Immigration professionals and individuals seeking entry into Canada are expressing growing concerns over receiving refusal letters that appear illogical, raising doubts about the thoroughness of their applications’ review process by immigration officers.
Toronto-based immigration lawyer Mario Bellissimo raised alarm after encountering cases where applications were rejected due to missing documents, despite having included the required paperwork. Bellissimo questioned the level of scrutiny being applied to each case by immigration officials.
The use of computer-assisted decision-making tools by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been highlighted by immigration professionals as a potential factor contributing to these issues. While IRCC has acknowledged the implementation of technology to expedite application processing, it denies compromising the quality of officers’ evaluations.
According to IRCC, human officers retain the final authority in determining eligibility for immigration cases, emphasizing that applicants receive comprehensive feedback on their refusals. However, concerns have been raised by industry experts, including retired senior immigration officer Annie Beaudoin, who noted instances where officers appeared to overlook crucial documents in their assessments.
IRCC’s adoption of technology-driven solutions, such as advanced data analytics and the Chinook tool, aims to streamline the processing of an extensive backlog of over 2.2 million applications. Despite IRCC’s assurances that these tools do not influence decision-making, critics like immigration lawyer Bellissimo and Vancouver-based lawyer Will Tao fear that such systems may lead to rushed or incomplete evaluations.
The push for efficiency in handling immigration applications has placed pressure on officers to meet processing targets, potentially compromising the thoroughness of their reviews. Concerns about the impact of automated tools on decision quality have prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability within the immigration system.
In a bid to address these challenges, IRCC continues to defend its use of technology, citing the need for modernization in managing immigration processes. However, stakeholders are advocating for a balanced approach that prioritizes fair and meticulous assessments to uphold the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.