How to work without a SIN? - Lost PR card 

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Original proof of identity documents are required to apply for a SIN; photocopies are not accepted.

Primary Documents

You need to provide a primary document to apply for a SIN, obtain a confirmation of your SIN, or amend your SIN record (e.g. a name change).

A primary document is an official document that proves your identity and status in Canada. We need to see an original of your primary document. If the name on this document is different from the name you currently use, you will also need to provide a supporting document.

Permanent residents

You must provide one of the following primary documents:

Permanent Resident card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

Confirmation of Permanent Residence issued by CIC, accompanied by either a travel document (for example, a foreign passport) or an alternate photo identification issued by a provincial/territorial authority (for example, a driver’s licence). Note:The Confirmation of Permanent Residence is acceptable if used within one year of the date you became a permanent resident. The Permanent Resident card is required after this period.

Record of Landing issued by CIC before June 28, 2002.

Verification of Landing issued by CIC. This document is provided when an original Record of Landing or the Confirmation of Permanent Residence is not available (if it has been lost, for example). This document is only acceptable to amend a SIN record or to obtain a confirmation of an existing SIN.

Status Verification or Verification of Status issued by CIC. This document is only acceptable to amend a SIN record or to obtain a confirmation of an existing SIN.

Supporting Documents

A supporting document is a legal document indicating the name you currently use. It is required if the name on your primary document is different. Your supporting document must be an original, written in English or French.

In addition to your primary document, you will need to provide one of the following supporting documents when you apply, if required:

Certificate of marriage, record of solemnization of marriage or marriage statement (or a similarly titled document, depending on the issuing authority) to support your family name after marriage. (Note: This does not apply to Quebec residents, regardless of where they were married after April 1, 1981).

Divorce Decree, certificate of Divorce or Decree Absolute issued in accordance with the Supreme Court of Canada for the dissolution of a marriage to support the family name requested on the SIN record when it does not appear on the primary document.

Legal change-of-name certificate or court order document issued in accordance with provincial name change legislation.

Adoption order certified by a Canadian Court (applies to adoptions in Canada only).

Notarial certificate, also called notarial adoption certificate, issued by the country of origin of a child adopted abroad and used by the adoptive parents to have the SIN issued in the adopted child’s Canadian name.

Request to Amend Record of Landing issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and used to amend a Record of Landing or a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document.