Dateline: 10/12/02
In 2002 the Canadian government tightened up the rules for getting a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in Canada after the Auditor General of Canada reported that it was too easy to get a SIN card without adequate proof of identity or citizenship. Getting a fraudulent SIN card can be used as the first step in establishing a false identity and in getting government benefits and credit by fraud.
The Canadian Social Insurance Number is essentially an account number used for federally authorized financial purposes -such as taxation, Canadian employment insurance and government pensions. Private organizations, such as banks and insurance companies, also use the Social Insurance Number. The Social Insurance Number is a unique 9-digit number assigned to an individual, and an individual legitimately has only one Social Insurance Number at a time. Social Insurance Numbers are issued by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), which also maintains the Social Insurance Register with information on Social Insurance Number applicants.
The 2002 Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada highlighted a number of problems with the management of Social Insurance Numbers in Canada, including:
In response to the Auditor General's Report, the federal government immediately took a number of steps to tighten up the rules for Social Insurance Numbers.
In 2002 the Canadian government tightened up the rules for getting a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in Canada after the Auditor General of Canada reported that it was too easy to get a SIN card without adequate proof of identity or citizenship. Getting a fraudulent SIN card can be used as the first step in establishing a false identity and in getting government benefits and credit by fraud.
Social Insurance Numbers
The Canadian Social Insurance Number is essentially an account number used for federally authorized financial purposes -such as taxation, Canadian employment insurance and government pensions. Private organizations, such as banks and insurance companies, also use the Social Insurance Number. The Social Insurance Number is a unique 9-digit number assigned to an individual, and an individual legitimately has only one Social Insurance Number at a time. Social Insurance Numbers are issued by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), which also maintains the Social Insurance Register with information on Social Insurance Number applicants.
Problems with Social Insurance Numbers
The 2002 Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada highlighted a number of problems with the management of Social Insurance Numbers in Canada, including:
- proof of identity and citizenship status of Social Insurance Number applicants have not been checked thoroughly.
- inadequate controls on the 900 series of Social Insurance Numbers issued to non-Canadians who are expected to be in Canada temporarily, short-term workers and foreign students, for example.
- problems with the information in the Social Insurance Register. There are about 5 million more usable Social Insurance Numbers for people over 20 than there are people. There are at least 8.3 million records in the Social Insurance Register that have not been cross-checked with other government departments or supported by adequate proof of identity.
- staff may lack adequate training and tools, and the attention given to a SIN application varies widely depending on the HRDC office at which it is submitted.
Tighter Rules for Social Insurance Numbers
In response to the Auditor General's Report, the federal government immediately took a number of steps to tighten up the rules for Social Insurance Numbers.
- Baptismal certificates for applicants born in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have not been accepted as proof of citizenship since August 2002.
- Only original documents are accepted as proof of identity and citizenship.
- Any Social Insurance Numbers that have not been used for five years will be deactivated. If you work, file income taxes or have used your Social Insurance Number for a federally authorized program, such as Employment Insurance or the Canada Pension Plan, your Social Insurance Number will not be deactivated. A person will be required to provide adequate proof of identity and citizenship to reactivate a Social Insurance Number.
- Expiry dates will be added to Social Insurance Numbers for people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
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