Record on file
Issuer: Service Canada. Status: Active. Approximate issue year: 2014. Last verified: 2025-11-03T14:22:00-05:00. Verification method: issuer registry.
Masked display
Letters and online summaries often print a masked value (for example •••-•••-286). This page does the same: the full nine digits appear only in the expandable section above, where a trainer can compare them to T4 and payroll scenarios.
Privacy and requests for your SIN
Service Canada does not use unsolicited text or email to ask for your full SIN. If you suspect misuse, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and consider a fraud alert with credit bureaus. The SIN is not general photo ID for retail; employers, financial institutions, and government programs request it only when a law or program rules require it.
Where the SIN is used
Payroll systems use your SIN on every T4 so the Canada Revenue Agency can match employment income to the right person. The same number anchors CPP and EI premiums in boxes 16–18, which in turn feed contribution histories for CPP, EI, and eventually benefit eligibility screens.
When you move provinces or change your legal name, the SIN usually stays the same but each program must be notified separately—there is no automatic cascade from one checkbox to every registry.
Employers, banks, and schools
Employers need your SIN for lawful payroll and T4 issuance. Banks may request it when registering registered accounts so CRA can track contribution room and grants. Educational institutions may use it for tax forms such as T2202; they should not display it on public class lists.