Costs and processing times for personnel security screenings
Learn what costs the applicant is responsible for during personnel security screening process. Find out how long it will take to process types of screening requests through Public Services and Procurement Canada's (PSPC) Contract Security Program (CSP).
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Costs
The CSP does not charge an applicant or organization a fee for processing personnel security screening requests. However, an applicant is responsible for the costs:
- of fingerprints
- of obtaining police certificate or alternative documents, including fees to have these documents translated and authenticated
Note
If someone claiming to work for PSPC's CSP has contacted you to request money, please immediately report the incident to your local police department and alert us by completing and submitting a security incident report.
Processing times
Processing times for personnel security screenings depend on the complexity of the request and on the type of personnel security screening requested.
Complexity of request
There are 2 categories of personnel security screening requests:
- Simple
- Complex
Simple personnel security screening requests
Requests are defined as simple when an individual's background can be easily and fully verified and when there is no adverse information and no additional verifications, such as out of country checks, required.
Complex personnel security screening requests
Requests are defined as complex when an applicant’s personnel security screening file contains background information that requires additional verifications, such as an out of country verification if the applicant has lived in another country continuously for 6 months or longer during the period under assessment. A request could also be categorized as complex if a further review of the applicant’s criminal and/or credit history is required, or in the case of classified level screening requests, if the applicant’s loyalty to Canada needs to be validated.
When a complex request involves significant time out of country or serious adverse information related to criminal convictions, credit, associations and/or national security, a security screening interview with the applicant is required to determine their eligibility for a security status or clearance. A security screening interview may also be required if the applicant provided false information on their personnel security screening forms or failed to declare one or more criminal convictions.
Note
Processing times for personnel security screenings begin once the CSP receives a properly completed request.
| Type of personnel security screening request | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Reliability status: simple request | 7 business days upon receipt of a properly completed request |
| Reliability status: complex request | 120 business days upon receipt of a properly completed request |
| Secret security clearance request: simple request | 75 business days (in addition to reliability screening timelines) upon receipt of a properly completed request |
| Secret security clearance request: complex request | 120 business days (in addition to reliability screening timelines) upon receipt of a properly completed request |