The Policy on Government Security requires that individuals undergo a screening process if their duties or tasks necessitate access to sensitive information and assets. This applies to all positions and to all phases of the contracting process. Until the required checks are completed, individuals cannot be appointed to a position or have access to sensitive information or assets.
This involves, but is not limited to, the screening of individuals conducting work for the Department, including students, contractors and volunteers. It is important to understand that the work being done, or the required access, is the risk that needs managing, not the type of worker.
Personnel screening must be carried out according to the highest level of information and assets that will be accessed in the normal performance of assigned job duties or during the contracting process.
It is the manager's responsibility, with advice or assistance from the Personnel Security Section, to decide what type of personnel screening is required, on the basis of the sensitivity of the information and assets that need to be accessed.
Going through a security screening constitutes a condition of employment within the Federal Government, regardless of the duration of the contract or the nature of the job. There are 7 types of personnel screening: reliability status, enhanced reliability, site access status, site access clearance, secret, top secret and enhanced top secret clearances. The types and levels of personnel screening, as well as the levels of access they permit, are as follows:
- Reliability Status – The minimum standard of security screening for positions requiring unsupervised access to Government of Canada protected information, assets, facilities or information technology systems. Security screening for reliability status appraises an individual's honesty and whether he or she can be trusted to protect the employer's interests. Security screening for reliability status can include enhanced inquiries, verifications and assessments when duties involve or directly support security and intelligence functions. Reliability status may also be referred to herein as a security status.
- Enhanced reliability - A type of security screening activity conducted when duties and access to information, assets or facilities are related to or directly support security and intelligence functions.
- Site access status - The standard of security screening conducted for other individuals who are not employees, when duties do not require access to information but do require access to protected or restricted areas or facilities. Site access status is conducted when reliability is the primary concern.
- Site access clearance - The standard of security screening for other individuals who are not employees, when duties do not require access to information but do require access to protected or restricted areas or facilities. Site access clearance is conducted when loyalty to Canada is the primary concern.
- A Security Clearance (secret, top secret and enhanced top secret clearances) - Is the type of screening required when the duties or tasks of a position or contract necessitate access to classified information and assets. An individual granted a security clearance may access, on a need-to-know basis, classified information and assets up to and including the level of security clearance granted.