Citizenship and Immigration Canada
www.cic.gc.ca
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Welcome to Canada: What you should know
Getting your identification papers and other documents
- Identity documents
- Applying for a Social Insurance Number card
- Applying for the Canada Child Tax Benefit
- Applying for the GST/HST credit
Identity documents
Official papers that state who you are and where you come from are extremely important. They can be hard to replace if you lose them. These include health records, birth certificates, Confirmation of Permanent Residence forms (IMM 5292) and permanent resident cards. If you are living in Quebec, you will have a Certificat de sélection du Québec. You will need these papers to apply for important government services and benefits, and to obtain a Social Insurance Number card and a health insurance card. So it is very important to keep them in a safe place at all times, and not to lend them to your friends or let someone else use them. You could lose your benefits if you give your cards to someone else.
It is not necessary to carry your passport, your Confirmation of Permanent Residence form or your permanent resident card around with you, but it is important to have a couple of pieces of ID (identification) with you at all times. Any two of the following would be good: a driver’s licence, a photocopy of your permanent resident papers (the original should be kept in a safe place or in a safety deposit box at the bank), a health insurance card or a credit card.
Applying for a Social Insurance Number card
Applying for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) is one of the most important things you will do after coming to Canada. You will need one to work here, to open a bank account or to obtain your tax credit. This number tells the government who is earning money, paying taxes, paying into pension plans and using government services. Your employers will ask you for this number.
To apply for one, simply go to your nearest Service Canada Centre (listed in the blue pages of your telephone book). For information about the documents you need to apply for a SIN card, visit the Service Canada website at www.servicecanada.gc.ca.
Applying for the Canada Child Tax Benefit
If you have children under 18, the Government of Canada may be able to help you with some of the costs of raising them. This monthly tax-free payment is called the Canada Child Tax Benefit. The amount of the benefit is based on several factors, such as your family income, the number of children you have and their ages, and your province or territory of residence. When you apply, you must provide proof of your Canadian immigration status and proof of birth for any of your children born outside of Canada.
To receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit, you must file an Income Tax Return each year. If you have not been a resident of Canada long enough to fill out a return, you will need to complete a separate form to declare your world income. You can get these forms and more information on the Canada Child Tax Benefit by calling the Canada Revenue Agency’s toll-free enquiry service at 1‑800‑387‑1193, or by visiting www.cra.gc.ca/benefits.
If you live in Quebec, you will have to submit applications for child assistance and send any information about a change in your family situation directly to the Régie des rentes du Québec. However, for a child born in Quebec after December 31, 2006, you do not have to submit an application. The Régie will be notified automatically. For more information, visit the Régie’s website at www.rrq.gouv.qc.ca.
Applying for the GST/HST credit
The GST is a tax that you pay on most goods and services sold or provided in Canada. In some provinces, the GST has been blended with the provincial sales tax and is called the HST. The GST/HST credit helps individuals and families with low or modest incomes offset all or part of the GST or HST that they pay. To be eligible for the credit, you must be a resident of Canada and 19 years of age or older. If you are under 19, you are only eligible for the credit if you have a spouse or a common-law partner or you are a parent.
To apply for the GST/HST credit, complete Form RC151, Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) Credit Application. (You can find this form in the back pocket of this brochure.) You can also get the form and more information about the GST/HST credit by calling the Canada Revenue Agency’s enquiry service at 1‑800‑959‑1953 or visiting www.cra.gc.ca/benefits. To continue receiving the credit each year, you will have to file an Income Tax and Benefit Return and apply for the credit on that return.