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If I remember the requirements correctly, you can't just go and ask for the clearance. It has to be requested by a security officer (person responsible for security in the organization) of the company you'll be working for. And the company needs to be registered. You can't just go request it yourself. Now if the hiring company is saying they submit the request and go through the process prior to you actually starting, that's not too bad. But honestly, there's very little I think that would stop you from getting the clearance assuming you have no criminal record etc. I had Secret clearance at one point, which was more involved and they look into your family history as well as yours. And that really wasn't a big deal either. Answer from hurricane7719 on reddit.com
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askacanadian › [deleted by user]
Secret Security Clearence : r/AskACanadian
March 24, 2024 - Yeah, they’ll see your police involvement from years back, but I wouldn’t stress over it. A security clearance is about loyalty to Canada, and indicators of any danger to that. It’s not “is this person perfect?” Many people obtain and retain clearances with actual criminal charges.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askcanada › what’s the deal with “security clearance” and is it really an issue for a canadian pm?
What’s the deal with “security clearance” and is it really an issue for a Canadian PM? : r/AskCanada
August 5, 2024 - You cannot really rule a country without security clearance, so this is why it’s granted to the PM. ... Govern. We do not elect rulers. ... Sure, you’re correct for Canada.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askacanadian › security interview for reliability clearance
Security interview for reliability clearance : r/AskACanadian
December 17, 2024 - If most of your life was outside Canada then they have to do more to grant you clearance. ... A recent change (I don’t know if it’s everywhere or my department) but you need to be a Canadian citizen to get Secret. More replies ... Perfectly normal. My brother has a federal security clearance that required me as his sister to provide information and a phone interview..
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › level ii secret clearance for a job, but i have a record. need some information
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Level II Secret Clearance for a job, but I have a record. Need some information
October 3, 2019 -

Hey everyone,

So I wanted to understand what exactly is the purpose/scope of the security clearance and how decisions are made with respect to staffing.

I have been offered a job with the government, and I am sort of worried about the clearance. I know I have a record, but I also have a lot of character references that I had drafted for me by people not related to me. I have some very good letters and so far I am surprised and happy to see that a section of the clearance forms actually accounts for that.

I was previously offered a job with an accou8nting firm this year, and upon doing the background check, I had my offer rescinded. They had no section for character references and did not care for any of that and flat out refused me for a job.

How does it work at the government level? I have been told numerous times, in person specifically, by other individuals that you can actually get a job even with a record. My hope is that the clearance is simply to find if you have an element of criminality, so do you live a life of an actual criminal and commit crimes left to right and center, or do you simply have a record and that's it. Some of the character references I have are from two clients of mine, for a business I own while going through University, and these are accounting-based clients...so I am dealing with their sensitive information. I feel that it could be huge for me.

Any thoughts?

