Chapter 4: Personnel screening
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4.1 Overview
To obtain a security clearance with Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Contract Security Program (CSP), an organization must have its personnel security screened. This begins with its:
- key senior officials (if required)
- corporate company security officers (if required)
- company security officers (CSO)
- alternate company security officers (ACSO)
Once the organization’s screening is complete, the provisional security clearance, designated organization screening or facility security clearance is granted. Please see Subsection 3.2.1 Types of organization clearances. The CSOs and ACSOs can submit screening requests for personnel in their organization who have a legitimate requirement to access protected or classified information, assets and work sites as part of an active solicitation process, contract, subcontract or lease.
Learn more about who is eligible for a personnel security screening.
An employee is a person employed by the company for wages or salary as part of the payroll. However, under specific conditions, it can include subcontractor resources; these resources would fall within the first subcontracting option. Please see Subsection 2.4.1 Subcontracting simplification options. This security screening must be completed before granting access to protected or classified information, assets or work sites.
4.2 Personnel security screening
There are different levels of personnel security screening. These are determined by the identified security requirements of a contract or subcontract. Organizations must get the required security screening for personnel who require access to protected or classified information, assets or work sites. Individuals cannot access protected or classified information or assets until they have the required reliability status, Secret security clearance, or Top Secret security clearance.
Reliability status
A reliability status screening assesses an individual’s honesty and reliability. It grants access to Protected A and B information and assets. It requires the applicant to provide 5 years of verifiable background history. It is typically valid for 10 years from the date of issue, unless revoked for cause or terminated.
Enhanced reliability status
An enhanced reliability status allows access to Protected C information and assets. It requires the applicant to provide 5 years of verifiable background history. It is typically valid for 10 years from the date of issue, unless revoked or terminated.
Personnel security clearance
A personnel security clearance assesses an individual’s loyalty to Canada and their reliability as it relates to that loyalty. It allows access to classified information, assets, or sites. The applicant must provide 10 years of verifiable background history. Depending on the type, it is valid for either 5 or 10 years from the date of issue, unless revoked or terminated. Secret and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secret clearances are valid for 10 years. Top Secret and Control of Secret Material in an International Command (COSMIC) Top Secretfootnote 1 are valid for 5 years.
Security concerns
If security concerns arise during the screening process, the CSP may conduct a security screening interview with the applicant for additional information. This interview helps the CSP determine the circumstances or activity that caused the concerns. It also lets the applicant respond to these concerns. Any information the applicant provides is protected and not shared with the CSO, unless required by the CSP and in accordance with security, contractual and privacy requirements.
The CSO or ACSO must ensure that the applicant is employed and eligible for a personnel security screening. If the applicant is a subcontractor resource, the CSO or ACSO must ensure the applicant meets the conditions for the first subcontracting option. Submitting a personnel security screening request without a valid requirement compromises the CSO and/or ACSO personnel security status or clearance. It also compromises the organization’s compliance with the CSP. For further details, see Annex A: Guidelines on company security officer and alternate company security officer responsibilities.
Learn more on how to obtain security screening for your organization and personnel:
4.3 Site access screening
Site access screening is another type of screening. It may be conducted for individuals external to government who do not access sensitive information, but who access restricted or controlled government facilities or areas within those facilities.
There are 2 types of site access screening:
- screening for site access status assesses an individual's honesty and reliability, it requires a verification of
- an individual’s identity
- a law enforcement enquiry
- screening for site access clearance assesses an individual's loyalty to Canada and their reliability as it relates to that loyalty, it requires a verification of
- an individual’s identity
- a law enforcement enquiry
- a security assessment
Individuals cannot access sensitive sites or facilities without the site access status or site access clearance.