All you should know about : Employment Background Checks and Screening of Employees in Canada.

Before selecting any potential candidate in Canada, getting legal approval to work in the country is very important. Candidates and companies must undergo background checks and employee screening to maintain a good relationship and create a safer and more trustworthy environment. This blog will help you explain how to get employment background checks and screening of employees in Canada. 

In Canada or any other country, an employment background check is a process in which an employee's criminal, financial, employment, and commercial records are checked to ensure the authenticity and honesty of the candidate. Candidate's social media profiles, credit history, and driving records are also checked to select the correct candidate for the job. The most common types of background checks for employees include:

1. Personal background: This check reviews the employee's personal details, such as where they live, their age, and whether they have any disabilities, basically checking their background. 
2. History: This type of background check examines an employee's educational qualifications, employment history, driving records, and other factors.  
   Criminal record checks: These are the most common criminal record checks, but they are more complex than other checks. They include both major and minor criminal offences. 
3. Reference checks: These checks cross-examine a person to get a clear idea of how the employee is likely to perform, what his/her experience is, and other similar information taken.
4. Drug tests: Drug tests are essential for some jobs that require checking whether workers use drugs. They help ensure safety, especially for pilots and drivers, and they also show who's in good health.

You can take services from agencies specializing in this to get your various types of background checks done. Considering this service, you can get your screening done hassle-free and on time. 

The laws in Canada make it very compulsory for every employer to conduct the below screening before hiring an employee:

• Verification of identity and address: Verification of employees' identity and address includes checking their government-issued documents, such as diver’s licenses, passports, or photo ID cards. This helps to get a clear picture of the employees and whether they legally qualify to work in Canada.  
• Educational Qualification: employee's educational qualifications are checked by their post-secondary records. These records are checked through the school registrar’s office and also by the counsellors to make sure that employee qualification is correct and trustworthy to be qualified. 
• Employment record checks: These checks check employee employment past records. This means the employer contacts the previous company’s boss, payroll department, or HR department to review the employee's record check. In this check, all things are cleared up, like why the employee left the job, what the date when he started his job and ended it was, and more such information is reviewed. 
• Criminal record check: In Canada, employees have to go through local and country-wide records to check if the employee has done something against the law. Employers can search using just a name or find deep into police files. For jobs with kids or elderly people, employers can even check if they've had any past problems that were forgiven.
• Screening of references: If the employee has submitted a reference letter, the employer can cross-examine it to ensure its accuracy. The references can be personal or professional. Not all companies demand references. 
• Driving record check: If the employee's work involves driving vehicles, then records from driver’s license offices can be checked to determine whether any previous offences are registered against you.