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As you've seen. "it depends" on the circumstances but I'll make it a bit clearer. It generally depends on three things: a. The security clearance is done by CSIS and/or RCMP and they don't give a rat's patootie about your character references. Sure, they note it, but it isn't determinative. The security clearance is a bit of a cascade thing. If they look at you, find nothing, everything looks normal, good to go. If they find a thread, they pull on it, see what they find. Nothing? Good to go. Another thread? Keep pulling. New thread? Keep pulling. They go until they think they have a good picture. You asked in one of the posts about criminal elements? If they see your conviction, they'll pull the court records to see if you were charged, plead guilty, and were done, or you were convicted after pleading not guilty. They're looking to see if there is something about the crime or your personality that suggests the act or the existence of the past act can lead either to continued detrimental behaviour or will be a source of potential extortion/blackmail/leverage by someone. It is rare for Secret, but they may talk to neighbours. Past employers. Your probation officer. If it shows that you committed a crime, changed your life, moved away from the group of people you were with before, and "cleaned up your life", great; if it looks like you're still hanging out with lowlifes, not so good. b. The nature of the job is super important. Someone who couldn't work at RCMP or CSIS might be able to work at NRCan or Agriculture. However, it has nothing really to do with law enforcement so much as the type of information you will have access to in your new job. Clearances seem transferable, but that is because there are sub-classes of clearances, or "groups" that RCMP and CSIS use. They know what different departments have access to. If you look at some of the PS Labour Relations Board decisions where someone got terminated because their security clearance was revoked, it sometimes can be simply about access to sensitive data about Canadians. If you were a bank teller, and you accessed the private info of individuals, and the job you're applying for has info about individual Canadians, they won't give you a clearance. c. The nature of your crime is critical. Physical assault? Might not be a giant concern if it's a one off, looks circumstantial, plead guilty, turned yourself in, etc. Fraud? Much more problematic as fraud requires you to have been in a position of trust that you violated, the exact same situation the employer would be putting you in. Drugs? Maybe don't care unless you're going to be in an area with sensitive info that organized crime might want (a person working in a database area at RCMP was fired because of marijuana use, not because of the usage but because it could be exploited by organized crime to gain access to the data). It helps tell them about your propensity for certain behaviour AND about the likelihood of exploit by others. As an aside, you were surprised by how long the clearance would take. Here's the deal...they actually do real investigation for Secret as opposed to just database searches. So they'll call your parole officer, and get copies of reports. Which might not be instant, as you're not anyone's top priority. Equally, they might reach out to your university, see if there was anything happening back then that didn't make the courts or newspapers. If you lived abroad, it gets REALLY screwy. Some of it we investigate ourselves, some of it we have to send a formal request to the other government to ask for records check, and that is LOW priority for the other country. When I was at DFAIT back in the 90s, I got my Secret in 6 weeks and that was considered astounding. I was nobody, had been nowhere, and had done nothing, so they gave me a clearance. Plus I had two siblings already in service. By contrast, a friend went through a few years later, born in India, moved to Nigeria as a kid, emigrated to Canada, went to university in BC with a 1 year study abroad program in CHINA, graduated, went back to China and worked for a joint German/ Chinese company for a couple of years. Her clearance took them almost a YEAR. Computerization has helped speed things up, but they still have to check boxes, call people, gather the information. And not for nothing, there was just an election -- so lots of new staff in MPs offices are suddenly on the Hill and needing new clearances in order to get access to government briefing materials, and those requests come in with a bit more urgency than yours. Someone once described security clearances as a combination of linear trend analysis and risk assessment. They want to look at your past behaviour as a trend to predict your future behaviour and use that as a basis for a risk assessment for the type of information you will have access to in the new job. I'd love to tell you that your previous experience of a potential job disappearing once they did the records check not repeating itself, but ask yourself what type of data you will likely have access to. If it is the latest news on the Hill, nobody cares. If it is the financial information on 1000s of Canadians, they will care very much. If it could compromise law enforcement, they won't even blink before saying no. Don't know if that helps... PolyWogg
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If you haven't yet received the security clearance, you haven't been offered a job. An offer letter can't be issued until after you receive the security clearance required for the position. Whether the clearance will be granted or not is something that would be dealt with by the security officers that process the request for clearance. A criminal record is not an automatic reason for the clearance to be denied - every case is reviewed separately per the Standard on security screening . But the fact remains, if you don't get the security clearance you don't get the job. Security clearances are a condition of employment, which means they're not optional and there is zero discretion to a manager to hire you anyway if you aren't granted the clearance.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askacanadian › reliability clearance
r/AskACanadian on Reddit: Reliability Clearance
June 13, 2025 -

Hello,

I applied for a job that requires reliability Clearance. From my understanding, for a simple request(I have lived here all my life), it should only take about a week.

HR has mentioned I should do the clearance while working for them(they say it can take up to 6 months), but that means if it were to fail, I'd be left jobless. I currently already have a job and am very hesitant of leaving before I get the clearance. The job market is terrible and this feels like a big risk for me.

I think my odds of failing are low, but there are some things that worry me. In the past I've been very late(a few years) on doing my taxes. I'm all caught up now except for my 2016 taxes but I need to file those by mail which I plan to do.

I'm afraid this could hurt my chances.

Is it normal to ask that I complete my reliability clearance before I give my notice at my current job?

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If I remember the requirements correctly, you can't just go and ask for the clearance. It has to be requested by a security officer (person responsible for security in the organization) of the company you'll be working for. And the company needs to be registered. You can't just go request it yourself. Now if the hiring company is saying they submit the request and go through the process prior to you actually starting, that's not too bad. But honestly, there's very little I think that would stop you from getting the clearance assuming you have no criminal record etc. I had Secret clearance at one point, which was more involved and they look into your family history as well as yours. And that really wasn't a big deal either.
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What the hell is reliability clearance
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › security clearance - what is the process?
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Security Clearance - what is the process?
December 22, 2017 -

I'll be likely required to get a security clearance in the next year or so. I'm just wondering what they actually 'look into'?

