NewStats: 3,264,843 , 8,184,881 topics. Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025 at 02:42 PM 6y4o6d

Yes, but you must have had a job offer from an emoloyer. Most of the employers here will want to see your work permit before they hire you unless you have an exceptional skill they want to quickly grab

hemjayb:
I have heard it is possible to apply for a work permit as a visitor while you are in canada. Is this not true?

This is an open forum and those VOs or their agents may be here reading what we post here. Everybody knows that that it is extremely illegal to work with visitor visa. This your question is capable of casting doubt on the bonafide of genuine visitors. t Canada agents may be among us here.

Holuwatopraise:
Good evening house please can someone use a visiting visa to work

Don't waste time to send a we form to them. Fill another form with the updated background information at an attachment. Tell them that you just realised that you skipped it. Don't let them ask you before you notify them. And to keep the copy of the we form you send including the submission page. That will be your defense in case the VO wants to be funny

mfonox:
Hmmmm. Right now I’m just praying not to get banned after reading through the thread. When asked if I have been refused visa before. Although I answered yes and stated my Uk visa refusal in 2015. I forgot to also include my 2nd US visa refusal in 2019. It honestly skipped my mind. I applied for us visa and got it in 2017. Travelled for 3 weeks but when I reapplied in 2019 I was rejected.( that was when trump just stopped drop box) I was focused on answering that I had travel history and completely forgot about the 2nd time rejection. Hopefully the fact that I at least answered Yes to the question will save me

Only me they sent to go for biometrics since 6th of February and I’m just going 4th of March Only me put intended travel date as 28th Feb.

I tire jare…….. the silly mistakes don too plenty

Send them a webform to inform them there is a typo error on your travel date. Them give them a new date

mfonox:
Good day house. I applied for visiting visa on the 5th of Feb and was sent a mail to go for biometrics on the 6th. But I didn’t see it on time. I wasn’t checking the portal(sigh) thank God I still have till 8th of March for it. But my problem is the date I put for travel was 28th Feb.(don’t know why I put it that close( double sigh) Just wanted to know if the fact that my travel date has ed affect the outcome of the visa?

Unnn
All applications on hold to attend to Ukrainian crisis.

What's the purpose of the visit? Can't you do the meeting online? Why must you be in Canada to participate in the meeting?
These are part of the questions you need to address.

dalamilove:
I HAVE AN INVITATION FROM LIONS CLUB WITH AN IRCC NUMBER, PLEASE WHAT ADDRESS DO I ENTER INTO THE SPACE OF INVITERS ADDRESS BECAUSE MY LETTER DOES NOT HAVE AN ADDERSS IN CANADA

When is your program ending?

nochyks87:
My people, I need your advice on this request letter given to my wife. she submitted her application since January 7, 2021(over one year plus). I am a student here in Canada and I do not have a full time job. Kindly advise please

The New family unification portal is meant to bring families together based on Justin Trudeau Mandate letter to the new immigration minister. They created the portal to bring families together as quickly as possible but our people bastardized it. People who don't have family in Canada are now using the portal for tourist visa application. Those with pending SOWP are also jumping into the new portal. What they don't know is that all these TRV applications we are flooding the IRCC go to only one immigration department in Kenya with limited manpower, hence the shooting up of the processing times. We need to endure the mess we created for ourselves.

This is one of the problems of AI software IRCC is using to process the applications now. The system classified your son as low risk and recommend him for approval while you as an adult that can elope is classified as high risk and recommend you for further VO scrutiny. Don't worry, it may take time, your own PPR is coming.

ennygal:
Kindly mail me through [email protected]. We need to talk please

Family re-unification

Teau:
PLEASE PPLE THIS IS URGENT
NEED HELP MY MUM IS TRAVELLING THIS NIGHT AND I AM TRYING TO COMPLETE THE ARRIVE CAN ITS ASK PURPOSE FOR VISIT. Is it discretionary or family reunification i pick please. I am just a adult student with kids here.

Please urgent thanks

NO

Amicableoga:
Please, is police clearance compulsory for visit visa applications?

