Cleared Workforce Hits 5.5 Million Eligible but Active Clearance Holders Flat at 2.3 Million

The eligible cleared population reached 5.5 million, up 900,000 since FY2021, but those actively occupying cleared positions has remained flat at 2.2-2.4 million. Over 3 million people hold clearance eligibility without current access -- a growing shadow workforce of cleared personnel not in cleared roles. For IC applicants, this means competition for cleared positions is intensifying even as the eligible pool expands.