I'm into some rather kinky stuff (not illegal by any means) - do they actually search your browsing history or is it just something that comes up during the interview? Do they care about stuff like that? I'm married and look at pornography, is that a big deal? (my wife also 'partakes' with me...)

Also, how extensive is the financial review? Is it just a credit check or do they access your bank accounts and such? I don't have anything to hide but it just seems weird to me that it matters what my finances are like. . .

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They won't care about your porn habits as long as it's nothing illegal, and realistically it's not something they're going to delve into. It's not like they're going to seize your computer and do a full forensic audit.

The same goes for your finances - they aren't going to look at your bank account transactions and freak out because you've spent thousands at Whips n' Things or Bondage R Us. The goal of the credit check is to confirm that your finances aren't in such a terrible shape (i.e. nearly bankrupt) that you'll be a financial risk or susceptible to bribery.

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See Appendix B for what they check at each level

https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=28115

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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants3 › security clearance
r/CanadaPublicServants3 on Reddit: Security Clearance
March 10, 2024 -

How long does it take for a security clearance check if you are born outside of Canada but have a boring background?

Thanks

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A few months ago, I had heard it was taking 6 months to renew security clearances for current employees, including Canadians that don't have high security clearance positions. I haven't heard anything recently about how long things are taking.
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You are trying to read tea leaves. No one can tell you, because it varies on a case by case basis (seemingly for no logical reason). I have hired two people with the same profile you describe: for one of them it took 3 months (!), for the other it took 2 weeks.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › what to expect after submitting security clearance form?
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: What to expect after submitting Security Clearance form?
April 28, 2020 -

Hello, I am looking for some advice and feedback regarding my application process. I applied for a Payment Services Officer position several weeks ago and was selected to complete the necessary exams, completed a phone interview and provided references (who have been contacted already and submitted their responses). The interview was conducted on a Monday, references were contacted Monday night (to be submitted by Wednesday) and I was asked to complete the Security Clearance form on Tuesday (I have a clear record).

I read several dozen reddit threads on the hiring process and understand that it can be lengthy, unpredictable and often inconsistent from department to department, especially during COVID 19.

I haven't heard back from the hiring manager in 2 weeks now, and since the other aspects of the application were so quick ( less than a day in some cases) I am wondering if I was eliminated already from the process and would they contact me to let me know that I was not selected? Alternatively, could it be possible that the security clearance is taking a longer time? Could they have just collected all the information at once (interview responses, references and security clearance) and are only reviewing it after the fact to see who is qualified, rather than the regular linear approach?

At which time would it be acceptable to reach out to the hiring manager to follow up? After 2 weeks? 4 weeks? Longer?

Thank you very much for your responses!

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I read several dozen reddit threads on the hiring process and understand that it can be lengthy, unpredictable and often inconsistent from department to department, especially during COVID 19. There's your answer right there. If you were asked to complete the Security Clearance form, you are likely considered for employment as those checks should not be done if you aren't. Security clearances can take between a week or a year, even longer. There are no set timelines due to various factors. You can always reach out to the manager to inquire whether you are still in the process, although you most likely would have received something if you are no longer considered.
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Depending on what clearance you need for the job, it could take quite a while to have your background checked out and for the hiring manager to do all the affiliated work behind the scenes. Having said that, if you've made it this far, you're likely being considered for the position because they don't just run security clearances on everyone, as they cost money and time to complete. Government hiring is not quick. I know someone who took two years to get hired after first contact with the hiring manager. If you haven't heard from anyone in 3-4 weeks, I'd shoot them a quick, polite and professional 'what's up' email and wait for their response. edit: this might give you an idea of what you're in for with regards to the hiring timeline (this may or may not be accurate for your specific situation)
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › my security clearance level is holding my career back- what should i do?
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: My security clearance level is holding my career back- what should I do?
June 9, 2022 -

I submitted my secret security clearance about 1.7 years ago and still have had no update or progress on approval or rejection. I am starting also to get a bit cranky with my position because I cannot do the fun work unless I have that clearance and I also want to move up. The only thing stopping my career is my security clearance. What should I do? Below were options, I was thinking about- but if you have additional strategies they are welcomed.

