Social insurance number
Canadian society places great value on employment (work). Men, women and even older children have full-time or part-time jobs or own businesses where they work.
You will require a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada or receive government benefits. A SIN is a nine-digit number used to administer Canadian government programs.
To get a Social Insurance Number, go to a Canada-Alberta Service Centre (CASC—a centre operated through the co-operation of the governments of Alberta and Canada) or Service Canada Centre (SCC—a centre operated by only the Government of Canada) and apply in writing. You will need two primary pieces of identification (for example, a birth certificate and an Alberta Health Care Insurance Card).
To find the address of the CASC or SCC office nearest you can:
- Call the Alberta Career Information Hotline at (780) 422-4266 in Edmonton or toll-free at 1-800-661-3753.
- See the Alberta Employment and Immigration website for Alberta and Canada-Alberta service centre locations.
- See the Service Canada website. Click on Find Services Where You Live.
- Call 1-800-O-CANADA (1-800-622-6232) toll-free.
- Look under Government of Alberta or Government of Canada in the white or blue pages of the telephone book.
If your Social Insurance Number card is lost or stolen, you can request a new one at the nearest CASC or SCC office. There is a fee for a replacement card.
Related Information
Government of Alberta
Government of Canada
Date Updated: Nov 01, 2007
RDP-644