Social Insurance Number (SIN)

You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada. This number identifies people who earn money through work and investments, pay taxes, contribute to pension plans, and use government services. It’s a good idea to apply for your SIN as soon as you can. That way, you will have it when you need it. An employer cannot pay you if you do not have a SIN. The law in Canada says that your employer has to ask you to show your SIN card, or proof that you have applied for a SIN, within 3 days after you start a job.

Do Children Needs a SIN?

Children do not need a SIN unless they will earn money from a job or from an investment in their name. For example, if your child has a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), your child might need a SIN. However, if your child is eligible for a SIN, you can apply for one so that it will be ready when they need it. If your baby is born in Canada, you can apply online for a birth certificate and Social Insurance Number using the Newborn Registration Service. You can use this service until your child is 1-year-old. After your child is 1-year-old, you can apply for a SIN from Service Canada.

How do I get a social Insurance Number (SIN)?

• Visit your local Service Canada centre
• original documents to prove your status in Canada

-Permanent Resident Card
-Confirmation of Permanent Residence and Visa counterfoil in foreign passport
-Confirmation of Permanent Residence and Visa counterfoil on Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada

Useful Link

• Find a Service Canada Office
• Social Insurance Number

Driver’s Licence

If you live in Ontario and want to drive, you must have an Ontario driver’s licence. The process to get a driver’s licence depends on if you are a new driver, or if you have had a driver’s licence before. To get a driver’s licence in Ontario, you must be 16 years old or older. You must pass a vision test to show that you can see well enough to drive safely.

You may be able to exchange it for an Ontario driver’s licence, if you have a driver’s licence from another country. The type of license you can get depends on how much driving experience you have and if the country has a reciprocal agreement with Ontario. If you have a driver’s licence from another province in Canada, your previous driving experience may help you get an Ontario driver’s licence faster than a new driver.

The Ontario driver’s licence is a blue, plastic card. The card has your photo, name, address, date of birth and signature on it. It is common to use a driver’s licence as an identity document and you have to carry your driver’s licence with you when you drive. The licence has an expiry date, so then you have to renew it before it expires.

Driver Examination Center in Toronto

Find Location

• Toronto Metro East Drive Test Centre
  1448 Lawrence Avenue East Unit 15 North York, Ontario M4A 2V6
• Toronto Downsview Drive Test Centre
  37 Carl Hall Rd. Toronto, Ontario M3K 2E2
• Toronto Etobicoke Drive Test Centre
  Centennial Park Plaza, 5555 Eglinton Ave. W. Unit E120-124, Etobicoke, ON M9C 5M1
• Toronto Port Union Drive Test Centre
  The Village of Abbey Lane Shopping Centre, 91 Rylander Blvd, Unit#109A, Scarborough, ON M1B 5M5

Useful Link

• Driver Licensing
• The Official MTO (Ministry of Transportation) Driver’s Handbook

Ontario Photo Card

The Ontario Photo Card is government-issued identification (ID) that you can get instead of a driver’s license. You must be at least 16 years old and a non-driver.

To apply for a Photo Card

• visit your local Service Ontario centre
• original identity documents to prove your legal name, date of birth and signature
• your marriage certificate, if you are applying under your married name

Useful Link

• Find a Service Ontario Centre
• Ontario Photo Card