Option #1: I have been thinking about leaving my department to resubmit in another department and then returning back. I am hoping the only factor affecting how long it takes is my department which is known for long and lengthy clearances. It seems my friends from other departments are getting their clearances faster which I do not understand because they have more of a "history" than I do. Add inflation into the mix I could be earning 2x more my salary if I just had that clearance.

Option #2: Become a consultant- it seems that consultants get their clearance faster through their agencies.

Option #3: Leave the PS for a private sector job- Just go private!

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have you or your manager spoken with the security team to whom it was submitted? They can find out what is holding it back sometimes, and at least give you an update. Maybe it got lost in the mail and doesn't exist in the system. Perhaps there are skeletons within the family history? But also, Just Covid.... I know this has also slowed down the process as it goes to other departments RCMP etc. Starting from scratch doesn't sound like a good idea.
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No idea what your circumstances are. I'm an immigrant from an Eastern European country, albeit I came to Canada as a teenager, and I got my secret clearance in less than 4 months. My guess is they either lost your application or there was a breakdown in communications at some point and you need to provide more documents or smth like that.
Find elsewhere
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canada › what are the requirements for a secret security clearance
r/canada on Reddit: What are the requirements for a Secret security clearance
June 10, 2019 -

Hello,

Found some job postings on the Canada.ca jobs site that mention Secret security clearance.

Do I need to be a citizen to be eligible for this job or is a PR good enough.

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It requires a full background check over 10 years, you can get one as a PR but they may require a secondary clearance from the country you came from. It also depends on how much CSIS trusts a background check from the origin country so not all PRs likely get accepted. It might also be listed as level II security clearance if you are looking for more information.
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10 years of your history (your addresses, employers, etc), no criminal record and you may need to be RCMP cleared as well (not 100% sure)
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askacanadian › security clearance for job
r/AskACanadian on Reddit: Security clearance for job
February 25, 2022 -

Hi everyone,

So new PR in Canada, got offered an IT role pending Reliability clearance.

From what I'm reading online its a 5 year background check but im curious as to what they do if you haven't been in Canada for 5 years. I understand that i will need to provide a police report from back home similar to when i was completing the PR process. As well as my employment history.

But in terms of Credit check, is it only the Canadian Credit history that they look at or do they expect me to provide/ or they look into my credit back home? I have nothing to hide so its more curiosity more than anything.

Has anyone went through this scenario recently and know what it entails if you haven't been here for the 5 years.

Cheers

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https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/esc-src/personnel/pdcf-rsrp-eng.html Give that a read, there is a lot of info when it comes to getting security clearance for a job. Reliability clearance isn't hard to get, just make sure to fill out the forms completely and thoroughly. It will be sent back and you will have to do everything again if anything is missing or incorrect. This can delay the process and cost you and the employer time and money.
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They won't accept nor look at your credit back home. For some people this is a blessing, for others, it kind of sucks because your good credit doesn't carry over. You basically start at zero.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › question re security clearance
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Question re security clearance
February 2, 2024 -

Guys i have a question. I had been applying to get into engineering positions and was told that i need a security clearance of secret for that. My current job needs reliability. In my previous searches for an upgrade in clearance, my understanding was that it is given as per job requirement ( so as per that they wont give me the upgrade unless my current job requires that) but the engineering manager i interviewed with said i need to already have it and should apply for it by myself. Am i missing something here or is this a vicious circle where you need to have the clearance for a job and you cant get it unless u have the job?

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In my experience it needs to be requested by the department hiring you / doing the pool. I would think if people could request them themselves it would cause a lot of unnecessary work.
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Position based and depts are backed up so they won’t give it to you unless you need it for your position. Just like language testing. The interested manager should be able to make a request for you to get the clearance …. But security often wants the manager to say it’s a “for sure” hire as to not waste their time. Very catch-22. I used to work at a smaller dept where we have anyone that wanted secret the opportunity to apply because it was found to be a career limiting barrier based on operation stance of security across the FPS.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › what happens if you fail a secret clearance (updated post)
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: What happens if you fail a secret clearance (updated post)
July 23, 2019 -

My job requires me to obtain Secret Level II RCMP clearance. I don’t have a criminal record but am concerned about some other things that could possibly make me fail. If someone fails this and wants to apply to a full Government job with Clearances in the future, can they reapply and how long after? Any idea how often people fail these?

