Approval for visits to secure sites

International and Canadian visits are part of everyday business in today's global economy. Such visits can also lead to visitors gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information and assets. By obtaining approval for visits to secure sites from Public Services and Procurement Canada's (PSPC) Contract Security Program, you can prevent security incidents and safeguard national security.

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Defining a secure site

A secure site is any place of business where visitors may access sensitive information or assets. It can be within the government or private sector. Examples of secure sites include a Navy ship, conference centre, office building or factory.

Request for visit process

The approval process for visits to secure sites is called a request for visit. PSPC's Contract Security Program is the authority (known as a designated security authority) responsible for approving visits to secure government or private sector sites in Canada. The program also works with our international counterparts to approve visits to secure sites outside of Canada.

PSPC's Contract Security Program processes requests for the following types of visits:

When a request for visit is required

For Canada to Canada, Canada to foreign and Canada to the United States, a request for visit is required when Canadian organizations and their personnel have access to sensitive information or assets at a government or private organization in Canada or abroad.

For the United States to Canada or foreign to Canada, a request for visit is required when the visitor needs to:

Note

Approval to visit secure sites is required for individuals who are not authorized to access information or assets at the site they are visiting.

How to get approval—Request for visit form

For visits Canada to Canada, Canada to foreign and Canada to United States, the Canadian visiting organizations must get approval from the program by completing and submitting the Request for visit form—PDF version (209KB).

Submitting the request for Canadian visits to secure sites forms (for Canada to Canada requests for visit).

For visits United States to Canada or foreign to Canada, the visiting organizations must get approval from their own country's designated security authority by completing and submitting the Request for visit form—PDF version (209KB).

Submitting the request for international visits to secure sites forms (for Canada to foreign; Canada to United States [US]; US to Canada and foreign to Canada requests for visit).

Approval for Canadian visits—Protected level

The request for visit form specifically references the safeguarding of classified information, assets and sites. It references protected information and assets, which is a security level that is unique to Canada.

Learn more about levels of security

If your organization is hosting a visit to a protected visit in Canada, modify the form as follows:

Types of visit requests

Select one of the following types of visits when completing the request for visit form:

One time

Recurring

Emergency

Additions, resubmissions and deletions

Estimated processing times

Note

Requests should be made at least one to 2 months before the visit to avoid delays.

Company security officer responsibilities when planning a visit

Your organization's company security officer (CSO) must ensure that request for visit forms are completed and forwarded to the program.

Your CSO must also:

When your organization is receiving a visitor, the CSO must:

Tips for visits

You can prevent security incidents by planning ahead. Review the following tips.

If you are visiting a secure site

If you are hosting a visitor to your secure site

More information

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