Data analytics is rapidly evolving as a vital tool for organizations to gain insights and make informed decisions in a fast-changing world. To keep up with trends, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is improving processing for spouse and partner applications by expanding its use of advanced analytics and other automated technology to all spousal and partner applications under the family class.
Family reunification is vital to Canada’s immigration system, as it attracts, retains, and integrates immigrants into the larger Canadian society. Under the Canada Immigration Levels Plan, family reunification comes second only to economic class in numbers. Family reunification is one of three pillars of permanent immigration to Canada (alongside economic immigration and refugee protection).
Introducing the technology component aims to reunite families more swiftly, without unnecessary delays. Two new tools, when implemented, are expected to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of processing these applications.
Dual-Part Application Process
Spousal and partner applications under the family class involve the sponsorship and principal applicant parts, each of which would be reviewed thoroughly before approval. IRCC officers remain the ultimate authority to make final decisions on all family class applications. These automated tools cannot refuse or recommend refusal of applications, which leaves the decision-making to human oversight.
One tool is dedicated to the sponsorship part of the application, while the other focuses on the principal applicant. The tools use a combination of predefined rules set by IRCC officers and rules generated through machine learning, drawing on data from previous IRCC files.
Review tools
The sponsorship part is assessed first. The tool identifies routine cases that can be automatically approved, expediting the application process’s initial phase. It flags applications that cannot be automatically approved for manual review by an officer, allowing officers to dedicate more time and attention to such complex cases.
The second part of the application involves the principal applicant. The principal applicant tool helps identify routine applications qualifying for streamlined processing. During this process, the tool determines the principal applicant’s eligibility and forwards the file to an officer for further review. The officer assesses and decides on the applicant’s admissibility to Canada. Applications that fail the automated eligibility approval are sent for a comprehensive manual review by an officer.
Spousal sponsorship is a priority for Canada as it values family unity and sees reuniting families as a fundamental aspect of a compassionate and inclusive immigration policy. Under its Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024, the government aims to welcome some 80,000 new immigrants through its Spousal, Partner, and Children category per year.
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Commitment to Responsible Technology Deployment
IRCC stresses its commitment to the responsible development and deployment of data-driven technologies, adhering to privacy requirements and human rights protections. The tools are reviewed regularly to ensure their outcomes are consistent with fully manual reviews, allowing the IRCC to maintain transparency and accountability in its processes.
With the Directive on Automated Decision-Making, the Canadian government is looking to use artificial intelligence to make or support administrative decisions to improve service delivery. The government is committing to using artificial intelligence by the core principles of administrative law, such as transparency, accountability, legality, and procedural fairness. The government said the directive will continue to evolve to keep up with rapidly changing technology.
An algorithmic impact assessment (AIA) that evaluated the tool for processing overseas spousal and partner applications categorized the system’s impact level as moderate, prompting the implementation of measures to mitigate risk.
The measures include ensuring that the tools do not introduce bias or discrimination or incorporate gender-based perspectives to prevent the impact on groups based on gender. Also included in the measures are quality assurance plans to establish a framework for ongoing assessment and improvement of the tools. Robust privacy and security features are built into the tools to protect sensitive information.
Moreover, officers retain the authority to overturn decisions made by the tools, providing an additional layer of oversight and ensuring that no application is unjustly processed by automated means alone.
Targets
Current processing times for spousal permanent resident applications (excluding Quebec) are approximately 13 months (overseas) and ten months (in-Canada) compared to 20 months and 12 months (respectively) for the same period last year.
The 2023 planned admission target for Spouses, Partners, and Children is 78,000, expected to increase to 82,000 in 2024 and 84,000 in 2025.
The family class accounted for 23 per cent (109,580 persons admitted) of all permanent immigration to Canada in 2023, an increase of 12.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2022.
Embracing data analytics is crucial for success in the immigration landscape. By leveraging data, the IRCC can improve efficiency and reduce processing times. By leveraging sophisticated tools for sponsorship and principal applicant reviews, IRCC also aims to reunite families while maintaining rigorous oversight to ensure fairness and accuracy. The balanced approach of combining technological innovation with human judgment would serve applicants better and preserve the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
Further advancements in analytics and AI have the potential to expand the use of advanced analytics to other types of immigration applications.
Advanced analytics can be leveraged to improve the processing of overseas family class spousal and partner applications, from implementation strategies to potential future advancements.
