Approval for visits to secure sites

International and Canadian visits are part of everyday business in today's global economy. Such visits can also lead to visitors gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information and assets. By obtaining approval for visits to secure sites from Public Services and Procurement Canada's (PSPC) Contract Security Program, you can prevent security incidents and safeguard national security.

Defining a secure site

A secure site is any place of business where visitors may access sensitive information or assets. It can be within the government or private sector. Examples of secure sites include a Navy ship, conference centre, office building or factory.

Request for visit process

The approval process for visits to secure sites is called a request for visit. PSPC's Contract Security Program is the authority (known as a designated security authority) responsible for approving visits to secure government or private sector sites in Canada. The program also works with our international counterparts to approve visits to secure sites outside of Canada.

PSPC's Contract Security Program processes requests for the following types of visits:

• Canada to Canada: Canadian visit to a Canadian organization or government facility
• Canada to foreign: Canadian visit to a foreign organization or government facility
• Canada to United States: Canadian visit to an American organization or American government facility
• United States to Canada: American visit to a Canadian organization or Government of Canada facility
• Foreign to Canada: A foreign visit to a Canadian organization or government (from a country other than the United States) facility

When a request for visit is required

For Canada to Canada, Canada to foreign and Canada to the United States, a request for visit is required when Canadian organizations and their personnel have access to sensitive information or assets at a government or private organization in Canada or abroad.

For the United States to Canada or foreign to Canada, a request for visit is required when the visitor needs to:

• hear or see protected or classified information at a Canadian organization
• access sites restricted in the interest of national security
• access Canadian military sites

How to get approval—Request for visit form

For visits Canada to Canada, Canada to foreign and Canada to United States, the Canadian visiting organizations must get approval from the program by completing and submitting the Request for visit form—PDF version (209KB).

Submitting the request for Canadian visits to secure sites forms (for Canada to Canada requests for visit).

For visits United States to Canada or foreign to Canada, the visiting organizations must get approval from their own country's designated security authority by completing and submitting the Request for visit form—PDF version (209KB).

Submitting the request for international visits to secure sites forms (for Canada to foreign; Canada to United States [US]; US to Canada and foreign to Canada requests for visit).

Approval for Canadian visits—Protected level

The request for visit form specifically references the safeguarding of classified information, assets and sites. It references protected information and assets, which is a security level that is unique to Canada.

Learn more about levels of security

If your organization is hosting a visit to a protected visit in Canada, modify the form as follows:

• Box 2: Type of Information/Material or Site Access
  • Check the unclassified box
• Box 16: Remarks
  • Include a remark about the level of the contract (Protected A, B, or C)

Types of visit requests

Select one of the following types of visits when completing the request for visit form:

One time

• Used for a single event over a specific period of time, such as a meeting or conference
• Not amendable or renewable

Recurring

• Used for a series of separate visits for the length of the contract
• Can be extended from year-to-year

Emergency

• Used for an event of an urgent nature
• Requires the applicant to provide additional information with the request for visit application, including:
  • written justification from the host organization explaining the urgent requirement
    • for example, if there is a national security risk or to prevent interruption of a government service
    • for authentication purposes, the host organization must submit the justification on company letterhead or send it from a company email address
  • name and telephone number of the point of contact from the organization requesting the emergency visit
  • statement verifying that the point of contact will approach the clearance-granting authorities of their own country to request that their established lead time be waived

Additions, resubmissions and deletions

• Used for amendments to a recurring request for visit
  • for example, to renew a previous visit or to add or remove individuals from the visitor listing of a previous request
• Requires a newly completed request for visit form but must include the reference number from the original request (for example, CAN-2011-1000)
• Includes the same information as the original, except as follows:
  • for a renewal, only section 4 (dates of visit) and section 9 (particulars of visitors) should be changed
  • for additions or deletions, only the visitor listing should be amended
  • for a resubmission, used only to correct previous information; only the section requiring correction should be changed

Estimated processing times

• For visits within Canada, the program will process requests for visit within 15 business days of receipt of the request
• For international visits, processing times vary from 25 to 35 days, depending on the country handling the application
  • in countries where Canada has negotiated security agreements for international contract, processing times may be faster
    • Learn about security requirements for international contracts
  • in countries where Canada does not have agreements in place, the program will work with that country to help your organization obtain permission for visits

Company security officer responsibilities when planning a visit

Your organization's company security officer (CSO) must ensure that request for visit forms are completed and forwarded to the program.

Your CSO must also:

• clearly define the purpose of the visit and identify the specific contract number of project name
• confirm that the visitor contact information is correct
• submit a deletion to the request for visit when an employee no longer requires access to a site

When your organization is receiving a visitor, the CSO must:

• ensure that access is only granted to foreign national visitors who have been:
  • authorized by the program
  • have an approved request for visit
• maintain a record of all visitors who access protected and classified information

Tips for visits

You can prevent security incidents by planning ahead. Review the following tips.

If you are visiting a secure site

• Plan ahead to account for the processing times of the country you are visiting
• Confirm that the host site has accepted the visit request
• Ensure that the point of contact at the host site is up to date

If you are hosting a visitor to your secure site

• Advise visitors that Canadian visa requirements differ for each country
• Conduct a walkthrough of the facility beforehand to ensure visitors will not have unauthorized auditory or visual access to protected or classified information and assets
• Brief all personnel working with the visitors about what can be discussed and what is off-limits
• Maintain a visitor log
• Ensure that visitors are escorted at all times
• Report security incidents immediately to the CSO (or alternate company security officer as required)
  • How to report a security incident

More information

• Consult Chapter 8: Visits to secure sites of the Contract Security Manual
• Contact the Contract Security Program