"higher level approval" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the approval that a higher authority needs to give for something to take place or be finalized. Example: We will not be able to move forward with the project until we receive higher level approval.
The Israeli government required that the sale of arms meet high level approval from the United States government, and when McFarlane convinced them that the U.S. government approved the sale, Israel obliged by agreeing to sell the arms.
* authorized leak is information passed on to a selected outlet with high-level approval by a designated persuader called a spinmeister.
Policy statements on sensitive topics like Taiwan cannot be published in major newspapers or magazines in China without high-level approval.
Anyone who knows how Murdoch's company operates would be aware that the story would not have been published without high-level approval.
But that usually requires high-level approval from someone like the chief financial officer, and then the transfer can't exceed the amount of the excess.
Still, China's newspapers do not usually print articles on sensitive topics without high-level approval, suggesting that at least some officials may be trying to discredit foreign journalists and their reports on the banned Falun Gong movement.
Analysts wonder if the authorities, possibly fearing the public relations ramifications of a confrontation before the Beijing Olympics in August, told the police to avoid engaging protesters without high-level approval.
Chief Cashman said that budget cuts over the past two years, combined with internal reforms — such as requiring high-level approval of overtime requests and close monitoring of the number of hours worked — had reduced costs.
There, his portfolio included national-security matters, like devising a new policy requiring high-level approval before the government may invoke the State Secrets Privilege to shield security information in lawsuits.
In that case, the Homeland Security Department had imposed an unusual directive days before the 2008 election requiring high-level approval before federal agents nationwide could arrest fugitive immigrants including Zeituni Onyango, the half-sister of Obama's late father.
F.B.I. officials have said the bureau requires legal reviews and higher-level approval of activities involving undercover agents and confidential informers to avoid putting convictions at risk with entrapment accusations.
