Who is eligible for a security clearance?
To obtain a security clearance, you must be a Canadian citizen, have 10 years of verifiable information, and “demonstrate suitability” [[1]]. Only employees who will be working for certain government agencies and related organizations that have access to classified information are required to obtain a security clearance.
Is it hard to get a security clearance?
Obtaining a security clearance can be difficult since the requirements for higher-level intelligence jobs can be quite stringent. But as long as you have not committed any serious crimes and have a relatively clean history, you will likely gain the security clearance needed to be officially hired. In addition to security clearance, many information security jobs with the government or related organizations also require certain baseline cyber security certifications to validate their knowledge of best practices.
What disqualifies you from security clearance?
Disqualifiers of security clearance may include taking advantage of dual citizenship, ongoing use of illegal drugs or gambling, patterns of unpaid debt, and financial violations like theft or embezzlement.