Social Insurance Number (SIN) step by step: applying, documents and keeping it safe
How to get your number free of charge online or at a Service Canada office, what to bring for your situation, and who should — and should not — get it from you.
The short answer: you can apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) free of charge in one of three ways: online, by mail, or in person at a Service Canada office. In person, if your documents are complete, you get your number during the same visit and leave with your documents. Online, the government has announced that the number arrives within five business days when the documents are complete. You need two documents: a primary document that proves your status in Canada (a permanent resident card, a work permit, or a study permit that allows you to work) and a secondary document that proves your identity, such as your passport.
This guide is written for people who have already arrived in Canada. If you are still planning your first few weeks, start with your first weeks in Canada and come back here.
Why you need the number before your first paycheque
The SIN is a nine-digit number the government uses to link your income to taxes and benefits. Your employer needs it to report your income, your bank needs it to report the interest you earn, and government departments need it to process your tax return and applications such as Employment Insurance and student loans.
So make it one of the first things you do after you land, together with opening a bank account, because many of the next steps depend on it.
Important: Service Canada no longer issues the plastic card. Instead you receive a letter confirming your number, on paper or digitally, and you can view and print your number later from your My Service Canada Account.
Three ways to apply: which one suits you?
1. Online
This is the method the government recommends for the fastest processing. You fill in the application on the official portal and upload clear digital images of both sides of your documents. In a 2024 announcement, Employment and Social Development Canada said applicants receive their number within five business days when the documents are complete, and the number appears in their My Service Canada Account.
2. In person at a Service Canada office
Bring your original documents to the nearest office; booking an appointment is recommended. If everything is in order, you walk out with your number on the same visit and your documents never leave your hands. To find the nearest office, call 1-800-622-6232 (1 800 O-Canada).
3. By mail
You send the application with your original documents to the address published on the official page of the Social Insurance Registration Office in Bathurst, New Brunswick. This means your original passport and permit will be out of your hands for a while, so choose this option only if the other two are not possible for you.
What about applying at the airport?
The official application page on canada.ca does not currently mention applying at the airport or at a port of entry; it lists only the three methods above. In 2024 the government announced that it is working to link SIN applications with work permit applications in the future, but that is not the route available today. If you do find a Service Canada office in the arrivals hall, it is a regular in-person application with the same documents — don't delay your application waiting for one.
Documents required for your situation
The rule is the same for everyone: a primary document that proves your identity and legal status, and a valid secondary document showing your full name and date of birth, issued by a Canadian government authority or a foreign passport. The table summarises the primary document for each category:
| Your situation | Primary document | Secondary document |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident | Permanent resident card, Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), or Record of Landing if you landed before 2002 | Passport or Canadian government ID |
| Worker with a work permit | Valid work permit | Passport or Canadian government ID |
| International student | Study permit stating that you may work ("may work" or "may accept employment") | Passport or Canadian government ID |
| Visitor authorized to work | Visitor Record that states you are authorized to work | Passport or Canadian government ID |
| Refugee claimant | Work permit, once issued | Passport, Acknowledgement of Claim, Refugee Protection Claimant Document, or Canadian government ID |
Refugee claimants: the permit first, then the number
Your refugee claim document on its own is not enough as a primary document. According to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Help Centre, you apply for the number after you receive your work permit: you present the permit together with a secondary document, which can be your Acknowledgement of Claim or your Refugee Protection Claimant Document. When your status changes later — for example when you become a permanent resident — you update your SIN record with the new document.
Translations and name differences
- All documents must be in English or French. If they are in another language, submit the original together with a translation that meets the requirements published on the official page.
- If the spelling of your name on the application differs from your primary document, the name is recorded as it appears on the primary document. So copy your name exactly as it is written on your permit or PR card.
- If you have legally changed your name, for example through marriage, add a supporting document that links the old name to the new one.
A SIN starting with 9: a temporary number with an expiry date
Every number issued to a temporary resident starts with 9 and expires on the same date as the work permit, study permit or visitor record.
- When you renew your permit: apply to update your SIN record with the new permit and its new expiry date.
- If your SIN expires while you wait for a renewal decision: if you applied to extend your permit before it expired (known as maintained status), the official page says you can keep working with your expired SIN until IRCC makes its decision.
- When you become a permanent resident: moving from temporary to permanent status requires you to update your SIN record.