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but am concerned about some other things that could possibly make me fail DO NOT LIE, that will fail you for sure, telling the truth probably wont.
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Nobody knows. Clearances are risk assessments based on the information you provide for the position you’ll be doing. There is no black/white. It’s all grey. All to say, maybe yes, maybe no.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › updated requirements for ts clearances
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Updated requirements for TS clearances
June 23, 2025 -

TBS just updated the Directive on Security Screening to require that anyone receiving a new/renewed TS clearance to be a Canadian citizen (and a few other things). They also said anyone currently holding TS clearance that isn't a Canadian citizen will retain it until it is time for renewal.

I'm curious as to what that would mean for a non-Canadian citizen not being able to renew that level of clearance. My assumption is the department would have to find them an equivalent position requiring a lower clearance.

This policy change doesn't affect me, just wondering what would happen.

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how was this not a requirement before….
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It’s crazy that this requirement was only implemented this year. And frankly I think it’s still not good enough. All clearance levels should require Canadian citizenship. It’s wild that we consider trusting non citizens with classified information.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › how do you get different clearances?
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: How do you get different clearances?
August 6, 2024 -

I have seen a few positions I wanted to apply for, I have the necessary skills for them but require a valid security clearance. There is even a posting a manager put on FB and he wanted the to candidate to have a security clearance already.

Am I able to get a security clearance even though my current position doesn't require one (I have a reliability clearance) so when it comes to jobs that ask for it I can say I have one?, or do I have to be selected for a position that requires it and get the paper work form the employer to get the security clearance?

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Am I able to get a security clearance even though my current position doesn't require one No, security clearances must be sponsored by a department and they won't do it unless there is a requirement for it in your role. You can try to find positions within your department that require a higher clearance.
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Security clearances is a matter of need not want. If the role does not require a higher security clearance, you will not get it. You’ll have to be selected for the job that requires it for your employer to set up the paperwork. You’ll could also ask your manager and say it’s for career development but expect a no. Higher clearances are part of department budgets
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › government security clearance timeline (secret/top secret)
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Government Security Clearance Timeline (Secret/Top Secret)
July 14, 2017 -

Currently in the process for a several roles in the public service, some of which require Secret and Top Secret clearances. I wanted to know how long it took to grant these clearances. For the purpose of this question, let's assume the employers are high profile departments (PCO, DND, RCMP, etc...)

ABOUT ME: born overseas (friendly country, Canadian ally), raised in Canada, 23 years old, haven't moved much, still in school, held several jobs, most overseas travel is to the US, nowhere crazy, no priors or criminal records (not even a parking ticket), alright credit score, no criminal history in my family.

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It will always big a ol' "It depends" It depends on where you were born, where you've travelled, if there's anyone with the same name as you, how backed up the queue is for processing. let's assume the employers are high profile departments (PCO, DND, RCMP, etc...) Can't assume. RCMP does their own clearances, I think DND might as well .. PCO's are done via TBS (as well as pretty much every other dept)
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No one knows for sure. I had my secret clearance in 2 days, but it was expedited by a director and I had no obvious red flags (born overseas, long travels outside of the country, discontinuous reliability clearance, etc). Secret usually takes a few months, but no one can tell you for sure. And I won't try to guess for Top Secret, too many variables in play.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants3 › security clearance for people who lived overseas
r/CanadaPublicServants3 on Reddit: Security clearance for people who lived overseas
October 1, 2023 -

I have lived overseas for most of the 5 year period being examined for reliability clearance. For others that have been in a similar situation, how long did your clearance take to come through? Were you interviewed? And was anyone denied? I'm a dual citizen and the second country is a five eyes country. I have no criminal record in either country and all of my education and most of my professional experience has been in Canada.

I'm also curious about length of time for secret clearance for people in my situation. I'm aware of the processing times listed online, but I'm looking for anecdotal experiences so i can get a ballpark understanding as it will help immensely with planning the next few months. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Thanks all for your replies. It's good to know so many of us have been in the same boat.

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I was in charge of a hiring process where we wanted to hire a person who had lived in rural France for part of the preceding 5 years. His reliability clearance didn’t get completed in time (c. 1.5 months) we thought “oh well, next time” as hired 3-4 times a year and our security unit would keep processing his clearance. It took two more hiring periods before his clearance was done (c. 7-8 months).
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There is also a question of is it enhanced reliability or regular reliability and for which department. There is large variation across government as to how long some of these take. With secret I have heard as little as a few months and as long as two years. I am a year and a few months in. Again all depends on the department and situation.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › questions about the secret security clearance form - past experience
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Questions about the secret security clearance form - past experience
July 17, 2021 -

Dear PS community, I was given the secret security clearance form yesterday and I’m trying to complete it this weekend. In the form, I need to disclose all my last employment experience, which is fine, but i wonder if I need to match it strictly to my resume?

