Can INLAND Applicants get SIN card immediately after landing interview ?

[steerpike]

Can INLAND Applicants get SIN card immediately after landing interview or do they have to wait for the PR card to arrive in the mail?

I am asking because on the service Canada website it says:

"Permanent residents:
You must provide one of the following primary documents:

Permanent Resident Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. This is the only acceptable document if your claim was processed in Canada."

 

[MaxLet]

Hi!
I should say " some people do, some others dont "
CIC is really inconsistent about what they do with inlanders... (I dont know about outlanders, tou, must be terrible too)
Anyway, some people in this forum got their SIN card during the landing interview (those whose landing office had a "service canada"), they only use the COPR that was given at the same interview and that was it!
Some others were told to wait for PR card, and that they couldnt get SIN right away.
Some others, even tought they were told to wait for PR card, went to service canada anyway with their COPR and got their SIN card.
Some others did went to service canada, but were instructed to wait for PR card...a few of them try at another service canada office and got it...

It really depends on the office were you land, or the service canada you go to. It is really inconsistent.
Im talking by all the times I have read this forum regarding landing interviews and SiN card problems...
I will say, hope for the best and be prepare for the worst!

Im sorry if i cannot be of more help. God bless and Good luck!

 

[steerpike]

Hi!
I should say " some people do, some others dont "
CIC is really inconsistent about what they do with inlanders... (I dont know about outlanders, tou, must be terrible too)
Anyway, some people in this forum got their SIN card during the landing interview (those whose landing office had a "service canada"), they only use de COPR that was given at the same interview and that was it!
Some others were told to wait for PR card, and that they couldnt get SIN right away.
Some others, even tought they were told to wait for PR card, went to service canada anyway with their COPR and got their SIN card.
Some others did went to service canada, but got were instructed to wait for PR card...a few of them try at another service canada office and got it...

It really depends on the office were you land, or the service canada you go to. It is really inconsistent.
Im talking by all the times I have read this forum regarding landing interviews and SiN card problems...
I will say, hope for the best and be prepare for the worst!

Im sorry if i cannot be of more help. God bless and Good luck!

Okay thanks. I guess we will give it a try since the service centre is only a few blocks away from the CIC office.

 

[screech339]

Okay thanks. I guess we will give it a try since the service centre is only a few blocks away from the CIC office.

You can give it a try and see if you can get SIN with your COPR. However the majority of them tried and have not been successful. Only to be told that they have to get their PR card first before applying. It is rather unfair that inland applicants have to wait another 2-3 months longer before they can legally work since they cannot work without a SIN assigned.

Meanwhile those who applied outland, get faster PR processing time and can get their SIN with their COPR on the same day of landing without delay.

Personally those who applied inland should be able to get their SIN on day of landing like all outland applicants can.

Screech339

 

[Rob_TO]

Can an inland applicant continue to work on their OWP after landing and waiting for PR card, or is OWP terminated effective the day of landing and becoming PR?

It doesn't make sense to me that they would force all inland applicants to quit their jobs for 2-3 months just waiting for the card to arrive.

 

[screech339]

Can an inland applicant continue to work on their OWP after landing and waiting for PR card, or is OWP terminated effective the day of landing and becoming PR?

It doesn't make sense to me that they would force all inland applicants to quit their jobs for 2-3 months just waiting for the card to arrive.

That is a good point. OWP are considered void the moment the applicant becomes PR. I think they can use the temporary SIN assigned until they get their permanent SIN. This is something I have no experience or seen anyone posting regarding being able or not able to work after they land with OWP.

Hopefully some other members can shed light on this convoluted issue.

Screech339

 

[SenoritaBella]

Agree. For those currently employed, it is easier - provide a copy of your COPR and continue working with your old SIN until you get a new one. There could be a dilemma if the expiry date on the SIN is past.

It is probably more tricky for someone who is not already employed - I believe employment law states the new employer requires the SIN within 5 days of starting a new job. May be this is something applicats should ask Service Canada directly. Also, ask the CIC call centre agents for specific information about it because it is possible CIC is not aware that this catch 22 exsits and is affecting a new permanent resident's ability to be employed. Afterall, they do prefer that immigrants get into the work force.

Can an inland applicant continue to work on their OWP after landing and waiting for PR card, or is OWP terminated effective the day of landing and becoming PR?

It doesn't make sense to me that they would force all inland applicants to quit their jobs for 2-3 months just waiting for the card to arrive.

 

[Rob_TO]

It is probably more tricky for someone who is not already employed - I believe employment law states the new employer requires the SIN within 5 days of starting a new job.

Couldn't they give the existing SIN that was given for OWP? At least until the PR card arrives and they get permanent SIN, at which time they can update it with the HR dept at work.

Even if you go through multiple SINs in different versions, CRA links them all together to you. So as long as it's legal to work (i.e. you have full PR status), then it's probably ok to use any existing SIN as long as it's not expired, whether you are continuing an existing job or starting a brand new one. Of course not 100% sure on all the details here.

 

[QuebecOkie]

I was specifically told by the officer at my landing interview that I *must* wait for my PR card to get a SIN. However, I learned from other immigrants in my language course that they had successfully gotten their SINs with just their passport and COPR. So I went to Service Canada (around a month and a half after landing). Had no trouble at all getting my SIN with my passport and COPR.

