This document, usually called SIN, will be your identification number in Canada. You will use it especially for official errands, with employers, government and financial institutions.

To get your Social Insurance Number, you must follow theses steps:

● Fill out the form

● Verify that your address and postal code are correct, as this document (plastic card) will be sent by post.

It is a plastic card, with your photograph, which will allow you for receiving free health care and hospitalisation in any area of Ontario. All residents in the province are covered by this plan, and every family member must have his / her own card. Immigrants have the right to this service after three months from arrival in Ontario. People who require health care before that period must pay for it, and that is the reason why many people decide to buy a private plan.

To get it you must register at any Ontario Ministry of Health bureau.

The OHIP coffers the following services:

i Medical care.

i Hospitalisation

i Specialised Treatments

The OHIP doesn’t offer the following services:

i Medicines supply

i Dental care

i Cosmetic surgery

To get the OHIP card, you will turn in two valid identification documents and an address under tour name, where the card will be sent.

After three months, you and your family should seek a family doctor, in charge of the basic aid attention and aid. It is advisable to find a Spanish speaking doctor, which allows for a better communication. To find a family doctor, make your friends and relatives know you are seeking for one, for them to ask their own doctors if they would accept you and your family, as there is a lack of family doctors in Ontario.

Other suitable ways of finding a family doctor is asking at the hospital in your area, and browsing the yellow pages under the headings “physicians & surgeons” or phoning the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

For further information on the OHIP card and the Canadian Health System, click on the following links: 

According to the Health Insurance Act, you and your family have the right to have a family doctor. After you find one in your area, you should make an appointment to ask him if he would accept you as patients, as in most cases they already have lots of patients and won’t accept new ones. On the other hand, many people prefer finding a doctor who speaks their mother tongue, to facilitate the relationship doctor-patient.

In case of emergency, especially with children, you can make an appoint meant with any doctor in your area, or in the Walk Clinics or at any hospital. They will provide emergency care, and you won’t have to pay for the attention, but you must pay for the medicines.

Bear in mind that for a specialist or laboratory to examine you, you must be referred by a family doctor. So you must first go to see you family doctor, whip will decide whether you need specialised attention or laboratory studies.

In Ontario, families with children under 18 and with a low income, can benefit from the financial help by the province / state to satisfy their basic needs. As permanent residents in Ontario, immigrant families have the right to receive this help from arrival.

The federal help program known as Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) is run by the Canada Revenue Agency, and provides with help to mothers for every child under 18 until they turn 18. The benefit per child is related to the family annual income, the number of children, their age, and the general situation of the family. There is also additional help in case of disabled children

For families whose both parents work, do courses, etc., there are child-care centres to take care of children. If parents cannot afford the fee, they may be eligible for a benefit known as subsidised child-care. For more information consult the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

You can get more information on family help programs in any Human Resources Canada Centre.