Security Clearance is a status awarded to individuals who intend to work directly or indirectly for a Government of Canada department, Crown Corporation or agency. It confirms that individuals are able to work in jobs where they potentially have access to sensitive or secure information, sites, or assets.
The level of Security Clearance required is determined by the sensitivity of information or assets a consultant is required to access in the performance of their duties and is specified in the solicitation.
The levels of Canadian security clearance are:
- Reliability Status
- Security Clearance Level I: Confidential (also NATO Confidential)
- Security Clearance Level II: Secret (also NATO Secret)
- Security Clearance Level III: Top Secret
The security clearance process generally includes a criminal background check, verification of an individual’s history and qualifications, and may involve a credit check, fingerprinting, interviews, or the submission of personal documents. If someone has lived out of the country for a period of longer than 6 months during a one year period, it may involve checking with authorities abroad.
To obtain a Security Clearance, a prospective consultant can be sponsored by an independent staffing agency or recruitment firm, or other accredited supplier of services to the Federal Government of Canada. Where an applicant’s experience and qualifications are identified by a NavPoint Recruiter as a good fit for a specific opportunity, NavPoint may sponsor a new application for a Security Clearance at the appropriate level.
The process for obtaining an Enhanced Reliability (Level I) Security Clearance is potentially up to three (3) weeks. For a Secret (Level II) Clearance, applicants can expect processing times of approximately six (6) months. The process for a Top Secret (Level III) Clearance is typically in excess of twelve (12) months.
Security Clearances are valid up to a maximum of ten (10) years, at which point a new application for a Security Clearance must be initiated.
In the case that an applicant already has a Security Clearance, NavPoint’s company security officer (CSO) or alternate company security officer (ACSO) may reactivate (if terminated) or request a duplicate of a valid Security Clearance that the individual holds.
There is no obligation to obtain a Security Clearance and the process can be cancelled at any time should the applicant no longer wish to proceed, or should the applicant fail to provide the required information and documents.