AUTOMATED TOOLS TO PROCESS WORK PERMITS

September 26, 2023—Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is expanding its use of proven automation technologies to process work permit extensions and post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) more efficiently.

New automated tools will be used to help process work permit extensions and PGWP applications according to their complexity, which will help enable quicker decisions for some applicants.

Tools are reviewed routinely to make sure they work as intended and that the results are consistent with applications that receive a full human review. Only an IRCC officer can refuse an application; the automated tools do not refuse or recommend refusing applications.

Sorting and assigning applications to IRCC officers 

The triage function of the tools takes on most clerical and repetitive tasks related to sorting applications, allowing officers to focus their attention on assessing applications and making final decisions. The tools sort applications using rules developed by IRCC officers based on the legislative and regulatory criteria for the program. Files are directed to the correct officers for further processing based on office capabilities and officer expertise.

Assessing applications for eligibility

The eligibility function of the tools identifies routine applications for streamlined processing, accelerating our work. When reviewing an application, the tools assess whether it is a routine case and can determine that an applicant is eligible for a work permit extension or PGWP using criteria developed by IRCC officers. The file is then sent to an officer to determine if the applicant remains admissible to Canada and make the final decision. Applications that do not have their eligibility approved automatically may still be manually approved following review by an officer.

IRCC is committed to responsibly developing and deploying data-driven technologies in line with privacy requirements and human rights protection. 

Source: IRCC Newsroom