Tax filing support for international students
Get free Canadian tax filing support at the UBC Tax Clinic for Students (TACS) from Mon, Feb 26 to Sat, Apr 13, 2024. Take the online questionnaire to confirm your eligibility register online.
Get free Canadian tax filing support at the UBC Tax Clinic for Students (TACS) from Mon, Feb 26 to Sat, Apr 13, 2024. Take the online questionnaire to confirm your eligibility register online.
A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a 9-digit number issued by Service Canada, a Canadian government department. You need a SIN before starting work in Canada, to file taxes, as well as access government programs and benefits, if eligible. You will also need to provide your SIN to UBC for tax purposes.
Certain students who are not eligible for a SIN, such as exchange students without a study permit, can get an Individual Tax Number (ITN) instead.
If you’re an international student, having a SIN alone is not enough to allow you to work in Canada. Make sure you are eligible to work in Canada.
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you’ll need to provide certain documents for your application. See how to apply for your SIN.
You can only get your SIN after you’ve arrived in Canada since you first need to get your study permit at the airport or border crossing before you can apply.
It‘s very important to follow a few steps to make sure your study permit allows you to work in Canada and to get a SIN.
To be eligible for a SIN, you must have a study permit with at least one of the following conditions:
You can also apply if you have a work permit, such as a co-op work permit, a Post-Graduation Work Permit, or a spousal work permit.
If you’re eligible to work in Canada as a student, but you do not have one of the conditions on your study permit listed above, you’ll need to either “amend” or “change the conditions” of your study permit depending on your situation:
You can apply for a SIN after you’ve received your new study permit with conditions allowing you to work.
We recommend that you apply for a SIN online. You can also apply by mail or request an in-person appointment if you face barriers applying online.
If you are outside of Canada and you have a study or work permit, you can apply online for a new or extended SIN or confirmation of a SIN, even if you do not have a Canadian mailing address.
In addition to your study or work permit, you will need a copy of your passport. If the document is not in English or French, you will need to translate the document.
If you meet the work eligibility requirement and you’ve applied for the SIN, you can work for a job that is considered insurable employment. Insurable employment is work under the authority of an employer in Canada who controls your wages, hours, and tasks.
Check the most up-to-date processing times.
If your application has exceeded normal processing times by 5 days and you have not received a letter, please contact the SIN Program.
International students get a SIN starting with the number "9", which lets employers know that you are a temporary resident in Canada.
Your SIN will remain the same unless you become a permanent resident, in which case you can apply for a new SIN which doesn’t start with the number ‘9’.
Your SIN will usually have the same expiry date as your study or work permit.
Make sure you keep your SIN valid by extending your SIN each time you extend your temporary residency in Canada, such as getting your extended study permit or your Post-Graduation Work Permit. If you get a co-op work permit and have already received a SIN from your study permit, you do not need to apply for a SIN again.
To extend your SIN, follow the same steps as applying for a new SIN number.
If you applied for a new study or work permit before your current document became invalid and you haven’t received your new document yet, you can continue to use the same SIN while you are waiting for your permit to be issued while on "maintained status" so long as you stay in Canada.
Your SIN is considered to be sensitive personal information which should not be shared—be sure to protect your SIN. Beware of fraudulent phone calls or emails asking for your SIN or any other personal information.
You can contact SIN directly.
For questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada, connect with International Student Advising.
Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC's Vancouver campus.