You probably need a new account because you got a new SIN.
I just got a new SIN today. This is a good point. Thanks!
You were required to inform IRCC when you left if you left for more than a vacation. How long were you out of Canada? Would call IRCC and inform them that you left Canada and now you have returned and you new address. This will save you from potentially reviewing payments that you aren’t/weren’t entitled to. This will also allow CRA to contact you at the right address if they are trying to reach you which they still often do by mail. You also had to inform the provincial healthcare organization that you had left Canada if you had left for an extended period of time and may be required to reapply for a new health card even if your card is still valid. In order to qualify for healthcare in a province you must meet the residency obligation to qualify for healthcare in that province and have a valid card.
You call the CRA and update your address. At the same time you have the agent update your master file with your new SIN. Address has to be updated first before your new CRA account, since it reads your new postal code . If you use your old postal code it’ll give you an error
What if I just file a paper tax return next year with an updated address and new SIN. Will this be easier?
I think you still have to phone CRA and request to have the two tax numbers linked together.
thanks for your input. However, based on many threads on reddit and here, it seems calling to CRA is a very frustrating and inefficient way of doing things. According to this thread: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/help-how-to-update-sin-to-cra.726993/ , it seems I don,t even have to inform CRA because Service Canada already shares the new SIN information.
you may miss out on benefits then. Cra is a pain to deal with but updating your address isn’t a complex tax so it shouldn’t be problematic and also it isn’t their busy season
You have been advised on how to update your SIN with the CRA. Have no clue on why you think is an inefficient way of doing things. You call, go thru security questions and they update your SIN. Go ahead and do it anyway you want to then. Why people go ahead and ask how to do something, instructions are given, and they elect to do it a totally different way is beyond me. Why ask the question in the first place
I've had to call and speak to CRA and it wasn't that bad at all. There was a long-ish wait - I don't recall exactly, but 30 or 40 minutes I think - but then on the phone they were perfectly helpful and all taken care of by post after that. Since I was on computer doing other things while waiting on the phone, it wasn't any more than a slight inconvenience. (Given that this was still in covid, I think the phone waits were worse at the time than would be now, but only a guess)
What? Seriously? Someone is happy waiting for 30-40 minutes on phone and happy this is not "inefficient"?
Listen, do what you want. If you think your way is more 'efficient' and won't lead to problems, then those problems are yours to deal with.
