What if my Social Insurance Number (SIN) starts with 9?

If you need a SIN for work but you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to get one. Your SIN will start with the number 9. It has an expiry date.

If you are a refugee claimant, foreign worker or foreign student, you get a SIN that starts with the number 9. These cards have an expiry date on them. They are not valid after that date.

To work in Canada you need a SIN. When you start a job, you will need to give your employer your SIN. Your SIN must be valid. That means, it cannot be expired. If your SIN has expired, you will have to renew it.

If your SIN starts with 9, your employer will also ask to see your work permit. If you are a foreign student, you do not need a work permit to work at an on-campus job.

Renewing a SIN That Starts With 9

Your SIN has an expiry date. Once that date has passed, your SIN is no longer valid. However, you can ask to have that expiry date changed. To change the expiry date, you have to show a valid documents, like the ones you showed when you first applied for a SIN. You can do this at a Service Canada office.

There is no fee to change the expiry date of your SIN.

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Last updated: July 12, 2016 4001098