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The short answer
You can apply for a SIN online, by mail or in person at a Service Canada Centre, and there is no fee. As a new permanent resident your primary document is your PR card, or your Confirmation of Permanent Residence if you use it within one year of becoming a permanent resident. In person, if everything is in order, you get your SIN during the visit; online, you upload clear copies of both sides of each document.
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is the nine-digit number your employer needs to pay you and the CRA uses to match your tax records. Banks, benefit programmes and many other services ask for it. Service Canada issues it, free, and the process for a new permanent resident is short if your documents line up. Here is what Service Canada's own pages say, as at October 2026.
Three ways to apply
| Route | How it works | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Through Service Canada's online SIN application. Service Canada says applying online is faster. | Upload clear digital copies of both sides, showing the whole document including borders |
| In person | At a Service Canada Centre. You can check whether an office is open and request an appointment online. | Originals. If everything is in order, you get your SIN during the visit and keep your documents |
| By mail | Service Canada, Social Insurance Registration Office, PO Box 7000, Bathurst NB E2A 4T1 | Originals, which is a reason most people avoid this route |
Service Canada says there is no fee to apply for a SIN. Anyone who asks you to pay for a SIN is not Service Canada.
Documents for a permanent resident
Primary document (one of these)
- Permanent Resident card issued by IRCC (or CIC, for older cards).
- Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) issued by IRCC. Service Canada accepts it if used within one year of becoming a permanent resident.
- Record of Landing issued by CIC before 28 June 2002, for those who landed long ago.
Most new arrivals use the COPR, because the PR card takes time to arrive. If more than a year has passed since you landed, wait for the PR card or contact Service Canada about your situation.
Secondary and supporting documents
- Your passport. Service Canada says a valid foreign passport showing your full legal name and date of birth can serve as a secondary identity document. It does not replace the primary document.
- Name differences. If the name you want on your SIN record differs from your primary document, bring the document that explains it: a marriage certificate, divorce decree, legal change-of-name certificate or adoption order. A marriage certificate is not accepted for Quebec residents married after 1 April 1981.
- Language. Documents not in English or French need the original plus a translated copy. Most Nigerian documents are in English, so this rarely applies.
Step by step, in person
- Find your nearest Service Canada Centre and check opening, or request an appointment, through Service Canada's online form.
- Take your original COPR or PR card, your Nigerian passport and any name-change document.
- Confirm the address you give, since Service Canada may send correspondence there.
- If everything is in order, you leave with your SIN.
- Give the number to your employer and bank, and keep the confirmation somewhere safe.
Common snags
- COPR older than a year. Service Canada accepts the COPR only within one year of becoming a permanent resident; after that it wants the PR card.
- Blurred uploads. Online applications need both sides of each document with the borders visible. A cropped phone photo is the usual cause of a request for more information.
- Names in a different order. Nigerian passports and IRCC documents sometimes order surname and given names differently. Check that the names match before you apply, and bring the document that explains any real difference.
If you already had a SIN as a worker or student
Many Nigerians become permanent residents after a study or work permit, and already hold a SIN starting with 9. Service Canada's page for temporary residents lists a change of status, from temporary to permanent resident, as a reason to apply for or update your SIN record. The page does not say whether the number itself changes, so do not assume either way: update the record and use what Service Canada confirms. See updating your SIN after getting PR and what a SIN starting with 9 means.
Protect the number
Your SIN is the key to your tax and benefits record. Give it to your employer, your bank for tax reporting, and government programmes that need it. Be wary of giving it to a landlord or a shop; ask why they need it, and offer an alternative such as a credit report you obtained yourself. If someone calls claiming to be from the CRA or Service Canada and asks for your SIN by phone with a threat, hang up and call the official number yourself; see telling a real CRA call from a fake one.
Where Pryme fits
Your SIN deals with your Canadian side. If you also hold money in Nigeria, your BVN does the matching job there; the NRBVN lets Nigerians abroad get one, explained in our NRBVN guide. A Pryme account can be opened from Canada and holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR. See how Pryme works.
Questions people ask
Can I apply for a SIN online as a new PR?
Yes. Service Canada offers an online application and says it is faster. You upload clear digital copies of both sides of your documents, showing the whole document including borders.
Can I use my COPR to get a SIN?
Yes, if you use it within one year of becoming a permanent resident. After that, use your PR card.
How much does a SIN cost in Canada?
Nothing. Service Canada says there is no fee to apply for a SIN.
Do I get my SIN the same day?
In person, Service Canada says that if everything is in order you get your SIN during the visit. Online and mail applications take longer.
Sources
- Service Canada: Apply for a Social Insurance Number (modified 15 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Service Canada: SIN required documents (modified 20 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Service Canada: SIN for temporary residents (modified 2 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.