A social insurance number (SIN) is required for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or temporary residents who wish to work in Canada or access health benefits and services from government programs.
Tips & Links
You need a 9-digit number known as a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada or to access government and health services, benefits, and programs.
Learn More
- Your SIN is private, and it is illegal for anyone else to use it.
- Learn how to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from the Government of Canada.
- Find about your SIN (if you have lost your card or forgotten your number) from My Services Canada Account (MSCA) from the Government of Canada.
- Learn how your SIN gives you access to benefit programs, employment pensions, Canadian Pension Plan, Disability Tax Credit, Old Age Security, and special supportive and housing programs.
- Record your Social Insurance Number (SIN) in your Mywell Health planner.
- Service Canada is responsible for issuing a SIN, which comes in a paper format (Confirmation of SIN letter). If you have a plastic SIN card that has not expired, it is still valid.
Know That
- Know that you need your (SIN) to register for Fair PharmaCare, along with other information like your personal health number and birthdate, and income from your tax return for the past two years.
- People, especially seniors and persons with cognitive disabilities, are often targets of fraud. Learn how to protect your SIN with information from the Government of Canada.
- If you require a home care assessment, have your (and your partner’s, if living together) SIN written down for your home care assessment as it is required for any home care public funding.
- Be aware that when someone dies – if outside of Canada – the death needs to be reported. If the death occurs in Canada, the provincial vital statistics agency automatically notifies the SIN Program. Learn more at the Government of Canada.