Social Insurance Number (SIN)

To work in Canada, you need a SIN from Service Canada and you must meet the various requirements to work in Canada. Just having a SIN does not mean you are automatically eligible to work in Canada.

The SIN application is free. It's important to know that due to COVID-19, the application for your first SIN or a SIN extension can be submitted online or by mail. When you apply to extend your SIN, the number doesn't change.

What documents do I need to apply for a SIN?

To apply for your SIN for the first time, or to extend your SIN, you will need the following documents:

Your work permit
- If you don’t have a work permit, your study permit must have certain conditions or remarks regarding eligibility to work
The photo page of your passport or another government-issued ID with your legal name and date of birth
Proof of your address in Canada
- Your proof of address must have your name on it and match the name on your other documents
- The address must match your mailing address in the online application form otherwise Service Canada will likely refuse your application
- See the list of examples of acceptable proof of address

Your SIN will not be issued longer than your study permit and/or work permit expiration date. If the current name you are using is different than the name stated on your documents, you also need to upload an additional support document. Information about the supporting documents can be found in the applicant’s guide, including the requirement of official translations for documents not in English or French.

How do I apply without a work permit?

Your study permit must have one of the following conditions or remarks:

May accept employment on the campus of the institution at which registered in full-time studies.
May work 20 hours per week off-campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).
May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.

Note: If your study permit does not have one of the above conditions or remarks, and you were eligible to work on and off campus when the study permit was issued, you need to submit a mailed request for an amendment to your study permit before you can apply for a SIN. There is no fee for this application. The estimated processing time can be found on the IRCC website.

Applying for an amendment is not the same as applying to change conditions of/extend your study permit. The expiry date of your study permit will stay the same in an amendment application. You will still need to apply to extend your study permit before its expiry date.

Exception: If ‘This permit does not permit the holder to engage in on or off campus employment in Canada’ is printed on your study permit and you have since become eligible to work on campus or off campus, you must apply to change conditions of/extend your study permit.

How do I apply online?

After collecting and scanning your supporting documents, fill out Employment and Social Development Canada's online Social Insurance Number Application form. The information you submit on the online form should match your primary document.

If this is your first time applying for a SIN, select ‘First Social Insurance Number’ under ‘Application Type’. If you are extending your SIN, select ‘Change of the Expiry Date (900 series SIN)’.

Remember, the mailing address you provide in the online form must match the address on your proof of address document. If it does not, Service Canada will likely refuse your application.

Additional information about filling out the online form can be found in the applicant’s guide.

If your application is approved, you'll receive a SIN by mail within 20 business days from the date you applied. If more than 20 business days pass and you haven't received your SIN, you should call Employment and Social Development Canada.

Can I apply in person?

Service Canada Centres are not open to the public for walk-in appointments. You can request an in-person appointment by submitting the Service Canada service request form, but it's not guaranteed. We recommend only requesting an in-person appointment if you are applying for your first SIN and you're supposed to start working in a month or less. You would check the box under the 'Appointments' subheading and explain the situation in the 'Additional Information' comments box. Don't put any personal details in the comments box because the form is not secure. A Service Canada representative will call you within two business days after you submit the form. When they call, your caller ID will not say Service Canada, but will be an unknown caller. If they offer you an appointment at a Service Canada Centre, you can receive your SIN at the appointment, as long as you bring your physical passport and your physical work permit or study permit with the proper work conditions or remarks.