Hi everyone! I recently received my Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) and was thrilled about the status change — until I ran into a completely unexpected problem.
I had received my new SIN (Social Insurance Number) and updated it with the CRA. I assumed everything would automatically switch from “work permit holder” to “permanent resident” in their system. But suddenly, my Child Benefit (CCB) payments stopped completely.
Why Did My Benefits Stop After Changing My SIN?
It turns out that the CRA’s internal system requires you to separately submit proof of your PR status to the Benefits and Credits department — updating your SIN alone is not enough. This is especially common when transitioning from a temporary SIN (starting with 9) to a regular SIN, which can cause a data mismatch in CRA’s system.
The Fix: Upload Documents Directly to CRA My Account
Rather than waiting, I prepared a Cover Letter and copies of my PR Card to submit directly to the CRA.
| Step | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Prepare Documents | PR Card (front & back, date clearly visible) + Cover Letter requesting review of all benefits (CCB, GST/HST Credit, Climate Action Credit, etc.) |
| 2. Log in | Go to CRA My Account → click Submit Documents |
| 3. Submit | If you have no Case Number, select “No” → choose topic: “Benefits and Credits” |
💡 Pro Tip: Avoid spaces or special characters in file names to prevent upload errors (e.g., use PR-Card-Front.jpg).
Final Thoughts
This experience reminded me that in Canada, you always need to follow up and confirm everything yourself. Don’t assume the CRA will automatically update all your benefit information just because you changed your SIN!
If your PR came through and your benefits suddenly stopped, log in to CRA My Account right away and check your status. The good news: once your documents are processed, any missed payments will be issued retroactively — so don’t panic!