Security clearance request process

Find out how to request a new security clearance or to update (renew) or upgrade an existing clearance. Explore who can request one and find out what information is required during the screening process.

On this page

• About security clearances
• Conducting background checks
• Requesting a security clearance
• More information

About security clearances

A personnel security clearance is required before an employee may access classified information, assets or work sites.

Period of validation

• Valid for 10 years: Secret or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secret clearance
• Valid for 5 years: Top Secret or Control of Secret Material in an International Command (COSMIC) Top Secret Footnote 1

Conducting background checks

Before submitting a personnel security screening request to Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Contract Security Program (CSP), company security officers (CSO) and alternate company security officers (ACSO) are required to conduct preliminary verifications and verify their employee’s identity.

For more information on how to complete this step in the security screening process, conducting background checks for personnel security screening.

The standard on security screening requires that applicants submit specific types of documentary evidence of identity. The purpose is to provide greater assurance of an individual’s unique identity.

The CSO or ACSO must obtain 2 pieces of identification (1 of which must contain a photo) from the employee.

One must be from each of the following:

• foundational evidence of identity
• valid supporting evidence of identity

Visit about identity verification requirements for more information, including the process to verify an employee’s identity, the list of all accepted foundational and supporting evidence of identity, and guidance on how to handle special circumstances.

Identity verification requirements

The Standard on Security Screening requires that applicants submit specific types of documentary evidence of identity and that greater scrutiny is given to evidence of identity. The purpose is to provide greater assurance of an individual's unique identity.

Background check process

All CSO s or ACSO s must conduct background checks and verify an employee's identity as the first step in the security screening process or validate that someone in the organization has verified this information as part of the hiring process.

The CSO or ACSO must:

1. obtain 2 pieces of identification (one of which must contain a photo) from the employee:
   • one piece must be foundational evidence of identity
   • one piece must be supporting evidence of identity
2. review the documents to confirm that they were issued by governmental authorities in Canada such as a vital statistics or provincial licensing body
3. ensure that the information contained in both documents is consistent and has not been tampered with or changed. If there are doubts surrounding the employee's identity, indicate it in the employee's personnel security screening request
4. ensure that the information contained in both documents is consistent with the information the employee provided in their personnel security screening forms

Note

If inconsistencies are found, please inform Public Services and Procurement Canada's Contract Security Program by providing details in the additional online text field at the bottom of the biographical section (if using the online industrial security services portal) or by adding an additional sheet of paper to the personnel security screening forms (if forms are submitted manually).

Foundational evidence of identity

This is a piece of identification, issued by an authoritative source in Canada, that establishes core identity information such as given name, surname, date of birth, sex and place of birth.

Accepted foundational evidence of identity include:

• Canadian birth certificate
• Canadian citizenship certificate or citizenship card
• confirmation of permanent residence document (IMM 5292)
• record of landing document (IMM 1000)

Supporting evidence of identity

This is a piece of identification, issued by an authoritative source in Canada, that:

• corroborates the information provided by the foundational evidence of identity and links the core identity information to an individual
• provides additional information such as a photo, signature or current address

Accepted supporting evidence of identity:

• Canadian passport
• driver's license or enhanced driver's license
• provincial photo card for non-drivers (excluding health cards)
• secure certificate of Indian status issued by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
• NEXUS card
• firearms license
• student authorization/study permit (IMM 1442)
• employment authorization/work permit (IMM 1442)

Note

The CSO or ACSO should request the original pieces of identification from the employee. However, if the employee is not physically located in the same office or worksite as the CSO or ACSO , electronic photocopies can be accepted. At any time, if the CSO has doubts surrounding an applicant's identity upon review of photocopied identity documents, they should ask to see the originals.

All CSO s or ACSO s, who are submitting a security screening request on their own behalf must also submit copies of 1 piece of foundational evidence of identity (such as a birth certificate) and 1 piece of supporting evidence to Public Services and Procurement Canada's Contract Security Program along with their completed screening form.

Other background checks

The CSO or ACSO must also check educational credentials, professional qualifications, employment history and personal character references, or validate that someone in the organization has verified this information as part of the hiring process:

• education/professional qualifications: these may be verified by official transcripts, diplomas, certificates from education/professional institutions and/or originals of professional certifications from municipal/provincial/federal licensing bodies, associations or institutions
• employment history: this may be verified by contacting previous employers to ascertain dates of employment, performance and reason for leaving employment
• personal character references: this may be verified by contacting 1 or more personal character reference(s) to validate the accuracy of the information verified during the background check process

What forms need to be completed

Using the following table, the CSO or ACSO can determine which form(s) to complete.

The CSO or ACSO must ensure that the information the applicant submitted is both accurate and complete, in particular the following: addresses: the applicant's address(es) for the last 5 years must be provided. The addresses should include apartment number, street number, street name (civic number, if appropriate), city, province, and/or state, postal code, country and the "from-to" dates.

Only after a thorough verification of the identity and of the forms has been completed, documented and retained by the CSO or ACSO , can a request for a personnel security screening be submitted to Public Services and Procurement Canada's (PSPC) Contract Security Program (CSP).

• How to complete the personnel screening, consent and authorization form
• How to complete the security clearance form

Requesting a security clearance

Only a CSO or ACSO may request a security clearance for an individual on behalf of an organization registered in the CSP .

To request a new security clearance, or to update or upgrade an existing security clearance, the CSO or ACSO and the employee must complete and submit the following forms:

• Personnel screening, consent and authorization form ( TBS / SCT 330-23E)
• Security clearance form ( TBS / SCT 330-60E)

Processing times for a security clearance depend on the complexity of the request and the verifications that must be completed. Requests can be categorized as either simple or complex. For more information, visit cost and processing times for personnel security screenings.

The CSO or ACSO can only submit their personnel security screening request to the CSP once they have completed and documented a thorough verification of the applicant’s security form and background.

Information needed

The following will be requested:

• a law enforcement inquiry by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police through:
  • mandatory electronic fingerprints:
    • provide the Fingerprints applicant request form to the applicant
    • consult the list of accredited fingerprint companies
    • this is completed by a credit bureau and requires employee consent

    The following may also be requested:

    • out-of-country verifications:
      • these are required when an applicant has lived outside of Canada continuously for 6 months or longer

      More information

      To learn more about security clearances, consult:

      • complete and submit personnel security screening forms
      • the standard on security screening
      • Chapter 4: Security screening of the Contract Security Manual

      Footnote

      Footnote 1

      The term COSMIC Top Secret is used in lieu of NATO Top Secret for Top Secret information handled within NATO .