One of the very first things you should do when you arrive in Canada is get a Social Insurance Number (SIN) – sometimes called a SIN number.
When we immigrated to Canada, we got our Social Insurance Number on our first full day in Canada and it was a straightforward process.
I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to get a SIN number in this article.
What is a Social Insurance Number?
A Social Insurance Number (SIN) in Canada is a unique number assigned to you that you will need if you want to work in Canada and to get access to government programs and benefits like Employment Insurance.
You need to apply to get a SIN but getting a SIN is free.
A SIN is a 9 digit number and is unique to you.
A Social Insurance Number in Canada is equivalent to a Social Security Number in the USA or a National Insurance Number in the UK.
The Social Insurance Number is a federal thing so you will use the same number in all provinces and territories in Canada.
Your SIN is often asked for on forms for a whole host of things like loan applications, renting a home, signing up for utilities and tax returns (so not just government stuff).
Who needs a Social Insurance Number
Social Insurance Numbers are for Canadian permanent residents, citizens or temporary residents in Canada.
If you are one of those then you need a SIN if you want to work or receive any benefits or services from government programs.
So basically, if you’re a Canadian permanent resident, citizen or temporary resident then you need a SIN.
If you’re an international student and your study permit allows you to work in Canada, and you want to work, you’ll need to get a SIN.
How long is a SIN valid for?
If you’re a permanent resident or citizen then your SIN is valid forever.
If you’re a temporary resident or international student then your SIN will have an expiry date that should match the timeframe of your immigration status.
How to get your Social Insurance Number
There are three ways to get a Social Insurance Number:
- In person
- Online
- By mail
When we applied for our SIN we did it in person because we needed the SIN immediately so that we could start work.
That’s the big benefit of applying in person – you get your SIN there and then.
I’ll walk you through how we got our Social Insurance Number…
We booked an appointment at a Service Canada Centre (you can do this here) before we even arrived in Canada. We arranged it for the day after we landed.
So once you know when you’re arriving in Canada it’s a good idea to get an appointment booked.
We went along to our local Service Canada Centre at the time of our appointment and only had to wait about 5 minutes.
The person then inspected our documentation (more on this below), confirmed it was all in order and checked some details with us. He did some tapping on his computer and then handed us a piece of paper with our SIN on it.
That was it! It was really straightforward – we were in and out of the Service Centre within 15 minutes.
Of all the things you’ll need to do when you arrive in Canada, this is one of the easy ones.
The information you need to provide is basically the same if you apply online or by mail but you just fill in an application form and provide photos or copies of your supporting documents and submit it.
What supporting documents you need to get your SIN
Your appointment confirmation or application form will tell you exactly what supporting documentation you need, but for us what we needed to apply for a SIN was:
- A document to prove your immigration status in Canada. So for us that was a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) because we’d only just arrived in Canada so didn’t have our Permanent Resident Card yet.
- An ID. This can be your passport (foreign or Canadian) or any Canadian government, provincial or territorial issued ID like a driver’s license. We used our foreign passport.
You can get more details on what documents you need depending on your immigration status here.
How long does it take to get a Social Insurance Number?
Online: may be available to view in the online portal within 5 business days but otherwise in the mail within 10 business days.
Mail: within 20-25 business days.
In person: during your visit.
The COPR (or similar) requirement (as per above) is why you can’t apply for a SIN online in advance of arriving in Canada and that’s why, if you want your SIN as soon as possible, it’s best to go for the in person application.
As I said above, if you need a SIN quickly then the in person option is great because you get your SIN right there and then during your appointment.
This really is one of the more straightforward processes in terms of getting set up in Canada.
I hope you found this article useful. Drop me a comment below if there’s anything I’ve missed!