The federal government is expanding AI-based visa application decision making.
A pilot program introduced AI into Canadian immigration in 2018. Originally, the pilot was processing applications from China and India. Going forward, the program is intended to process applications from other countries as well. Meanwhile, critics allege the program lacks appropriate transparency.
Last year, the Immigration Department (ID) acknowledged “significant public anxiety” over fairness and privacy concerns associated with AI and big data. A report from the ID raised concerns about the potential for the new systems to be “gamed” by applicants making false claims.
“A system that approves applications without sufficient vetting would raise risks to Canadians, and it is understandable for Canadians to be more concerned about mistakenly approving risky individuals than about mistakenly refusing bona fide candidates,” reads one passage.
The report also noted that the widespread introduction of automated decision making would impact the jobs of thousands of visa officers.