When people submit applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) they typically have spent significant time carefully completing forms and assembling documents. They expect that their applications will be processed by visa officers who carefully review the information before them. However, applicants need to understand that artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in visa processing, as is the bulk processing of applications.

IRCC has not been forthcoming with how it uses technology to process applications, however, through a series of Access to Information Act requests as well as Federal Court of Canada litigation, the public is beginning to get a sense of measures being implemented.

Predicative learning
Automated processing of some categories of applications is not new. Since 2015 most visa-exempt foreign nationals have had to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization before they could board a plane to travel to Canada. These applications were, for the most part, automated applications.

What is less known is that in 2017, IRCC successfully conducted a pilot in which automated systems based on predicative analytics triaged and automatically approved low-risk online temporary resident visa applications from China.

Visa applications were sorted into tiers – the lowest risk for auto-approval, medium and high risk for officer review. This triage model was deployed for all applications from China in 2018, and in the same year was piloted in India. The goal appears to be for artificial intelligence to automatically approve low-risk applications, with officers only manually assessing those that have been flagged as medium to high risk.

Chinook
In addition to automated triaging, IRCC has also introduced software so that officers can bulk process applications. The software tool is known as Chinook.

According to an affidavit that IRCC filed in Federal Court, Chinook is a standalone tool that streamlines istrative steps. Applicant information is extracted from their applications and presented in a spreadsheet. Visa officers are assigned a workload of applications through Chinook. They are able to see multiple applications at a time on a single spreadsheet.

This allows them to review the contents of multiple applications on a single screen and allows them to complete istrative steps through batch processes. It also allows visa officers to create “risk indicators” and “local word flags” so that officers can identify possible applications in the processing queue of concern or priority.

According to the Federal Court affidavit, when visa officers enter Chinook, a message pops up that says, amongst other things, “The Chinook Interface allows you to view multiple applications for review and initial assessment.

It does not replace reviewing documents… and/or reviewing other information… The refusal notes generator is means to assist with general bona fide refusals. If the notes do not reflect your refusal reasons, please write an individual note.”

Concerns
There have been many concerns raised about the implementation of automated triaging and Chinook. These include the possibility that it is what has led to increased refusal rates, that individual care is not being given to applications, that applications are not being carefully reviewed and instead quickly bulk refused, that AI flagging a file as high-risk will lead to an officer wanting to simply affirm the AI’s finding, that refusal reasons are increasingly consisting of boiler plate templates which is not helpful for applicants, and that it may perpetuate systemic racism.

Because IRCC has not been transparent about the implementation of these systems and their results, it is difficult to confirm if these concerns are founded. Regardless, it is important that those submitting applications understand that Canada’s immigration system is no longer one in which human officers meticulously process individual applications in the order that they are received. I have previously written about how it is important for individuals with refused applications to obtain the internal reasons for refusal, or Global Case Management System (“GCMS”) notes. IRCC’s use of artificial intelligence and bulk refusal generators makes this even more important, as a review of the internal reasons or GCMS are often indicative of whether such software was used, and whether a refused applicant should either file a reconsideration request or seek judicial review to see if a human may reach a different conclusion.

When people submit applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) they typically have spent significant time carefully completing forms and assembling documents. They expect that their applications will be processed by visa officers who carefully review the information before them. However, applicants need to understand that artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in visa processing, as is the bulk processing of applications.

IRCC has not been forthcoming with how it uses technology to process applications, however, through a series of Access to Information Act requests as well as Federal Court of Canada litigation, the public is beginning to get a sense of measures being implemented.

Predicative learning
Automated processing of some categories of applications is not new. Since 2015 most visa-exempt foreign nationals have had to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization before they could board a plane to travel to Canada. These applications were, for the most part, automated applications.

What is less known is that in 2017, IRCC successfully conducted a pilot in which automated systems based on predicative analytics triaged and automatically approved low-risk online temporary resident visa applications from China.

Visa applications were sorted into tiers – the lowest risk for auto-approval, medium and high risk for officer review. This triage model was deployed for all applications from China in 2018, and in the same year was piloted in India. The goal appears to be for artificial intelligence to automatically approve low-risk applications, with officers only manually assessing those that have been flagged as medium to high risk.

