I got an email today about upcoming taxes and how UBC needs my SIN (Social Insurance Number) and my address updated. My SIN is still new enough that I forget I have one sometimes, thus ensuring my “Oh!” moments.
Anyway, I submitted my SIN, and consequently found some kind of PEN (Personal Education Number). It’s not my UBC student number — I don’t consciously remember seeing it anywhere before. Apparently it’s my BC high school number, which is very weird because I have never studied in a BC high school. I don’t know if it’s something that was automatically given to me when I applied to UBC, but I definitely don’t remember inserting this apparently random sequence of numbers. Of course, if the powers that be insist on me having a number, I’m not going to object. I’m just mildly bemused.
There’s another box that asks for my OUAC number, which is closer to something I would have since I do remember getting a number when I applied through the OUAC for other Canadian universities.
But the BC one? I was in HK, which is as far from BC as you can get. (Well, not literally, but it’s on the other side of the world. It’s a close enough generalisation.)
Anyway, for those of you who haven’t inserted your SIN because, like me, you didn’t live in Canada before — go ahead and submit it. There’s a $100 fine if you don’t. (Talk about incentive!) Yes, even international students should have SINs. They apparently begin with the digit 9.
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