However, we've definitely read of others being turned away from Service Canada when requesting a SIN with their COPRs and passports. Service Canada apparently isn't much more consistent than CIC.

 

[Alurra71]

I was able to get my SIN immediately, but they provided a Service Canada rep right at the landing office to do these things. Not all landing offices do this. I think the key here is to ensure you use a full Service Canada office. I tried initially at the local Service Ontario and they were useless for my SIN, for my Driver's License and for my Health Card. I had to take 3 different trips into Windsor to get these things done. I think that might be where a lot of folks get turned around, perhaps the offices they are trying to use are just not equipped to deal with the 'needs' of a new immigrant, as was the case for me.

Anyway, good luck!

*EDITED TO ALSO ADD* I was told that if you have a temporary SIN number and a job already and are unable to get a permanent SIN upon landing you do not have to quit your job nor discontinue anything else. You continue until you are able to get your permanent SIN card and then you give your new number to your employer. CRA will 'meld' these two numbers together seamlessly for you.

 

[screech339]

However, we've definitely read of others being turned away from Service Canada when requesting a SIN with their COPRs and passports. Service Canada apparently isn't much more consistent than CIC.

CIC are being consistent in turning away those who applied inland from applying for SIN with COPR and passport as per SIN qualifications for inland processed PRs.

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/about/reports/sin/applying.shtml

Permanent residents must submit one of the following documents:

•a Permanent Resident Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). This is the only acceptable document if your residence claim was processed in Canada

Screech339

 

[Rob_TO]

*EDITED TO ALSO ADD* I was told that if you have a temporary SIN number and a job already and are unable to get a permanent SIN upon landing you do not have to quit your job nor discontinue anything else. You continue until you are able to get your permanent SIN card and then you give your new number to your employer. CRA will 'meld' these two numbers together seamlessly for you.

Logically speaking there is no reason this wouldn't apply to people without jobs currently. If you have a temporary SIN due to OWP, then there is no reason you shouldn't be able to start a new job with that SIN. If it's valid for existing workers until permanent SIN is given and numbers are joined, it should also be valid for new workers looking to start a job.

 

[SenoritaBella]

I don't think anyone is saying they shouldn't be able to but if that SIN(starts with 9) is expired, the person still has problems getting hired because employers are aware to check for expiry date.

The bigger problem is those who have never had a SIN before and who become PRs(inland route) and can not start work without it. e.g. spouses who were on visitor status throughout. If Service Canada refuses to issue a SIN without their PR cards, they could lose a job offer. This is the reason I am suggesting to people in this scenario to inform Service Canada of how it affects their ability to be employed and the CIC call centre agents in order to get guidance. It is not fair for a gov't agency to apply the law so inconsistently.

Logically speaking there is no reason this wouldn't apply to people without jobs currently. If you have a temporary SIN due to OWP, then there is no reason you shouldn't be able to start a new job with that SIN. If it's valid for existing workers until permanent SIN is given and numbers are joined, it should also be valid for new workers looking to start a job.

 

[Rob_TO]

I don't think anyone is saying they shouldn't be able to but if that SIN(starts with 9) is expired, the person still has problems getting hired because employers are aware to check for expiry date.

The bigger problem is those who have never had a SIN before and who become PRs(inland route) and can not start work without it. e.g. spouses who were on visitor status throughout. If Service Canada refuses to issue a SIN without their PR cards, they could lose a job offer. This is the reason I am suggesting to people in this scenario to inform Service Canada of how it affects their ability to be employed and the CIC call centre agents in order to get guidance. It is not fair for a gov't agency to apply the law so inconsistently.

Technically speaking, if a SIN is expired you are supposed to stop working immediately, even if you are in a current job! I think it will just be more apparent if one is applying for a new job, since if you have an existing job they may not be checking SIN expiry after they first hired you, so won't even be aware.

There is really no excuse for an inland applicant not to apply for OWP/temp SIN immediately after stage 1 approval/AIP. So yes someone who never bothered to apply for OWP when they could have, may need to wait an extra few months if they can't get a full SIN after landing. However this type of person probably wasn't too interested to start work anyways.

 

[screech339]

Technically speaking, if a SIN is expired you are supposed to stop working immediately, even if you are in a current job! I think it will just be more apparent if one is applying for a new job, since if you have an existing job they may not be checking SIN expiry after they first hired you, so won't even be aware.

There is really no excuse for an inland applicant not to apply for OWP/temp SIN immediately after stage 1 approval/AIP. So yes someone who never bothered to apply for OWP when they could have, may need to wait an extra few months if they can't get a full SIN after landing. However this type of person probably wasn't too interested to start work anyways.

Whatever the reason an inland sponsor decides not to apply for OWP, does not give CIC an excuse not to to give perm SIN when they officially land as PR, especially those that did not get Perm SIN at time of landing. It seems that it is rather unfair that some places like Etobicoke allow inland PR to get SIN, meanwhile others are not so lucky and end up having to wait additional 2-3 months to get perm SIN. If one inland applicant PR can get perm SIN at landing, all inland applicants should get this same right to get perm SIN at all locations.

Screech339