCC document.

 

Upon updating the SIN record, an SIN number with an updated expiration date will be issued, invalidating the old one.

 

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What should be done if the SIN is forgotten, lost, or stolen?

The SIN number must be secured and kept confidential at all times.

 

For residents who forget their SIN, the number can be accessed in other ways:

 

• On Incomes tax returns
• On Employment records
• On a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)

 

The ESDC states that Services Canada only authorizes the issuance of new SINs when there is ample proof that the original SIN was used for malpractice.  

 

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