Canada Background Screening

Revision Date: October 4, 2022

The following has been provided as general educational information only. It is not legal advice, express or implied. Consultation with legal counsel in all matters of employment and business law is recommended.

Related article: Canada: Frequently asked questions 

Services available:

• Criminal search
• Education verification
• Employment verification
• Global watchlist search
• Canada motor vehicle record (MVR) search

Disclaimer:  The following guide is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not legal advice, and users are encouraged to seek their own independent counsel when evaluating these services. Importantly, the specific screenings offered by Checkr do not guarantee an organization’s legal rights to request or use them. Several factors, including the residency and location of your organization and your candidates, may implicate additional data privacy and employment laws.

________________________________________

Criminal search

See Canadian criminal record search for additional information. 

Description:

A national-level search in Canada that returns available criminal conviction records.

Sources:

Canadian Police Information Center (CPIC)

Ordering Requirements:

• Last Name, First Name, Middle Name 
• DOB 
• Address 
• Authorization Form 
• Special release and self-declaration forms are required for this search
• Identity Verification
  • Checkr uses digital identity verification to verify a candidate's identity. This verification compares liveness data and biometrics to a candidate-provided photo ID. If the digital identity verification is unsuccessful, a credit bureau-based identity verification is performed with a secondary stage that requires the validation of two pieces of valid, government-issued identification.

Estimated Time Service:

On average 2 to 3 business days.

________________________________________

Education verification

Description:

The verification of the academic status of any educational level, such as high school, college, and post-grad. It may include institution name, dates of attendance, graduation/conferred date, degree obtained, major, minor, honors, awards, and comments.

Sources:

The searches are conducted through the specified education institution requested.

Search Type:

An education verification search is conducted and charged per degree. Multiple degrees/majors listed in an order will be billed as separate orders.

Ordering Requirements:

• Applicant’s Name - Last Name, First Name, Middle Name (Time of Enrollment)
• Institution Name
• Institution Address
• Institution Telephone Number (Include Point of Contact)
• Dates of Attendance
• Graduation Date
• Degree Type
• Major
• Minor
• Copy of degree. 
• Authorization form

Estimated Time Service:

On average 6 to 8 business days. Some verifications may take longer to complete depending on the cooperation with the institutions being verified.

________________________________________

Employment verification

Description:

Verification of previous employment history to confirm work experience. It may include such information as the employer's name, dates of employment, position/title, and/or reason for leaving. Salary information will be provided if available for disclosure by the source.

Sources:

Government agencies and employers across the country. In some countries, the records of former employees are not kept in a searchable form, and contacting the supervisor or manager is the normal practice.

Ordering Requirements:

• Applicant’s Name - Last Name, First Name, Middle Name
• DOB
• Employer’s Name
• Employer’s Address
• Employer’s Telephone Number
• Dates of Employment
• Position/Title
• Reason for Leaving
• Authorization form

Estimated Time Service:

On average 6 to 8 business days. Some verifications may take longer to complete depending on the cooperation with the institutions being verified.

________________________________________

Global watchlist search

Description:

The Global Watchlist Search product provides a thorough search of multiple National and International repositories and government watchlists. The search consists of thousands of databases, many of which are updated daily to provide more up-to-date coverage. 

Sources:

OFAC, FBI Most Wanted (incl. Terrorists), FBI Seeking Information, FBI Hijack Suspects, Politically Exposed Persons, governmental lists, sanctions, enforcements, and warnings from over 500 agencies, criminal courts, & news sources from around the world.

Search Type: 

Multi-jurisdictional database search consisting of both historical and near real-time updated information.

Ordering Requirements:

• Last name 
• First name 
• DOB 
• Authorization Form

Estimated Time Service:

On average 2 days. Verifications will be closed, as Unable to Verify, after 15 business days of unsuccessful attempts.

________________________________________

Canada motor vehicle record (MVR) report

Description:

Assesses the validity of a license, its class or classes, and any current suspensions. A Canada MVR report provides information on whether the driver is legally eligible to drive. It includes the information present on a physical driver’s license. A Canada MVR report is currently available to candidates with a Canadian work location and a Canadian driver’s license. 

Sources:

The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) data connection for each province is the data source for this screening. 

Ordering Requirements:

• Country and province of issue
• License class
• License expiration date
• License holder's birth date
• License holder's name
• License number

Estimated Time Service:

Unless the candidate needs to provide additional documentation, turnaround time is real-time, within seconds.

________________________________________

Canada MVR report with history

Description:

A Canada MVR report with history expands on Canada MVR results to include driver history information such as convictions, violations, and conditions. A Canada MVR report with history is currently available to candidates with a Canadian work location and a Canadian driver’s license.

Sources:

The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) data connection for each province is the data source for this screening. 

Ordering Requirements:

• Country and province of issue
• License class
• License expiration date
• License number
• Photo of license
• Provincial-specific forms, if applicable
  • Candidates will encounter these forms during the application process. They must download, complete, and upload each form directly into the application.

Estimated Time Service:

The average turnaround time for MVR reports with history ranges from hours to weeks based on location: