CSIS security screening programs
CSIS has two distinct programs related to security screening:
- Immigration and Canadian citizenship security screening: CSIS is one of the organizations that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may consult while assessing applications and determining whether a person is admissible to Canada.
- Government security screening: CSIS plays a role in conducting security assessments on persons whose employment requires them to have access to classified information, assets or facilities.
Immigration and Canadian citizenship security screening
IRCC is responsible for the status of individual files regarding immigration or citizenship applications.
CSIS is one of the organizations that IRCC may consult while assessing applications and determining whether a person is admissible to Canada. As stipulated in section 14 of the CSIS Act, CSIS is mandated to provide advice and information related to security matters or criminal activities to departments of the Government of Canada. However, IRCC determines who will be allowed to enter the country and whether they will be granted permanent residence, a visitor visa, or Canadian citizenship. Similarly, the Immigration and Refugee Board has jurisdiction over refugee matters and makes decisions on refugee claims.
CSIS is committed to performing its security screening mandate in a timely manner where possible, while also ensuring the safety of Canada and Canadians.
Obtain the status of a security clearance application
CSIS will not respond to questions related to individual security screening requests for immigration or citizenship applications. These questions should be directed to IRCC.
Information about your immigration or citizenship application can be found on IRCC’s Application Status page. If you have already consulted the Application Status page and wish to make a request for information about an immigration or citizenship application, it must be submitted through the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) site.
Under the Privacy Act, individuals have the right to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions. Therefore, individuals may request records relating to the status of their security clearance applications by visiting the Access to Information and Privacy site.
Questions regarding an existing access to information or personal information request can be directed to CSIS’s ATIP Coordinator: ATIP_AIPRP@smtp.gc.ca.
It should be noted that the role of the CSIS ATIP section is limited to the processing of records. It has no authority to intercede in the processing of security screening applications. An increase in requests for the status of immigration/citizenship applications has impacted CSIS ATIP's ability to respond to these types of requests, and significant delays can be anticipated.
Government Security Screening
CSIS’ Government Security Screening Program investigates and provides security assessments on persons whose employment requires them to have access to classified information, assets or facilities, such as major ports, airports, nuclear facilities or the Parliamentary Precinct.
There are five levels of security clearances, each of which requires a security assessment by CSIS:
- Site Access;
- Secret;
- Enhanced Secret;
- Top Secret; and
- Enhanced Top Secret.
The Federal Accountability Act gives departments and agencies the exclusive responsibility to initiate, grant, deny, revoke or suspend security clearances or site access clearances. A CSIS security assessment is only one element of the security screening process undertaken by a department or agency.
Obtain the status of a security clearance application
Enquiries on the status of a security clearance application should be directed to the sponsoring department or agency.
Under the Privacy Act, individuals have the right to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions. Therefore, individuals may request records relating to the status of their security clearance applications by visiting the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) site.
It should be noted that the role of the CSIS ATIP section is limited to the processing of records. It has no authority to intercede in the processing of security screening applications.
Other security screening partnerships
In addition to conducting security assessments for clearances, CSIS also:
- Assists the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) with the accreditation process for Canadians and foreign nationals seeking access to or participating in events in Canada such as major international sporting events, international summits and foreign visits;
- Provides security assessments to the Canada Border Services Agency with regard to drivers who apply for membership under the Canada-US Free and Secure Trade program; and,
- Through reciprocal screening agreements, provides assessments to foreign governments, agencies and international organizations, such as NATO, with regard to Canadians seeking to work in sensitive positions abroad.