by To be able to receive government benefits and programs or to be able to work in Canada, one must have a Social Insurance Number, or SIN, which is a nine-digit number. Although there are no costs associated with applying for a SIN, the procedure might be challenging without some assistance.
If you are a temporary resident or foreign worker in Canada, your Social Insurance Number will begin with the number 9 and indicate an expiration date. The expiration date on your SIN card or document is the same expiration date on your citizenship and immigration documents that allow you to work in Canada.
To renew your social insurance number when it expires, you must visit a Service Canada Office.
What is a Social Insurance Number (SIN)?
The Social Insurance Number is a nine-digit number used to identify a temporary resident or worker living in Canada. Without the SIN number, you cannot legally work or benefit from any government’s social program.
The SIN starts with the number 9 and is only suitable for the period specified on the immigration paperwork for temporary workers and international students who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents.
To guarantee that the expiration date on your SIN and the certificate from the IRCC that allows you to work in the nation match, it is essential that SIN records be kept current.
Can a SIN that has expired be renewed?
It would be best if you visited a Service Canada office to inquire about extending the expiration date once it has gone. This depends on your intention to remain in Canada and whether you possess the required documentation to verify your residency. This is known as “implied status,” which is the name given until an IRCC decision is made. This status indicates that you might be permitted to work even though your SIN has expired.
You need to update your SIN records with the new expiration date as soon as the IRCC allows you to continue working in Canada.
Visit a Service Canada Office
You can search for the closest Service Canada Office using your zip code, city, territory, or province. If you live in a location farther than 100 km, then you might be able to mail in your renewal. By inserting your zip code, you can verify your eligibility status to see if you qualify on the Service Canada SIN card application page.
If you cannot visit Service Canada in person and have no one to represent you, you could qualify for renewal through the mail. Call 1-800-206-7218 and select option number three to verify whether you met the requirements. Read through this article to know where to process your social insurance number.
Bring Identifying Documents
You must bring in one primary document to renew the expiration date on your SIN card or document. Some of the critical documents for temporary residents include:
- CIC study permit
- Work permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- CIC visitor record
- Diplomatic identity card and a permission letter of employment from Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Canada
If the name or names on your document is different from the name you go by, you will also have to provide one supporting document, such as:
- Marriage Certificate
- Divorce Decree
- Legal name-change certificate
- Adoption order certificate
- Notarial adoption certificate
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