Hiring & Workforce — 2026-03-21
Security Clearance Backlog: 70,000 Position Gap Persists; TS/SCI Processing at 6-18 Months
The cleared workforce gap holds at 70,000 unfilled positions. TS/SCI processing with polygraph remains 6-18 months. Continuous vetting now covers nearly all Tier 5 candidates, reducing reinvestigation timelines, but initial adjudication and polygraph capacity remain the binding constraints. Congress is pushing stricter reciprocity enforcement between agencies.
Analysis
Prior IC Brief (03/20): GAO found 17 of 31 agencies don't trust each other's clearance adjudications; PVQ rollout began replacing SF-86. The 70,000 position gap persists despite reform efforts, compounded by the concurrent talent drain from DOGE layoffs and FBI departures.
Prior IC Brief (03/20): GAO found 17 of 31 agencies don't trust each other's clearance adjudications; PVQ rollout began replacing SF-86. The 70,000 position gap persists despite reform efforts, compounded by the concurrent talent drain from DOGE layoffs and FBI departures.