Chinook
In addition to automated triaging, IRCC has also introduced software so that officers can bulk process applications. The software tool is known as Chinook.

According to an affidavit that IRCC filed in Federal Court, Chinook is a standalone tool that streamlines istrative steps. Applicant information is extracted from their applications and presented in a spreadsheet. Visa officers are assigned a workload of applications through Chinook. They are able to see multiple applications at a time on a single spreadsheet.

This allows them to review the contents of multiple applications on a single screen and allows them to complete istrative steps through batch processes. It also allows visa officers to create “risk indicators” and “local word flags” so that officers can identify possible applications in the processing queue of concern or priority.

According to the Federal Court affidavit, when visa officers enter Chinook, a message pops up that says, amongst other things, “The Chinook Interface allows you to view multiple applications for review and initial assessment.

It does not replace reviewing documents… and/or reviewing other information… The refusal notes generator is means to assist with general bona fide refusals. If the notes do not reflect your refusal reasons, please write an individual note.”

Concerns
There have been many concerns raised about the implementation of automated triaging and Chinook. These include the possibility that it is what has led to increased refusal rates, that individual care is not being given to applications, that applications are not being carefully reviewed and instead quickly bulk refused, that AI flagging a file as high-risk will lead to an officer wanting to simply affirm the AI’s finding, that refusal reasons are increasingly consisting of boiler plate templates which is not helpful for applicants, and that it may perpetuate systemic racism.

Because IRCC has not been transparent about the implementation of these systems and their results, it is difficult to confirm if these concerns are founded. Regardless, it is important that those submitting applications understand that Canada’s immigration system is no longer one in which human officers meticulously process individual applications in the order that they are received. I have previously written about how it is important for individuals with refused applications to obtain the internal reasons for refusal, or Global Case Management System (“GCMS”) notes. IRCC’s use of artificial intelligence and bulk refusal generators makes this even more important, as a review of the internal reasons or GCMS are often indicative of whether such software was used, and whether a refused applicant should either file a reconsideration request or seek judicial review to see if a human may reach a different conclusion.

Ok
But when is your intended date of travel?

Titiwealth:


I am going to visit my husband along with my children.

Are you visiting your family member?

Titiwealth:

I don't.

Do you have a pending Permanent Residence application?

Titiwealth:


We are reviewing your eligibility. And biometric was completed on Jan 25th thou I had it done on Dec 20.

They may not.
Many people who applied between Dec 10 and 31 are on review of eligibility now. Some are on the eligibility review for more than a week now.

thejokist:
Please does IRCC notify you before they commence reviewing your eligibility or you’ll have to keep checking your profile to know when eligibility review has started?

You are right.
I don't know why Nigerians are so selfish like this. When they need help, they rush to this forum to ask question, but when they get their visa, they disappear from the radar. To share their timelines and how they go about it for others to learn is no more their business. Only few people come back here to share their experience on their positive decision.

Papapa1234:
Dropping of transcripts and timeline should be encouraged on this thread...

Pretty sure so many have gotten their visas..

pls don't just come here to seek help,

Try and drop procedures used once you get your visa..

Thank you.

What's the status of your application now?

Titiwealth:


I applied through the new portal on Dec 14, yet to get a response.

Let your husband land in Canada first before you think of any spousal open work permit. You short work years at NAFDAC will cast doubt on you of getting a leave to your spouse. Hence, weaker home tie, which may affect your husband's chance of getting the study permit

Deronke1:
Hi guys, so my husband and I are planning on applying together. Him for student visa and I for Sowp. I currently work at nafdac, just 1 year and its my only work experience. I've taken many online courses.
What are the criteria for sowp? Am I eligible?
Please help as we don't want to make a mistake

What's the status of your application now?

ikemummy:
I applied on 9 November and still waiting for decision.

Did anybody apply for visit visa in December and still waiting for decision?

If depends, you can use your parents.

Wales55:
Please how do you tackle family ties when you don't have any properties or assets in Nigeria

Yes, you need all those information from the agent. When did you apply?