Put your permit's expiry date in your calendar — it is also your SIN's expiry date.
When to give your number and when to refuse
Your SIN is a key to your financial identity, and the official page is clear: you cannot be refused a product or service because you declined to give your SIN where the law does not require you to provide it.
| Who is asking for the number | Do you have to give it? |
|---|---|
| Your employer, once you have been hired | Yes, to report your income for taxes and benefits |
| A bank or financial institution, for an account or product that earns income such as interest | Yes, to report that income |
| Government bodies: taxes, benefits, Employment Insurance, student loans | Yes |
| An employer when you apply for a job, before you are hired | No |
| A credit card, mortgage or line of credit | No |
| A landlord when you rent | No |
| Phone, internet and cable companies, and car rentals | No |
| Medical questionnaires, wills, post-secondary applications and credit reports | No |
If a landlord or a phone company pressures you for the number, offer another piece of ID instead. And never send a photo of your SIN confirmation letter by email or text to anyone whose identity you haven't confirmed.
If your number is stolen or used for fraud
The government publishes specific steps. Take them in this order:
- Report it to the police and get a report reference number plus the officer's name and phone number, and ask for a copy of the report.
- Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
- Call both credit bureaus, ask for your credit report and add a fraud alert: Equifax at 1-800-465-7166 and TransUnion at 1-800-663-9980.
- Check your bank and credit card statements for any transaction you didn't make.
- Tell your bank and creditors and ask them to close any account opened in your name without your knowledge.
- Notify any affected government programs if someone has received benefits in your name, such as Employment Insurance.
- Contact Canada Post if you suspect your mail has been stolen.
Will you get a new number?
Not automatically. A new number is issued only if there is clear evidence that your current number has been used fraudulently, and you will then need your identity documents, the police report or its reference number, and proof from a creditor or employer. The official page warns that applying does not guarantee a new number, and that you remain responsible for your old one.
If you have only lost your confirmation letter and the number hasn't been misused, you don't need a new number: you can find it in your My Service Canada Account, on your tax return, or on pay documents such as your T4 slip.
What is different in Quebec
The SIN is issued by the federal government, and the three methods and the documents are the same in every province, including Quebec. The official page mentions two points specific to Quebec: the SIN program does not accept Quebec birth certificates issued before 1994, and a notarized will is accepted in Quebec as a document proving guardianship when applying for a minor. Most newcomers won't be affected by either point, but they matter if you are applying for a child born in Canada.
What this number does not do — and what we do not do
- The SIN is not an identity document and does not prove your legal status, so don't use it in place of your passport or permit.
- A temporary SIN does not give you the right to work after your permit expires, except in the maintained status situation explained above.
- Applying is free with the official authority, so there is no need to pay anyone to get your number.
- Canadapedia24 is an independent guide with no connection to the government, and we do not submit applications on anyone's behalf. Apply yourself through the official channels listed in the sources.
Frequently asked questions about the SIN
Can I start working before my number arrives?
Your employer needs the number to report your income, so apply for it in your first days. Applying in person gives you the number on the same day if your documents are complete, which makes it the best option if you have an urgent job offer.
Does my number change when I become a permanent resident?
The official page asks you to update your SIN record when your status changes from temporary to permanent, but it does not say whether the number stays the same or changes. Submit the update with your permanent residence document and your confirmation letter will tell you the result.
Does the bank need my SIN to open an account?
Financial institutions need the number to report income from interest and investment earnings, so you may be asked for it for accounts that earn interest. For a credit card, you are not required to give it. The details are in the guide to opening a bank account.
I lost my confirmation letter. Should I apply for a new number?
No. Your number is in your My Service Canada Account and on your tax documents. If you can't find it, request a confirmation of your SIN using the same process as a first application, and you will receive the same number, not a new one.
I'm a student and my permit doesn't say I may work. Should I apply?
The accepted primary document for a student is a study permit that states you may work. If your permit doesn't say so, contact IRCC to have it corrected before you apply for a SIN.
Do my children need a SIN?
Children aged 12 and over can apply themselves, and a parent or legal guardian can apply on behalf of a minor. Apply for your child when a government body asks for the number or when they start their first job, using the documents that match their own status.
Once you have your number, set up your monthly plan with the budget tool, and read the salary guide to understand what will be deducted from your first pay stub. If you'd like free help with these steps, search the directory of newcomer settlement services, and follow the rest of your steps in My journey in Canada.