--- title: "SIN number: apply for a Social Insurance Number" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/sin" description: "Get a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in Canada: handled by Service Canada. Applying for a SIN is free. Official links checked 12 October 2026." site: "Canada Service Map" author: "Mahmoud Halat" publisher: "Space & Story" lastReviewed: "2026-10-13" licence: "Built entirely from public data: open data and official government pages. Each record keeps the licence of its source, listed at https://canadaservicemap.ca/data." --- # SIN number: apply for a Social Insurance Number Federal service · Identity and documents Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked 13 October 2026. Not a government website. The official page always has the final word. ## Short answer You need a SIN to work in Canada and to get government benefits. Apply online, by mail or at a Service Canada office; it is free. Who handles it: [Service Canada (Employment and Social Development Canada)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/employment-and-social-development-canada). Handles it everywhere in Canada. ## Official links - [Apply for a SIN](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 12 October 2026 - [About the SIN](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin.html), checked 12 October 2026 ## Who can apply - A SIN is a 9-digit number you need to work in Canada or to get government programs and benefits. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. - Anyone 12 or older can apply for their own SIN. A parent or legal guardian can apply for a child under the age of majority, and a legal guardian or representative can apply for an adult in their care. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - Canadian citizens give one primary identity document, such as a birth certificate from the province or territory of birth or a citizenship certificate. Permanent residents give a PR card or Confirmation of Permanent Residence. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. - Temporary residents give a work permit, or a study permit that says the holder may work in Canada. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Cost - Applying for a SIN is free. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Where to go - You can apply in person at a Service Canada Centre. If your documents are in order, you get your SIN during the visit and keep your documents. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. - Mailed applications go to Service Canada's Social Insurance Registration Office, PO Box 7000, Bathurst NB E2A 4T1. Your documents are mailed back once the application is complete. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Good to know - Service Canada no longer issues plastic SIN cards. If you already know your SIN, you can view and print it in My Service Canada Account instead of applying. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Questions people ask ### How much does a SIN cost? Nothing. There is no fee to apply for a Social Insurance Number. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### I lost my SIN. How do I find it? If you know your SIN, you do not need to apply again. Sign in to My Service Canada Account, or register for it, to view and print your SIN. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### Do I still get a SIN card? No. Service Canada no longer issues plastic SIN cards. If you know your number, you can view and print it in My Service Canada Account. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### What does it mean if my SIN starts with 9? It is a temporary SIN with an expiry date. When you get a new immigration document, apply to extend the SIN so its expiry date matches the document. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/status.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### When should I contact Service Canada if my SIN has not arrived? Contact the SIN Program if more than 10 business days have passed since you applied online, or more than 25 business days since you applied by mail. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/status.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Where to go in person - Service Canada Centres: [Toronto, ON](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/ontario/toronto/service-canada-centres) (9), [Montréal, QC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/quebec/montreal/service-canada-centres) (6), [Calgary, AB](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/alberta/calgary/service-canada-centres) (4), [Ottawa, ON](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/ontario/ottawa/service-canada-centres) (3), [Edmonton, AB](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/alberta/edmonton) (2), [Winnipeg, MB](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/manitoba/winnipeg/service-canada-centres) (3), [Mississauga, ON](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/ontario/mississauga) (2), [Vancouver, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/vancouver) (2), [Brampton, ON](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/ontario/brampton) (1), [Hamilton, ON](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/ontario/hamilton) (2) ## More - [Get or renew a passport](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/passport) - [Get proof of Canadian citizenship](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/citizenship-certificate) - [Apply for Indian status or a status card](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/status-card) - [Order a birth certificate](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/birth-certificate) - [Order a death certificate](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/death-certificate) - [Order a marriage certificate](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/marriage-certificate) ## Cite this page Canada Service Map, "SIN number: apply for a Social Insurance Number", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/sin