Wales55:
Hello Nairalander, I was just refused based on families ties and travel history (never traveled before). An RCIC agent was used thinking it would help as they have experience doing that

I want to go through the application myself now,Please has any one used an agent before that failed and applied by him or herself?
If yes,do I need any information on the past application from the agent?
Also how can the above reasons be tackled in next application as I do not have any property or asset in Nigeria expect my family (wife is a student in Canada expecting a baby in May)
Kindly help me with information,please

Google "ircc medical exam request form", fill the form and it there

Kamsiroyce:
Each time I click on the '?' button, this is the page that shows. The link doesn't bring out the form. Please, I need your advise. Thanks

Many people here are as intellectually daft like Malami that was saying this rubbish on air. It is ashamed that this law illiterate is your Attorney General. Up till now, after good six months, the Malami and his his rogues DSS have not brought a single charge against Igboho. Even Benin Republic is saying they arrested him on the order of Nigerian Government. The problem with Igboho's case is that his legal team has been compromised. They shut their court in Benin Republic to delay trial with the purpose of keeping him in detention. They know they have no case against him. That is why the Nigerian Government is running away from their own court in the Kanu's trial. Kanu's legal team is ready for trial but the Malami and his Almajiris in the DSS not ready.
For the intellectual buffoons here, Ighoho won the same FG in court over his attack and Dss declaration as being wanted. FG did not appeal this judgement. The only thing they said was that Nigeria has no money to pay Igboho. Buhari himself is a defence for Igboho and Kanu. Buhari in many fora has consistently calling for the independence of Palestines, is this not a call for a self-determination for Palestinians? Then why is he criminalising a campaign for self determination by Kanu and Igboho? As for Benin Republic, that country is committing an international crime. Under the United Nation law, any means a person fearing persecution take to enter your country should not be used against that person and Benin Republic is a signatory to that agreement. Whereas in this case, Igboho used the Nigeria port to enter as an ECOWAS citizen. If Benin Republic has any case against Igboho, why shut down their court to prevent proper trial?
I think we need to educate those intellectual buffoons here. It is a pity that Buhari has successfully reduce the sense of reasoning of many Southern graduate to that of a typical Almajiri.

What date in December did you apply?
Have you gotten a decision?

LadyBlaq:

Yes, eligibility review started on 24th of January. I don't want to send mails to them any more. It will surely end in praise ooo, I remain very hopeful. Thank you.

I BEG YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD, PLS MENTION O. FAILURE TO DO SO NA BAN O

Bostin:
Please my guru in the house , is it necessary I mention all countries refusals have gotten in my application or just mention previous Canada visa refusal only .

Each application is treated on his own based on the argument canvassed and the ing document presented. Although there is possibility of the bandwagon effect of one on another.

iskilayodele:
No. They treat Dual intentions separately.

I posted this to enlighten this forum on why some people get their application decision faster. It is not that the new portal is faster. The current processing time for visitor visa is still around 78 days. What happens is that IRCC is now using an Advanced Data Analytic to process visas. When applications are submitted now, they will be processed by the machine, the machine will sort the applications to either complex or none complex applications. If you have been approved Canada visa before, the system will categorise it as non-complex and it will be ed to the VO as ing the eligibility moving the file over other files on the queue. If you submit your application with limited ing document, and without any letter of explanation, the system will categorise or as non-complex with failed eligibility. Then the VO will recheck it and give the human decision. If your file is categorised as complex, it will be left on the queue for the VO to attend normally. This is the reason when somebody applied for the Spousal Open Work Permit and the application is taking a long time. The person applied for the visitors visa after then and the visitor visa was approved. The person got approval of the Spousal Work Permit shortly after that. It was the system that ed the Open Work Permit eligibility based on the approval of the visitors visa.

Kurukuru:
Deep Dive in the Use of AI for Immigration Processing

Immigration application volumes are constantly rising, and clients are increasingly expecting quicker and easier interactions. Therefore, IRCC

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: the policy and decision-maker based on the immigration law.

" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;">IRCC has been using big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to replace some human decision-makers in its immigration system. Of course, this raises concerns on how technology could lead to errors and assumptions for immigrants’ applications.

