How to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) — and prepare your details with my-id.ca
Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) without hunting for your details
A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is the 9-digit number you need to work in Canada and to access government programs and benefits. You apply through Service Canada, and there is no fee. This guide is an example of preparing your details in my-id.ca — it is not legal advice, and my-id.ca is not affiliated with Service Canada or the Government of Canada.
Official form and source
Start from the official Service Canada source and always use the current process — requirements can change:
- Apply for a SIN: Apply for a SIN — canada.ca
- Required documents: Required documents for a SIN — canada.ca
What you're applying for
The SIN application is processed by Service Canada. You can apply online, in person at a Service Canada Centre, or by mail. There is no public PDF "SIN form" to download and autofill — instead you provide your identity details and one primary document. The value my-id.ca adds is having those details ready and consistent.
Before you start: what to gather
- Your full legal name, date of birth, and place of birth (matching your documents exactly).
- Your current address.
- One primary document that proves your identity and status in Canada — confirm which one applies to you on the required-documents page.
How my-id.ca makes it faster
- Store your identity once. Save your legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and address in my-id.ca.
- Store your document details. Add the numbers from your primary document and upload a clear scan to my-id.ca Files.
- Autofill the application. Use the my-id.ca Chrome extension on the online application, or fill a paper form from your saved profile inside my-id.ca.
- Review and submit yourself through Service Canada.
A note on storing your SIN
Your SIN is sensitive, so treat it carefully. my-id.ca stores your details encrypted, on Canadian servers, with self-hosted AI, and shares them only when you click. For more on the trade-offs, see Is it safe to store my SIN digitally?.
Why do it in my-id.ca
Once you have a SIN, it is requested again and again — on tax forms, the RC66 child benefit application, employment paperwork, and bank forms. Stored once in my-id.ca, your identity details autofill on every form that asks, so you are not re-keying them under pressure.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I apply for a SIN and is there a fee?
- You apply through Service Canada online, in person at a Service Canada Centre, or by mail. There is no fee to apply for a SIN. Confirm the current process and your eligibility on canada.ca.
- What documents do I need for a SIN?
- You generally need a primary document that proves your identity and status in Canada (for example a birth certificate, or for newcomers an immigration document). Check the required-documents page on canada.ca for what applies to your status.
- Can my-id.ca store my SIN safely?
- my-id.ca stores your details — including sensitive numbers — encrypted, on Canadian servers, and shared only when you choose. You enter and review your SIN yourself; my-id.ca never submits a government application for you.
Fill it once. Reuse it everywhere.
Save your information in my-id.ca once, then autofill this form and the next one — web forms with the Chrome extension, PDFs right in the app. Your data is stored in Canada and AI runs on my-id.ca's own servers, never sent to third-party AI providers.