A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is the 9-digit number you need to work in Canada, get paid, file taxes, and access most government programs. As an international student you cannot start a job, including an on-campus one, until you have applied for a SIN.
You cannot apply before you arrive. Your SIN application depends on a valid study permit, and your study permit is issued when you land in Canada.
Temporary residents receive a SIN that starts with the number 9. It expires on the same date as your study permit, so you will need to update your record every time you extend your permit.
Where to Apply
There are three official ways to get a SIN, plus two situations you may encounter as a student.
Online (recommended)
Apply through Service Canada's eSIN system from anywhere, at any time, once your study permit is in hand.
Processing takes about 5 business days when your application is complete.
You upload photos or scans of your documents. No appointment, no travel.
Apply here.
In person at a Service Canada Centre
There are more than 300 Service Canada Centres across the country.
This is the fastest option: bring your documents and you normally walk out with your SIN the same day, in roughly 30 minutes.
Some centres take walk-ins and others prefer an appointment booked through the eServiceCanada request form. Check before you go, and expect long lines in September and January.
Find your nearest office here.
By mail
Send your form and certified copies of your documents to the Social Insurance Registration Office in Bathurst, New Brunswick.
Processing takes about 20 business days, and you have to part with copies of your documents. Use this only if the other two options are not possible.
At the airport
Service Canada runs a service called SIN@Landing at some major airports, including Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montréal-Trudeau, Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax Stanfield. Where it operates, newcomers can apply on site and leave with a SIN.
Do not build your plans around it. The service is offered permanently at some airports and only as needed at others, and it is aimed mainly at new permanent residents. There is no medical clinic or airport kiosk that issues SINs on demand. Assume you will apply online or at a Service Canada Centre after you settle in.
On campus
Many colleges and universities host SIN clinics with Service Canada staff during orientation and at the start of each term. These are often the easiest route: same-day service, no travel, and staff who see student cases all day. Check your international student office's events calendar as soon as you arrive.
Documents You Need
You need two things, plus the application form.
Your primary document, proving you can work in Canada:
A study permit issued by IRCC that states you "may accept employment" or "may work" in Canada, or
A work permit (for example a co-op or off-campus work permit), or
A visitor record showing you are authorized to work.
A secondary document, proving your identity:
Your passport, Canadian or foreign, is the standard choice.
A Canadian government-issued ID such as a provincial driver's licence also works.
Supporting documents, only if they apply to you:
Proof of a legal name change, or a marriage certificate, if your name differs across your documents.
A letter of consent or proof of guardianship if a representative is applying on your behalf.
Some schools ask for a proof of enrolment letter as well. Service Canada does not require it for the SIN itself, but bringing it costs you nothing.
If Your Study Permit Does Not Mention Work
This is the most common reason students get turned away. Older permits, and permits issued with an error, sometimes have no work conditions printed on them. Without that wording, Service Canada cannot issue a SIN.
The fix is to ask IRCC to amend your permit, which is free. Submit a request to amend or correct your study permit through IRCC and wait for the corrected document before you apply for your SIN. Start this the week you notice it, since processing takes time and you cannot work in the meantime.
Good to Know
It is free. Service Canada never charges for a SIN. Any website asking you to pay for one is a third-party service you do not need.
There is no plastic card. Since 2014, Service Canada issues a Confirmation of SIN letter instead. You can view and print yours in My Service Canada Account.
Memorize it, do not carry it. Give your SIN only to employers, your bank for interest-bearing accounts and investments, and the CRA. Nobody else needs it, and it is a prime target for identity theft.
Your bank does not need it to open a chequing account. Some banks ask, and you can decline for a basic account, though you will need it for anything that earns interest.
Tell your employer promptly. You can accept a job offer while your application is in progress, but your employer needs the number on file shortly after you start, so apply before you begin job hunting rather than after.
Keep it current. When you extend your study permit or move to a post-graduation work permit, update your SIN record so the expiry date matches.
Coming in 2027
Service Canada is building a program called SIN@Entry, expected to launch in fall 2027, which will let newcomers request a SIN directly inside their IRCC account and receive it digitally. Until then, the three routes above are how it works.
Sources
Social Insurance Number: Apply, Government of Canada
SIN for temporary residents, Government of Canada
Application status and receiving your SIN, Government of Canada
eSIN: SIN application innovations, Government of Canada
SIN@Entry to launch fall 2027, CIC News