On March 31, 2014, Service Canada will no longer issue plastic SIN cards. In place of the plastic cards, citizens will receive a paper letter with their number on the letter. The purpose of this change is to increase security; people are far less likely to carry around a paper letter than a convenient, wallet-sized plastic card.
What These Changes Mean to You:
SINs are required by all employers within three days of the employee starting work. As a result of new SIN regulations and amendments to the Employment Insurance Regulations, organizations may need to update their operational procedures. These changes might include guidelines, application forms, procedures or agreements where the SIN card is referenced.
For example if your hiring document states: “Please provide a copy of your SIN card,” you may need to change the word “card” to “letter” or just “number”.
SIN cards that are not expired and are currently in circulation can still be used or presented to employers. An individual’s SIN continues to be necessary to apply for various government programs and services and for income tax purposes.
The existing SIN card, the letter (Confirmation of SIN) or other documentation showing the SIN can be provided to the employer. Employers may also request to see other pieces of identification in order to correctly identify an employee before finalizing their employment documents.
To learn more about these changes and your responsibilities regarding the use of the SIN, visit Service Canada’s website.
