Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Before you can work in Canada or receive government benefits, you need a nine-digit number called a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

You can apply for a SIN card through a federal government office called Service Canada. You will need to bring a number of documents to prove your identity and immigration status in Canada.

If you are a Permanent Resident, you must include one of the following documents:

• Permanent Resident Card
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence and Visa Counterfoil attached to a foreign passport or travel document
• Record of Landing if issued before June 28, 2002

Temporary residents must bring a

• Work Permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
• Study Permit, issued by CIC, from the educational institution or campus employer who provided you with authorization to study
• Visitor Record, issued by CIC
• Diplomatic Identity Card and a note of permission of employment issued by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT)

At least one other legal document (certificate of marriage, legal change-of-name certificate, adoption order, notarial adoption certificate or Request to Amend Record of Landing) is also required.

Application for a SIN card can be made in person or by mail. Application forms are available online, at the post office and Service Canada centres. It takes about three weeks for a SIN card to arrive in the mail.

If you have a baby born in Ontario, you can apply online for a birth certificate and a Social Insurance Number at the same time until your child is one year old. Application after the age of one is done through Service Canada.

In Kingston, the Service Canada Centre is located at 299 Concession St. The office is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The centre's entrance, parking and washrooms are accessible by wheelchair.