For instance, I have a time period that I was between jobs but did pro Bono consulting services to an organization as a favour (this was in the US). I listed the experience on my resume because it’s relevant to my field. But I was not hired by the organization at that time. Should I still list it on the form or should I just put in “unemployed”?

Another example is that I provided consulting services during the pandemic when I was not employed. I did receive pay for which I claimed income taxes. However, I don’t have a registered firm, a business name, or anything like that. I have this experience listed on my resume, too. Can I disclose this on the form or should I put in “unemployed”?

I searched the sub but didn’t find very similar posts. Thanks in advance for any advise!

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Write. Everything.
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I've seen this put down as Volunteer and Private Consulting activities respectively (I have both on my CV too). The consulting work, in particular is indeed employment. There's no requirement that you be incorporated or otherwise "official" for it to "count" somehow. If you signed a contract, that's all that matters. When I do my clearance disclosure, this is what I do. If it's on the CV I had applied with particularly, I would want it on the security disclosure forms.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/canadapublicservants › where is my security clearance at?
r/CanadaPublicServants on Reddit: Where Is My Security Clearance At?
November 27, 2023 -

Good afternoon redditers,

When I first joined the public service a few years ago, they gave me secret. Then I moved to a job that didn't require it and that second department issued a reliability one that I have had since. Now, another department wants me. The position requires secret. They went to the department that gave me secret to transfer it but they say they don't hold it anymore.... Ideas? Thanks!

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When I got mine they had emailed me to my personal email with the info. You might want to check in your history for a copy.
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Once your clearance was changed to Reliability, your old clearance would have been closed, as you no longer needed it. The department that requires the secret clearance will have to initiate a new clearance for you before you can be appointed to the job.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/legaladvicecanada › what really is an enhanced security clearance?
r/legaladvicecanada on Reddit: What really is an enhanced security clearance?
February 13, 2025 -

I’ve seen a few jobs pop up around my area and they mention Enhanced security checks by the government but I can’t really seem to wrap my head around what that means. My last job we needed a background check and credit check because we might of been at higher risk to steal some items and I understand that but I see how people describe the ESC and it still doesn’t make sense to me. From all I can read is that they will look deeper into my life and everybody says it varies depending the job.

I guess my main questions would be does it really matter unless you have a criminal record? and can they check your mental health record?

I feel like I’m having a brain fart moment lol I just can’t seem to find any actual info on google so I figure maybe someone could dummy it down for me

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When applying for a regular job they may: Look at criminal history (arrests and convictions). Do credit checks if financial trustworthiness is relevant. Verify employment and education history. When a job requires Enhanced Security Clearance (ESC) they will: Do a more in-depth background check that includes a thorough criminal history check, but l might look at things like your associations (who you know), foreign contacts, travel history, and online presence. Conduct in-depth interviews and might also interview people you know (references, past colleagues, even family and friends). This is to get a better picture of your character, trustworthiness, and reliability. Conduct a financial review looking closely to assess any vulnerabilities to bribery or coercion. This can be more detailed than a simple credit check. An ESC is about assessing your overall suitability for a position of trust. They're looking for any potential vulnerabilities or risks, which can include things beyond just criminal activity. For example, they might be concerned about: Financial issues: Significant debt could make you a target for bribery. Close relationships with individuals from foreign countries (especially those considered potential adversaries): This could raise concerns about potential influence or espionage. A history of poor judgment or risky behavior: This could indicate a lack of reliability. Substance abuse: This could impair judgment and reliability. Honesty and integrity: Any inconsistencies or dishonesty during the process can be a major issue. They can ask questions about your mental health and ask you self-disclose or sign a waiver giving access. The specific requirements and the depth of the investigation will depend on the agency doing the clearance and the sensitivity of the position you're applying for. A job with access to highly classified national security information will require a much more rigorous clearance than a job with access to less sensitive data.
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NAL but someone with an ESC job. The existing comment is a good summary. The focus seemed to be if I could be bribed - so reviewing debt, asking if I have anything in my past. I told them I wasn’t a saint but there’s nothing I wouldn’t walk into my boss’s office and tell them about to get ahead of blackmail.