The govt of Canada will do this security screening of the applicants who are immigrating to Canada to make sure that they are not a threat to the people of Canada, or just Canada in general. This is necessary to maintain the safe environment of the country so people feel secure and at peace.
If you are also going to Canada on a Canadian work visa then we suggest you must first read this important information regarding how the security screening process of Canada’s immigration system works so you could be better prepared.
Who Performs Security Checks?
There are three main federal bodies of Canada that are to perform such immigration and citizenship security screenings of the applicants.
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Let’s talk a bit more about them now.
Canada Border Services Agency
The priority of CBSA is to keep Canadians safe and secure. They are responsible for supporting national security and public safety priorities by providing border security services.
CBSA’s responsibilities are several and it even includes detaining a person who may pose a threat. They also have the authority to remove inadmissible people from Canada. Further, if anyone violates the Immigration and Refugees Protection Act (IRPA) or is a suspected criminal, the CBSA can remove them.
Those who are coming to Canada get screened by the CBSA, whether they are a refugee, a visitor or an immigrant. Moreover, the CBSA runs background checks on people who are older than 18 or 18 years old, entering Canada.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
If you are entering Canada, and have a criminal background, and pose a threat to Canada’s security, then it is likely that CSIS would report you to the Canadian Government.
The job of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is to look for any activities of people entering Canada and determine if they are a threat to Canada or not. In case they are, the CSIS’s work is to report them to the Government of Canada.
So, this means they conduct security screenings to find out applicants who are involved in terrorism, espionage, and subversion, etc.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada works with the other two federal bodies in this screening process. IRCC has the ability to gain access to international databases so that they could enforce IRPA provisions. They also use it to see if an applicant is admissible in Canada or not.
IRCC also makes use of CSIS’s investigations when making the final decision on a candidate’s application. Only IRCC can decide which applicant can enter Canada, while CBSA and CSIS do not have this authority.
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