Uses of technology across the department
We use a variety of tools, from basic processing aids to more advanced decision-making tools using
- advanced analytics
- automation
These tools have different functions and are used in processing many types of immigration applications (currently not used for citizenship applications).
The tables below set out where we use tools and how they work. They also link to Algorithmic Impact Assessments (AIA) that are completed for some of our tools as part of the Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision-Making.
What is an Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA)?
An AIA is an assessment tool for departments and agencies to
- assess the potential impacts of tools that automate decision making or recommend decisions to humans
- help identify and mitigate risks associated with those tools
The AIA includes a questionnaire that helps to assess the overall impact that a system can have on clients. It then identifies requirements to mitigate risks based on the impact level.
On this page
- Automated decision making
- Application triage tools – assigning applications to officers
- Processing aids
- Tools that protect the security of our immigration system
- Technologies that modernize our work
Automated decision making
| Name of model | What it does | How it works (rules) | Algorithmic lmpact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa for overseas applications | Automatically approves eligibility of routine applications before sending to officer to assess for admissibility and to make the final decision | Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * | AIA completed for visitor visa for overseas applications Completed |
|
Automatically approves eligibility of routine applications before sending to officer to assess for admissibility and to make the final decision |
Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * |
AIA completed for visitor record applications Completed | |
|
Permanent residence family class spouse or partner inland (in Canada) applications |
Automatically approves eligibility of routine applications for both sponsors and principal applicants before sending to officer to assess for admissibility and to make the final decision |
Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * |
AIA completed for permanent residence family class spousal inland (in Canada) applications Completed |
|
Permanent residence family class spouse or partner overseas applications |
Automatically approves eligibility of routine applications for both sponsors and principal applicants before sending to officer to assess for admissibility and to make the final decision |
Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * |
AIA completed for permanent residence family class spouse or partner overseas applications Completed |
|
Automatically approves the sponsor part of PSR applications for routine cases before sending to officers (through triage model) to review the principal applicant (refugee) part to assess for both eligibility and admissibility and to make the final decision |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
AIA completed for privately sponsored refugee applications – sponsors Completed | |
|
Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel applications (temporary measure) |
Automatically approves eligibility, records admissibility and makes the final approval decision on some applications |
Uses rules developed by officers only within case management system – not a separate tool |
AIA completed for Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel applications Completed |
|
Electronic travel authorization (eTA) |
Automatically approves eligibility and admissibility and makes the final approval decision on some applications |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
Not required. This was developed before AIAs were required. |
|
Automatically approves eligibility of routine applications before sending to officer to assess for admissibility and to make the final decision |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
AIA completed for work permit extensions and post-graduation work permits Completed | |
|
Automatically approves eligibility of routine applications before sending to officer to assess for admissibility and to make the final decision |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
AIA completed for international experience Canada work permits Completed |
Application triage tools – assigning applications to officers
| Tool | What it does | How it works (rules) | Algorithmic lmpact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Assigns visitor visa applications based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * |
AIA completed for visitor visa triage for overseas applications Completed | |
|
Visitor visa triage for in-Canada applications |
Assigns applications to officers based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
Not required |
|
Assigns visitor record applications based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * |
AIA completed for visitor record triage Completed | |
|
Study permit triage |
Assigns applications to officers based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
Not required |
|
Permanent residence family class spouse and partner overseas triage |
Assigns applications to officers based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers and advanced analyticsFootnote * |
AIA completed for permanent residence family class spouse and partners overseas triage Completed |
|
Privately sponsored refugee (PSR) – triage of sponsors and principal applicants |
Assigns the sponsor and principal applicant (refugee) parts of a PSR application to officers based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
AIA completed for privately sponsored refugee (PSR) – triage of sponsors and principal applicants Completed |
|
Work permit extension and post-graduation work permit triage |
Assigns applications to officers based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
|
|
Seasonal agricultural workers triage |
Assigns applications to officers for returning workers from Mexico based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
Not required |
|
Work permits under the Global Skills Strategy |
Assigns applications to officers based on file properties |
Uses rules developed by officers only |
Not required |
Note: An AIA isn’t required for tools that don’t recommend or make an administrative decision about a client. The AIAs that have been completed in this section are for triage tools that are part of automated decision-making models.
Processing aids
| Tool | What it does | How it works (rules) | Algorithmic lmpact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Saves time for officers by consolidating application information into one spreadsheet |
No rules used—the system doesn’t triage or make or recommend decisions |
In progress |
Tools that protect the security of our immigration system
| Tool | What it does | How it works (rules) | Algorithmic lmpact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Integrity trends analysis tool |
Improves fraud detection in risk assessment units, and allows them to verify risk trends more effectively |
Uses advanced analyticsFootnote * |
Technologies that modernize our work
To continue strengthening and modernizing our immigration system, we have implemented several measures to support and accelerate our work. These include switching to online applications for many lines of business, having officers process and conduct interviews remotely, and digitizing applications.
To help with simple, repetitive tasks related to some of these measures, such as data entry, we use two technologies:
- Robotic process automation
This is a technology that mimics basic repetitive clerical actions performed by humans, such as- entering information from one system or file to another
- simple information searches within a system
- Optical character recognition
This is a technology that converts typed, handwritten or printed text into digital text that can be read by a computer. For example, converting information from a paper application to our Global Case Management System.
Robotic process automation doesn’t use advanced analytics.
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