Getting your SIN as an international student

You need a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada or get paid, campus jobs included. For a student whose permit allows work, getting one is free and quick.

What a SIN is and why you need it

A SIN is a nine-digit number Service Canada uses to identify you for work and government programs. No employer can put you on payroll without it, and you need it to file taxes and receive benefits or refunds. It is not a work permit. It is the record that lets you be paid legally once you already have the right to work.

Treat it like a password. Your SIN unlocks your tax and benefit records, so give it only to an employer, your bank for interest reporting, or the government, never on a job ad or over email.

Are you eligible

You’re eligible once your study permit authorises work. Service Canada issues a student a SIN only when the permit carries the condition “may work” or “may accept employment” in Canada, whether on or off campus. Take out your permit and read the conditions box before you apply.

If that line is there, move to the steps below. If it isn’t, don’t apply yet; see No work condition first. You do not need a job offer, an employer letter, or a separate work permit to apply, because the permit condition is enough.

How to apply

Two routes, same free result. In person is fastest; online saves the trip.

1. 1

   Confirm your permit says you may work

   Read the conditions on your study permit. You need 'may work' or 'may accept employment' printed there. Without it, Service Canada can't issue a student a SIN yet.

   → You know which route to take.

2. 2

   Choose in person or online

   In person: visit a Service Canada Centre with your original documents. Online: apply through the Service Canada SIN portal and upload clear scans or photos of your documents.

   → In person, you'll get the number during the visit; online, it's processed in about 5 business days.

3. 3

   Show your documents

   Hand over, or upload, your study permit with the work condition and your passport. Service Canada verifies them; the number is not printed on a plastic card, so save the confirmation letter.

   → Your SIN is issued.

4. 4

   Store it safely

   Write the number somewhere private and give it only to an employer or the government. Give it to your employer before your first payday so you can be paid.

   → You're ready to work legally.

Documents you need

Bring the originals if you apply in person; upload clear copies if you apply online. You need one primary document that proves your status, and one secondary document that proves your identity.

What if your permit has no work condition

If your study permit doesn’t mention working, you can’t get a student SIN yet, but the fix is often free. If you meet the off-campus work rules, contact IRCC and ask to have the work condition added to your permit. There’s no fee to add the condition when you’re already eligible. Once your amended permit arrives with the “may work” line, apply for your SIN the normal way.

This is different from changing your eligibility. If you switched to a program that now qualifies you to work, that’s a formal application to change your permit conditions, and it does carry a fee. Check the work off campus rules or ask us before you apply.

What to do next

• Planning your studies in Canada? See how we handle study permits, work conditions and the first weeks end to end.
• Have a question about your permit? Ask us before you apply, because a wrong step can delay your SIN and your first paycheque.