Applying online for a Social Insurance Number is the quickest option for international students and workers ahead of the winter season

GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 15, 2023 /CNW/ - The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is integral to life in Canada. This 9-digit number is fundamental to working and accessing Government of Canada programs and services. Each year, Service Canada sees an increase in demand for SIN applications in the summer and in the winter from international students and temporary foreign workers.

As international students and workers arrive, Service Canada encourages them to apply for a SIN online. It is a quick and convenient option and applicants can view their SIN via My Service Canada Account within 5 days. Applicants will also receive their SIN by mail within 10 business days from the date the application was submitted.

Students and others who need help to apply for their SIN can participate in a SIN clinic, held in a post-secondary institution or community organization. Clinics provide in-person support to those who cannot complete their application online or visit a Service Canada Centre or a Scheduled Outreach Site. Since September 1, 2023, Service Canada held more than 280 SIN clinics and has helped more than 9,000 international students and workers. More clinics are scheduled across the country in the coming weeks.

Service Canada has made it even easier for new arrivals to obtain their SIN quickly through in-person SIN application services at the Toronto Pearson International Airport.  This service is also offered in other select airports during peak seasons, including the Montréal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport, the Vancouver International Airport, the Calgary International Airport, the Edmonton International Airport and the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. International students and workers entering Canada in any of these airports should look out for a Service Canada counter.    

Quote 

"Leaving your home country to work or study in Canada can be an exciting and stressful experience, and Service Canada is here to make that transition easier for you. If you are eligible to work in Canada, one of the first things you need is a Social Insurance Number. Your employer can participate in one of our SIN clinics, which are available virtually or in-person—or look for Service Canada at the airport when you land."

– Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech

Quick Facts

• Service Canada will process the Social Insurance Number within 5 business days if the online application is complete with all required documents. Once the application is processed, the Social Insurance Number will show up on the client's My Service Canada Account.
• 90% of online SIN applications are processed within 5 business days.
• Applicants can also apply by mail or in person at one of more than 300 Service Canada Centres across the country.

Associated Links

Upcoming SIN clinics for international students
Apply for a Social Insurance Number
Who needs a SIN
Protecting your SIN
Sign in or Register for My Service Canada Account
Social Insurance Number in MSCA 

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Upcoming SIN clinics for international students

Alberta

Date	City	Event Location
January 3, 2024	Medicine Hat	Medicine Hat College
January 4, 2024	Edmonton	Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
January 5, 2024	Calgary	University of Calgary
January 12, 2024	Calgary	University of Calgary

British Columbia

Date	City	Event Location
January 11, 2024	Victoria	University of Victoria

Manitoba

Date	City	Event Location
January 12, 2024	Winnipeg	University of Manitoba

Nova Scotia

Date	City	Event Location
January 11, 2024	Halifax	Saint-Mary's University, Library
January 16, 2024	Wolfville	Acadia University, Wong International Centre
January 17, 2024	Wolfville	Acadia University, Wong International Centre

Ontario

Date	City	Event Location
December 18, 2023	Brantford	Conestoga College
December 18, 2023	Guelph	Conestoga College
December 18, 2023	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
December 18, 2023	Kitchener	Conestoga College – Doon Campus
December 18, 2023	Mississauga	Ontario Khalsa Darbar
December 18, 2023	Windsor	University of Windsor
December 19, 2023	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
December 19, 2023	Waterloo	Conestoga College – Waterloo Campus
December 19, 2023	Windsor	University of Windsor
December 20, 2023	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
December 20, 2023	Kitchener	Kitchener Service Canada Centre
December 20, 2023	Windsor	University of Windsor
December 21, 2023	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
December 22, 2023	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
December 22, 2023	Windsor	University of Windsor
December 29, 2023	Timmins	Timmins Service Canada Centre
January 2, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 2, 2024	Kitchener	Conestoga College – Doon Campus
January 2, 2024	Sarnia	Lambton College
January 2, 2024	Timmins	Timmins Service Canada Centre
January 3, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 3, 2024	Waterloo	Conestoga College – Waterloo Campus
January 4, 2024	Brockville	Brockville Service Canada Centre
January 4, 2024	Guelph	Conestoga College
January 4, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 4, 2024	Kitchener	Conestoga College – Doon Campus
January 4, 2024	Kitchener	Kitchener Service Canada Centre
January 4, 2024	Windsor	University of Windsor
January 5, 2024	Brantford	Conestoga College
January 5, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 5, 2024	Sudbury	Cambrian College
January 5, 2024	Timmins	Timmins Service Canada Centre
January 5, 2024	Waterloo	Conestoga College – Waterloo Campus
January 5, 2024	Windsor	University of Windsor
January 8, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 8, 2024	Kingston	St. Lawrence College
January 8, 2024	Timmins	Timmins Service Canada Centre
January 8, 2024	Windsor	University of Windsor
January 9, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 9, 2024	Kingston	St. Lawrence College
January 9, 2024	Windsor	University of Windsor
January 10, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 10, 2024	Sudbury	Laurentian University
January 11, 2024	Brantford	Wilfred Laurier University
January 11, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 12, 2024	Kingston	Kingston Service Canada Centre
January 16, 2024	Waterloo	University of Waterloo

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Erik Nosaluk, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]