What is the SIN card?

The Social Insurance Number card or SIN is a document that you need in order to work in Canada. It also gives you access to programs and benefits such as Employment Insurance (EI) and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

Employers need to have access to their employees’ SIN cards in order to hire them as it is illegal to hire anyone without one. To do this the employee should show you their SIN card or an official document with their SIN card number.

According to the government, employers play a role in protecting their employees’’ personal information and detecting theft or fraud. Information about a person’s SIN should never be shared with anyone and should stay confidential within a secure area or password-protected file.

When asking an employee for their SIN card, make sure that they do not try to use it as personal identification. The SIN card has no photograph attached to it so make sure that the name on the card is the same as another piece of personal identification like a driver’s license or passport.

Related: Employer’s Guide to the T4 Slip

Who needs a SIN?

Anyone who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or temporary resident and wants to work, needs to get a SIN card. You also need to get a SIN if you want to receive benefits from the government or need to access social service programs. People as young as 12 can apply for a SIN if they need to access government assistance.

How to apply for a SIN card

All SIN applications can be done online or through the mail or in person. The forms need to be filled out in full and you will need to submit supporting documents in order to get a SIN. The application can be used to:

• request a SIN card for the first time
• obtain a confirmation of your SIN
• correct an error on a SIN record
• update a legal change of name
• update the citizen status on your SIN record
• update your immigration document’s expiry date on your SIN card

As an employer, it is important to know how to do these actions so that if you have difficulty registering one of your employees you know where to turn. This is especially important if you have employees who are here as temporary workers or under a work visa. Since the SIN card only expires for those who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents, you have to make sure all documentation of these workers is up to date.

Documents needed to apply for SIN card

The following are the required documents that you need to submit in order to obtain a SIN card.

• Primary identity document- this is an official document that proves your identity and status in Canada. For citizens, this can be your birth certificate or passport. For permanent residents, you will need to provide your permanent resident card. Temporary residents, including temporary workers, will need to provide their work permit information.
• Secondary document- an official document that confirms your identity. In order for this document to be considered a secondary document, it must have your legal name and date of birth on it. This could be a provincial or territorial ID card or driver’s license. It could also be your passport if you haven’t already used this document for the primary identity document.
• Proof of address- this is a document that proves that you live at the address you put on your online application. They use this address to send you a confirmation letter through regular mail. The proof of address must be an official letter from the government, company, employer or institution. The letter also must have the applicant’s full name (family name and given name), which matches the name on the primary or secondary document.

Once the employee has all of these documents, they will be able to go online or in person to apply for a SIN card.  

Employer responsibilities for the SIN card

There are some key responsibilities that employers need to know when collecting employees’ SIN card. These are:

1. Request New Employee’s SIN Within Three Days Of Hiring Then

You are responsible for collecting the SIN of every employee, especially newly hired employees. This request has to be done within three days of hiring the person and they should be able to produce their SIN card right away.

Once you’ve collected the SIN, double-check to make sure it is valid by registering that employee with the government as one of your employees. To do this they will need their sin card for registering income tax, Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance. You will not be able to get through the registration of the new employee if their SIN is not correct or is invalid.

If the Sin that the new employee has given you is incorrect, check their information or if they are new to Canada. People who are new to Canada may not have a SIN yet, but are eligible to get one. If this is the case then help the new employee to apply for a SIN card and obtain the information as soon as they have it.

If you are unsure of the status of an employee’s SIN card, you can check with Services Canada. To check someone’s information you’ll need your business number so make sure you have that information handy.

2. Make Sure Any Employees’ Whose SIN Starts With “9” Are Authorized to Work In Canada

Any SIN card that starts with the number nine is a temporary card that will have an expiry date. These are used for new immigrants or temporary working visas. The expiry date on the SIN should match the information on their immigration documentation.

If you notice that one of your employees has a SIN that starts with nine, make sure to check their immigration status or their work visa. The employee may just need to renew their SIN card so allow them to do so before they start working for you.

If they do not have proper documentation, then they may not be eligible to work in Canada and should be reported to authorities.

3. Protect Your Employees’ Personal Information

Always remember to store any personal information you have about your employees in a secure area or in a password-protected file on your computer.  You might want to store this type of information on a secure online storage site like iCloud as this will protect the information from getting lost if something goes wrong with your technology.

If you do have an issue with an employee’s SIN being stolen or inappropriately used make sure to contact Service Canada right away.

If you suspect that a SIN card is being used fraudulently, also contact Service Canada right away.

By following the rules and regulations surrounding the use and collection of SIN card information you will be able to safely operate your business in Canada.

Related: How to Open a CRA Payroll Account