In this article, we’ll review the automated decision systems that IRCC has been using in applications and the guiding principles behind them.

OverviewIn recent years2021 policy on Automated for Decision-makingThe Automator’s HandbookUse of AI for Immigration Processing: Overview

A report released in 2018 by the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab suggested that Canada has been experimenting with AI since 2014. “The government has also quietly sought input from the private sector related to a 2018 pilot project for an ‘Artificial Intelligence Solution‘ in immigration decision-making and assessments,” says the report. It also mentioned this included Humanitarian and Comionate applications and Pre-Removal Risk Assessments. Vulnerable people use these two applications as a last resort to remain in Canada.

Earlier that year, federal officials launched a pilot project to have an A.I. system sort through Temporary Resident Visa

TRV: a document attached to a port page that allows a person to visit Canada.

" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;">temporary resident visa applications from China and India. The analytics program helped officers triage online visa applications to process some cases more efficiently.

According to an IRCC presentation (2020), the department did use “advanced analytics and machine learning to automate a portion of the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) business process, focusing on online applications from China and India”.

Image: (PDF) EU Conference Presentation – IRCC. Patrick McEvenue, Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Planning /IRCC / Government of Canada / October 28, 2020.

However, according to the same presentation, they were not:

Automating decisions in business lines like Asylum, Humanitarian & Comionate cases, Pre-Removal Risk Assessment.Using “black box” algorithms that make determinations in unknowable or unexplainable ways.Planning to displace the central role of officers in immigration decision-making.In recent years

In 2020, the government of Canada released a Directive on Automated Decision-Making, which outlined the responsibilities of federal departments using AI. It also released the Algorithmic Impact Assessment tool to help institutions understand the implementation of AI. In addition, the tool determined the impact of automated decision systems.

Parsai Immigration Services did some research about IRCC’s AI pilot projects. But, there was not much public information on how exactly IRCC is using AI to deliver programs and services. According to another presentation from the Government of Canada Data Conference: An Integrated Data Community for Building Back Better (February 2021), this is what IRCC did in 2021:

Image: (PDF) Government of Canada Data Conference: An Integrated Data Community for Building Back Better / February 18, 2021.

Therefore, our firm obtained the policy on the automated decision system via an information request to IRCC, to have a better understanding of the guiding principles behind these projects. Let’s explore it!

Policy Playbook on Automated for Decision-making: 2021 edition

The policy, which is a working version/draft, guides individuals involved in developing and implementing automated systems that decision-making. Moreover, it covers some legal considerations and tips to align with istrative, human rights, and privacy law.

The policy targets automated systems that , in whole or in part, istrative decisions. This includes systems that:

classify cases according to the level of scrutiny they require;flag cases for human review or investigation;provide recommendations about whether applications should be approved;or render complete decisions.

According to the policy, these systems take up a new role in IRCC’s decision-making model. And the rules that these systems apply “could be derived from sophisticated data analytics, or from interviews with experienced officers”.

“A new policy on automated for decision-making is an opportunity to ensure that the Department’s thinking keeps pace with the speed of technological change, and that our people and practices continue to deliver a suite of programs equal to the expectations of Canadians and the world.”

12 Guiding Principles

The following set of principles outlines IRCC’s overarching goals:

The use of AI and automation should deliver a clear public benefit. IRCC should use these tools wherever it can do so responsibly, effectively, and efficiently.Humans (not computer systems) are able for decision-making, even when decisions are carried out by automated systems.Because IRCC’s decisions have significant impacts on the lives of clients and Canadians, the Department should prioritize approaches that carry the least risk.Black box algorithms can be useful but cannot be the sole determinant of final decisions on client applications.IRCC must recognize the limitations of data-driven technologies and take all reasonable steps to minimize unintended bias.Officers should be informed, not led to conclusions.Humans and AI play complementary roles. IRCC should strive to sharpen the roles of each.Also, IRCC should continually adopt emerging privacy-related best practices in a rapidly evolving field.IRCC should subject systems to ongoing oversight, to ensure they are technically sound, consistent with legal and policy authorities, fair, and functioning as intended.Also, IRCC must always be able to provide a meaningful explanation of decisions made on client applications.IRCC must be transparent about its use of AI. It must provide meaningful access to the system while protecting the safety and security of Canadians.IRCC’s use of automated systems must not diminish a person’s ability to pursue recourse.The Automator’s Handbook

The handbook guides IRCC staff through questions that should be considered at various stages of AI and automation projects. This includes early exploration and ongoing monitoring once a system is running. In other words, the handbook helps determine whether or not an automated decision system is a good solution to the problem that the staff is trying to tackle.

Furthermore, the handbook analyzes the following areas:

Automated for decision-making as a potential solutionGeneral suitability: In situations where reasonable minds may differ, the handbook doesn’t recommend automation. Conversely, staff can pursue automation if analysis of past decisions has shown that virtually any officer would reach the same conclusion.Preliminary diagnostics and impact assessments:  At this stage, the staff should focus on gathering disaggregated data about clients, analyzing this data for quality and historical bias, and checking their assumptions.Training: this may range from courses on digital government – such as those offered by the Canada School of Public Service’s Digital Academy- to training on privacy and data literacy.Partner and stakeholder engagement: the staff should deliberately seek views from a diverse group of stakeholders and document their perspectives, as you would when developing a significant policy or legislative change.Planning for design: involves the resources that the staff will use for data analytics experimentation and iterative systems development.-centered approach: prior to undertaking a project, staff will need to have a good understanding of the general operating environment in question.Deg the systemModel suitability: exploring, mocking up, and testing some alternatives to confirm the initial hypothesis and strengthen the business case.Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA): completing a preliminary assessment at the design stage to help to anticipate risks associated with the project.-centered design: thinking about both the most appropriate way to use technology and about the best way to involve humans.Fairness and non-discrimination: thinking carefully about how the addition of automation will change application processing and decision-making.Explainability and transparency: as a general rule, explanations should: (1) help clients understand a particular decision, and (2) provide grounds to contest the decision should the client wish to do so.Privacy: IRCC should work with a privacy expert -within the advanced analytics teams- to ensure that privacy is considered at every stage.Working in the open: involves the release of reports about AI and automation.ability and security: a review of compliance with existing cybersecurity policies and identified security controls.

Image: Part III – An overview of legal considerations and practical tips | Policy Playbook on Automated for Decision-making.

Preparing for launch

This section talks about the process for getting final approval. It also includes an assessment of the ’s, the system’s, and the partners’ readiness.

Once up and running

The section answers questions like: Is the system still functioning as originally intended? Do any intervening factors point to the need for a review?

The Automator’s Handbook also includes information such as legal considerations and practical tips, a checklist for the directive on automated decision-making, and baseline privacy requirements. Let’s focus on the last one.

Baseline Privacy Requirements

This section starts with a very important phrase: in Canada, privacy is considered a human right. The privacy requirements laid out in the document are based on the:

Privacy Act,Treasury Board Secretariat policies,directives,guidelines, andinternal IRCC guidance.

Moreover, according to the policy, the staff should consider the following, when planning, developing and monitoring any initiative involving data-driven technology:

Legal Authority: A program must identify the parliamentary authority to collect and use personal information for the specified purposes of the program.Notice and informed of purpose: IRCC must notify individuals of the purpose for which their information is being collected, commonly referred to as a ‘privacy notice’.Transparency: IRCC must notify past applicants that their information was used to train or build models.Explainability: Individuals have a right to know exactly how their personal information was processed through a disruptive technology system.Accuracy: IRCC must take all reasonable steps to ensure that personal information used for an istrative purpose is as accurate, up-to-date and complete as possible.

These are just some of the minimum requirements that all projects must meet. We hope to see IRCC’s data scientists, program designers, and policy developers trained to prioritize these ethical considerations in the development of automated for decision-making systems. Meanwhile, we will keep you informed about other technological advances in Canada’s immigration system.

Deep Dive in the Use of AI for Immigration Processing

Immigration application volumes are constantly rising, and clients are increasingly expecting quicker and easier interactions. Therefore, IRCC

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: the policy and decision-maker based on the immigration law.

" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;">IRCC has been using big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to replace some human decision-makers in its immigration system. Of course, this raises concerns on how technology could lead to errors and assumptions for immigrants’ applications.

In this article, we’ll review the automated decision systems that IRCC has been using in applications and the guiding principles behind them.

OverviewIn recent years2021 policy on Automated for Decision-makingThe Automator’s HandbookUse of AI for Immigration Processing: Overview

A report released in 2018 by the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab suggested that Canada has been experimenting with AI since 2014. “The government has also quietly sought input from the private sector related to a 2018 pilot project for an ‘Artificial Intelligence Solution‘ in immigration decision-making and assessments,” says the report. It also mentioned this included Humanitarian and Comionate applications and Pre-Removal Risk Assessments. Vulnerable people use these two applications as a last resort to remain in Canada.

Earlier that year, federal officials launched a pilot project to have an A.I. system sort through Temporary Resident Visa

TRV: a document attached to a port page that allows a person to visit Canada.

" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;">temporary resident visa applications from China and India. The analytics program helped officers triage online visa applications to process some cases more efficiently.

According to an IRCC presentation (2020), the department did use “advanced analytics and machine learning to automate a portion of the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) business process, focusing on online applications from China and India”.

Image: (PDF) EU Conference Presentation – IRCC. Patrick McEvenue, Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Planning /IRCC / Government of Canada / October 28, 2020.

However, according to the same presentation, they were not:

Automating decisions in business lines like Asylum, Humanitarian & Comionate cases, Pre-Removal Risk Assessment.Using “black box” algorithms that make determinations in unknowable or unexplainable ways.Planning to displace the central role of officers in immigration decision-making.In recent years

In 2020, the government of Canada released a Directive on Automated Decision-Making, which outlined the responsibilities of federal departments using AI. It also released the Algorithmic Impact Assessment tool to help institutions understand the implementation of AI. In addition, the tool determined the impact of automated decision systems.

Parsai Immigration Services did some research about IRCC’s AI pilot projects. But, there was not much public information on how exactly IRCC is using AI to deliver programs and services. According to another presentation from the Government of Canada Data Conference: An Integrated Data Community for Building Back Better (February 2021), this is what IRCC did in 2021:

Image: (PDF) Government of Canada Data Conference: An Integrated Data Community for Building Back Better / February 18, 2021.

Therefore, our firm obtained the policy on the automated decision system via an information request to IRCC, to have a better understanding of the guiding principles behind these projects. Let’s explore it!

Policy Playbook on Automated for Decision-making: 2021 edition

The policy, which is a working version/draft, guides individuals involved in developing and implementing automated systems that decision-making. Moreover, it covers some legal considerations and tips to align with istrative, human rights, and privacy law.

The policy targets automated systems that , in whole or in part, istrative decisions. This includes systems that:

classify cases according to the level of scrutiny they require;flag cases for human review or investigation;provide recommendations about whether applications should be approved;or render complete decisions.

According to the policy, these systems take up a new role in IRCC’s decision-making model. And the rules that these systems apply “could be derived from sophisticated data analytics, or from interviews with experienced officers”.

“A new policy on automated for decision-making is an opportunity to ensure that the Department’s thinking keeps pace with the speed of technological change, and that our people and practices continue to deliver a suite of programs equal to the expectations of Canadians and the world.”

12 Guiding Principles

The following set of principles outlines IRCC’s overarching goals:

The use of AI and automation should deliver a clear public benefit. IRCC should use these tools wherever it can do so responsibly, effectively, and efficiently.Humans (not computer systems) are able for decision-making, even when decisions are carried out by automated systems.Because IRCC’s decisions have significant impacts on the lives of clients and Canadians, the Department should prioritize approaches that carry the least risk.Black box algorithms can be useful but cannot be the sole determinant of final decisions on client applications.IRCC must recognize the limitations of data-driven technologies and take all reasonable steps to minimize unintended bias.Officers should be informed, not led to conclusions.Humans and AI play complementary roles. IRCC should strive to sharpen the roles of each.Also, IRCC should continually adopt emerging privacy-related best practices in a rapidly evolving field.IRCC should subject systems to ongoing oversight, to ensure they are technically sound, consistent with legal and policy authorities, fair, and functioning as intended.Also, IRCC must always be able to provide a meaningful explanation of decisions made on client applications.IRCC must be transparent about its use of AI. It must provide meaningful access to the system while protecting the safety and security of Canadians.IRCC’s use of automated systems must not diminish a person’s ability to pursue recourse.The Automator’s Handbook

