A SIN is not optional if you plan to work legally in Canada, open most bank accounts, or claim federal benefits. Service Canada issues it. Plastic cards are no longer issued; you get a confirmation letter or digital confirmation instead.
Which documents do you need?
Service Canada asks for one primary document that proves your legal status in Canada, plus one secondary document that confirms identity.
Permanent residents typically use a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) within its acceptance window, or a permanent resident card. Temporary workers and eligible students use a valid work permit, study permit that authorizes employment, or visitor record that authorizes work. A foreign passport usually serves as the secondary document when it shows your full legal name and date of birth.
Documents not in English or French need a certified translation that meets Service Canada rules. Email messages from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are not accepted as your status document.
How do you apply, and what about expiry?
Apply online through the official SIN application, by mail to the Social Insurance Registration Office, or in person at a Service Canada centre. Online is usually the fastest path when your scans are clear and complete.
Temporary residents get a SIN that starts with 9. It is tied to the expiry date on your immigration document. When IRCC issues a new permit with a new end date, update or re-apply so the SIN record matches. Permanent residents and citizens receive a permanent SIN that does not expire.
You need the number before most employers can put you on payroll. After you have it, banks often ask for it when you open a bank account, and the Canada Revenue Agency uses it when you later set up CRA My Account.
How should you protect the number?
Treat the SIN like a password for your tax and employment life. Share it only with employers, banks, tax preparers, and government programs that have a clear legal need. Do not write it on public forms, store it in chat apps, or give it to someone who cold-calls about a "refund."
If your immigration status changes (for example from temporary resident to permanent resident), update the SIN record. Losing plastic is different from identity theft: request a confirmation of SIN rather than inventing a second number. You only get one SIN.
Common misconceptions
One misconception is that landing in Toronto or Vancouver automatically creates a SIN. You must apply through Service Canada even after IRCC landing.
Another is that a temporary SIN lasts forever. The 9-prefix number follows your permit expiry, so extend or update it when the permit changes.
A third is that the SIN is the same as a provincial health card. Health enrolment is separate through your province; see provincial health insurance.
Summary
Gather a primary status document and a secondary identity document, then apply through Service Canada online, by mail, or in person.
Protect the number, update it when your permit changes, and use it next for banking, payroll, and tax accounts. This is process guidance, not legal advice; check the live Service Canada pages before you submit.
Sources
Next in Country To Live: Browse rankings
Related questions
- Moving & paperworkHow can a newcomer open a bank account in Canada in 2026?
- Moving & paperworkHow do you apply for a work permit in Canada in 2026?
- Moving & paperworkHow do you set up CRA My Account in Canada in 2026?
- Moving & paperworkHow do you enrol in provincial health insurance in Canada in 2026?
- Where to liveIs Toronto a good place to live in 2026?
- Moving & paperworkHow do you convert a foreign driving licence in Canada in 2026?