Last Updated On 16 October 2023, 10:34 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
On October 16, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated the algorithmic impact assessment (AIA) of automated tools to speed up the processing of in-Canada work permit applications.
This will be achieved by implementing two automation tools, one for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and 2nd for all other in-Canada work permit applications.
These automation tools are similar to what IRCC is already using to process visitor records (visitor extensions), in-Canada spousal and common-law sponsorship, temporary resident visas (TRVs), and privately sponsored refugee applications.
So this is an expansion of IRCC’s use of proven automation technologies to process work permits and post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) more efficiently.
Table of Contents
How do these automation tools work?
Each automation tool classifies applications into tiers according to their level of complexity and identifies routine applications for expedited processing.
A quality assessment is conducted on client data to identify any flaws such as incompleteness, outdatedness, inconsistencies, trustworthiness, and missing values.
The tools thoroughly examine their rules to ensure that they are rational, relevant, and free from bias.
For routine applications that receive an automated positive eligibility determination, data is sent directly to the Global Case Management System (GCMS) to record this approval.
To spare processing officers from having to search GCMS for this information, an Excel spreadsheet including the triage result for each application as well as important details that officers assess during the decision-making process is supplied with them for all applications.
Officers don’t only look over the information in the spreadsheet. In order to make an informed choice, they keep going over all the pertinent information in the application and its accompanying materials.
To prevent influencing officers’ decisions, the triage result and other data are displayed in the spreadsheet in an impartial manner.
Officers receive thorough training on how to use the output, but they are never to allow it to take the place of their own, unique evaluation of each application.
The tools will perform a faster scan through available information and
summarize the results for decision-makers.
However, the tools will only automate approvals of eligibility; they will not make or recommend any decisions on ineligibility. Consequently, the tools themselves do not have negative impacts.
What about complicated applications?
The automation tools can only ascertain an applicant’s eligibility when they are judged routine for fast processing.
However, more complicated applications are delegated to officers for routine manual processing and decision-making.
The tools are only able to determine the positive eligibility of routine applications; they are unable to determine negative eligibility negatively or to suggest refusal.
The tools do not check applications for admissibility, but known issues with admissibility are used as part of the triage process to make sure that complicated applications are quickly sent to officers who are qualified to do the evaluation.
Officers are still in charge of conducting all admissibility evaluations, and they must examine all pertinent file information while processing applications, including that contained in supplemental documents.
As per the IRCC, officials will have the last say in all application decisions.
No Use of AI or Artificial Intelligence
The AIA outlines that every application is still given a unique evaluation. These automated tools were not created using machine learning or artificial intelligence.
They only rely on regulations made by IRCC personnel that are predicated on program eligibility and admissibility standards.
Officers are taught to make choices independently of the triage results. Furthermore, the user handbook makes it clear that the triage bins are administrative groups meant to streamline processing and do not offer any advice whatsoever regarding the risk level of the applicant.
These steps reduce the possibility that the outputs of the tools could unfairly influence officers (a phenomenon known as “automation bias”).
The IRCC has put in place a continuous quality assurance procedure to monitor whether the officers and tools determine eligibility in the same effective ways. This procedure guarantees that the instruments have not introduced any biases.
Both automated tools go through a rigorous review procedure for their guidelines as an added measure of protection.
Senior executives, legal, policy, and data science experts, as well as experienced officers, look over rules before they are made public and often afterward to make sure they are fair, reasonable, clear, and follow the rules for who is eligible.
In order to ensure that the tools work as intended and that any unanticipated bad effects, such as bias or discrimination, may be identified early and addressed, regular monitoring and quality assurance procedures are also helpful.
However, the rules of these automated tools will not be made public to protect the integrity of the immigration system.
What is the need for using automated tools?
The major reason behind IRCC now implementing automation tools is the ‘existing backlog of work or cases.’
Furthermore, IRCC wants to use innovative approaches to streamline application processing and “facilitate more efficient use of IRCC resources in the processing of
applications, assist in managing the growing volume of applications, and
improve processing times.”
Applicants will primarily benefit from quicker decisions as a result of more effective processing.
And the faster availability of immigrant labour will benefit employers.
Eventually, IRCC officers will have more time to concentrate on other cases when regular applications are automatically determined to be eligible, which will result in more efficient processing of all applications.
What kind of data does the IRCC generally process?
The AIA also provides information on the type of input data usually processed by the Immigration Department, that is, the information directly provided by the applicants through their applications and any supporting documentation they submit.
This could be the medical information from the panel physician who performs the applicant’s immigration medical examination.
Enforcement records from the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) pertain to individuals who have been subjected to examination at a port of entry or are being investigated at an inland office.
Additionally, Canada Immigration obtains information about people whose entry into Canada could jeopardize Canadian security from law enforcement and investigative bodies working both domestically and abroad.
In order to help with decision-making, Canada also receives supplementary information from other nations, namely the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
This information is used to help establish the identification of foreign people and to obtain otherwise unknown information about clients.
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