The handbook guides IRCC staff through questions that should be considered at various stages of AI and automation projects. This includes early exploration and ongoing monitoring once a system is running. In other words, the handbook helps determine whether or not an automated decision system is a good solution to the problem that the staff is trying to tackle.

Furthermore, the handbook analyzes the following areas:

Automated for decision-making as a potential solutionGeneral suitability: In situations where reasonable minds may differ, the handbook doesn’t recommend automation. Conversely, staff can pursue automation if analysis of past decisions has shown that virtually any officer would reach the same conclusion.Preliminary diagnostics and impact assessments:  At this stage, the staff should focus on gathering disaggregated data about clients, analyzing this data for quality and historical bias, and checking their assumptions.Training: this may range from courses on digital government – such as those offered by the Canada School of Public Service’s Digital Academy- to training on privacy and data literacy.Partner and stakeholder engagement: the staff should deliberately seek views from a diverse group of stakeholders and document their perspectives, as you would when developing a significant policy or legislative change.Planning for design: involves the resources that the staff will use for data analytics experimentation and iterative systems development.-centered approach: prior to undertaking a project, staff will need to have a good understanding of the general operating environment in question.Deg the systemModel suitability: exploring, mocking up, and testing some alternatives to confirm the initial hypothesis and strengthen the business case.Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA): completing a preliminary assessment at the design stage to help to anticipate risks associated with the project.-centered design: thinking about both the most appropriate way to use technology and about the best way to involve humans.Fairness and non-discrimination: thinking carefully about how the addition of automation will change application processing and decision-making.Explainability and transparency: as a general rule, explanations should: (1) help clients understand a particular decision, and (2) provide grounds to contest the decision should the client wish to do so.Privacy: IRCC should work with a privacy expert -within the advanced analytics teams- to ensure that privacy is considered at every stage.Working in the open: involves the release of reports about AI and automation.ability and security: a review of compliance with existing cybersecurity policies and identified security controls.

Image: Part III – An overview of legal considerations and practical tips | Policy Playbook on Automated for Decision-making.

Preparing for launch

This section talks about the process for getting final approval. It also includes an assessment of the ’s, the system’s, and the partners’ readiness.

Once up and running

The section answers questions like: Is the system still functioning as originally intended? Do any intervening factors point to the need for a review?

The Automator’s Handbook also includes information such as legal considerations and practical tips, a checklist for the directive on automated decision-making, and baseline privacy requirements. Let’s focus on the last one.

Baseline Privacy Requirements

This section starts with a very important phrase: in Canada, privacy is considered a human right. The privacy requirements laid out in the document are based on the:

Privacy Act,Treasury Board Secretariat policies,directives,guidelines, andinternal IRCC guidance.

Moreover, according to the policy, the staff should consider the following, when planning, developing and monitoring any initiative involving data-driven technology:

Legal Authority: A program must identify the parliamentary authority to collect and use personal information for the specified purposes of the program.Notice and informed of purpose: IRCC must notify individuals of the purpose for which their information is being collected, commonly referred to as a ‘privacy notice’.Transparency: IRCC must notify past applicants that their information was used to train or build models.Explainability: Individuals have a right to know exactly how their personal information was processed through a disruptive technology system.Accuracy: IRCC must take all reasonable steps to ensure that personal information used for an istrative purpose is as accurate, up-to-date and complete as possible.

These are just some of the minimum requirements that all projects must meet. We hope to see IRCC’s data scientists, program designers, and policy developers trained to prioritize these ethical considerations in the development of automated for decision-making systems. Meanwhile, we will keep you informed about other technological advances in Canada’s immigration system.

https://www.settler.ca/english/deep-dive-in-the-use-of-ai-for-immigration-processing/