TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CLEARANCE (TSC)
LOCATION: OTTAWA , ONTARIO
Issue/Source: TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CLEARANCE PROGRAM
Date: August 9, 2022
Suggested Responses
- The Government of Canada is committed to a safe and secure transportation system.
- In order to have access to restricted areas of airports, individuals must obtain a Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC). To qualify for a RAIC, individuals must first have a Transportation Security Clearance (TSC) from Transport Canada.
- Screening for a TSC involves a rigorous program of background checks of each applicant with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as well as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as required.
IF PRESSED
- Temporary RAIC passes are issued by the airports – not Transport Canada – for visitors or new employees awaiting the completion of their TSC screening. These individuals must be escorted at all times when they are in the restricted area of an airport.
- Between January 1 – August 1, 2022, Transport Canada received 36,640 TSC applications.
- As of August 1, 30,646 have been granted.
- Of these, 21,995 (72%) were granted within 20 working days and the Median overall working days to grant has been 15 days.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Transport Canada verifies the suitability of each Transportation Security Clearance applicant through a fingerprint based criminal records check, a Canadian Police Information Center check and a Law Enforcement Records Check conducted in cooperation with the RCMP and local police forces.
- TC also considers information from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) where there are national security implications.
- Daily police checks are part of Canada's integrated and multi-layered transportation security system that combines partnerships, intelligence assessment and sharing, policing, physical security, regulations, training and the use of human and technical resources to keep Canadians safe.