Returning Canadians - SIN#

[heatherusa]

I thought I would just share my experience today when we went to get my husbands SIN number.

My husband needed to apply for his number, my 10 year old daughter needed a number, and I needed to change my name on my number as it was still in my maiden name from 12 years ago.

Apparently, after 5 years of inactivity, a Social Insurance Number becomes dormant in order for the government to combat fraud. Once dormant, it cant be used for employment - basically, if I had not filled out a form to have my SIN reactivated then when I went to start work with a company here in Canada they would have been informed that my SIN was not a valid number.

SOOOO... to make a long story even longer... if you have been gone from Canada for more than 5 years your SIN may not be active and you will need to reactivate it.

Just wanted to share.

 

[Jen85]

Thank you for sharing that. I have been gone for 7 years so that will apply to me and I didn't know that. Very good information to have and another thing to do on my long list.

Thanks again!!

 

[heatherusa]

Thank you for sharing that. I have been gone for 7 years so that will apply to me and I didn't know that. Very good information to have and another thing to do on my long list.

Thanks again!!

It really surprised me as I was just looking for work with no idea that there could have been a problem. The Service Canada employee said that an employer would have checked the number and it would have come back as invalid and that could have cost me employment.

Like I need any thing else preventing me from working! LOL

 

[MikeUK]

I'm in the same boat...been gone for 7 years and had no idea! Did they look up your number to confirm it was inactive? Was there a fee or anything to reactivate?

Thanks for the info!!

 

[heatherusa]

I'm in the same boat...been gone for 7 years and had no idea! Did they look up your number to confirm it was inactive? Was there a fee or anything to reactivate?

Thanks for the info!!

They looked up my number and confirmed that it was dormant...and I had to fill out a form explaining where I had been for the time I was out of the country and what I had been doing...basically I stated that I had married an American and had been in the US for the last 12 years. The lady at Service Canada did say that they had to fax the form in and that it was a bit more work than just applying for a SIN. There wasnt a fee.

Of course, I didnt file taxes in the last 12 years so maybe that had something to do with it.

 

[MikeUK]

I haven't filed taxes in Canada in the last 7 years either as I've been filing in the UK. Yet another thing to add to the already massive post-landing list!

Thanks again for sharing heatherusa

 

[Jen85]

I have just been looking at the Service Canada website and I could only find any information on "dormant" SIN's when I did a site search and that was just buried in some long document. I think they really should communicate this information a bit better to people in our situation. If I hadn't seen your post, this could have caused all sorts of problems for me once I move back to Canada. Just proved to me even more how valuable this forum is!!

A big thank you to you!!

 

[HoneyBird]

so then does it mean that your health card is no longer valid as well?

and i think at least they should of sent a letter to you indicating that 5 years elapsed since blah blah..please advise of your situation...etc. That is so easy to do, a computer programs indicates all the citizens with 5 year expiry and then a standard letter can be sent out to the last known address or something.

 

[MikeUK]

My Ontario health card has definitely expired and I'm pretty sure that I'll be forced into the 3 month waiting period before I can get coverage again. I think they make people moving to Ontario from other provinces (as well as other countries obviously) wait the 3 months as well.

According to http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/ohipfaq_dt.aspx

"You may be out of the province for up to 212 days in any 12-month period and still maintain your Ontario health insurance coverage provided that you continue to make Ontario your primary place of residence."

So even if my physical card hadn't expired, my coverage would still be cancelled since I've been gone for 7 years.

And from that same site:

"Generally speaking, if you are a newcomer to Ontario, or a former resident returning here to live after being out of the country for more than seven months, the waiting period begins on the date you establish or re-establish residence in Ontario. You may also be required to be present in Ontario for 153 days of the first 183 days immediately following the date residence is established in Ontario (you cannot be absent for more than 30 days during the first 6 months of residence)."

I'm guessing rules for other provinces in Canada are different. Not a big fan of being born and raised in Ontario and returning only to have to wait to get my health coverage back. I guess they have their reasons though.

 

[Jen85]

We are moving to Nova Scotia but I used to live in Alberta where you had to pay something towards Alberta Health care (or employer did) so I know that is long gone. I will have to wait the three months to apply for Nova Scotia health care and get some sort of insurance from the UK to cover those three months.

 

[jillandmat]

This is good to know.. so when i go with my DH do i just check to see if mine is also dormant? I believe it will be -- Ive been out for around 6 years.. and when i came back in Aug and tried to do some things (get warranty extension) i didnt come up.. i guess no credit report or taxes no idea.. anyway
ok.. so do they reactivate it? how long does it take?

in ontario what do i need to bring with me.. and my hubby to get the SIN card? and my kids sin card too i guess...

 

[Jen85]

Jill and Mat

Check out this link with Service Canada as it tells you what documents you need and where to find your local office http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/apply/proof.shtml

 

[heatherusa]

This is good to know.. so when i go with my DH do i just check to see if mine is also dormant? I believe it will be -- Ive been out for around 6 years.. and when i came back in Aug and tried to do some things (get warranty extension) i didnt come up.. i guess no credit report or taxes no idea.. anyway
ok.. so do they reactivate it? how long does it take?

in ontario what do i need to bring with me.. and my hubby to get the SIN card? and my kids sin card too i guess...

We went in to Service Canada and they printed the forms that had to be filled out for Dormant SIN. The lady said she would fax it and it should take only 2-3 weeks and I could just explain to an employer if I found work in the next three weeks- but the impression I got is that it isnt going to take very long.

Im pretty sure this is employment related because my credit report pulls just fine...I maintained a bank account and credit cards in Canada the entire time I was gone.

Going to Service Canada was super easy and they gave my husband and daughter SIN's immediately.

 

[can_usa_97]

Good to know, we are planning to get our kids when we visit next week - and I had planned to ask about my husbands (he'll be along as well) as he's been gone for 13 years.

 

[heatherusa]

Good to know, we are planning to get our kids when we visit next week - and I had planned to ask about my husbands (he'll be along as well) as he's been gone for 13 years.

I just keep thinking that if I hadnt wanted to bother to change my name I wouldnt have found out until it was too late and it could have cost me a good job. I feel as though I have dodged a bullet!