Do you need a social insurance number (SIN)?
A SIN is a nine-digit number issued by Service Canada. You are usually required to have a SIN to work in Canada, and your SIN is used for income tax purposes under section 237 of the Income Tax Act. You must give your SIN to anyone who prepares information slips (such as
T4 or
T5013 slips) for you.
For more information, or to get an application for a SIN, visit the
Service Canada Web site or call
1-800-206-7218 (from Canada and the United States (U.S.)).
If you are outside Canada and the U.S., you can write to:
Service Canada
Social Insurance Registration Office
P.O. Box 7000
Bathurst NB E2A 4T1
CANADA
or call
506-548-7961.
If you are not eligible to get a SIN, complete
Form T1261, Application for a Canada Revenue Agency Individual Tax Number (ITN) for Non-Residents, and send it to us as soon as possible. Do
not complete this form if you
already have a SIN, an individual tax number, or a temporary tax number.
If you have requested but not yet received a SIN or an ITN, and the deadline for filing your return is near, file your return without your SIN or ITN to avoid any possible late-filing penalty and interest charges. Attach a note to your return to let us know.