Will a robot review your application for Canada?

In March 2018, the Canadian government began using a tool known as Chinook: a system (robot) that processes applications for study permits, temporary resident visas, and work permits at high speed. 

More than four years after its implementation, the question many foreigners are asking is: will it be efficient, or is there a possibility of rejection due to system failures?

While an expedited process is favorable in immigration, the reality is that this automation in large numbers could overlook the officer's thoroughness in reviewing your case, and the result would end up being rejection without even knowing what went wrong.

Therefore, this administrative "efficiency" should raise alarm bells due to its potential to compromise the transparency of the immigration process.

It is important to read about Chinook's internal workings, as its working notes are deleted and you need to know how to proceed if this affects the final decision on your visa. 

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Chinook and the official IRCC system

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Chinook is a creation of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that uses spreadsheets (Excel) to automate the review of immigration files outside the Global Case Management System ( GCMS) by officers.

This tool is designed to process bulk requests, speeding up response times but at the same time reducing the individual attention that an officer would give to a particular case or process.

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To give you an idea, the system allows a single officer to view up to 1,000 requests simultaneously!

Important: In immigration, each case is unique, and this is a premise that is beyond Chinook's scope. Therefore, applicants must attend to their own process and constantly monitor their cases. 

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The review process with Chinook is extremely fast. During the evaluation, agents mark the applicant's profile as "high" or "low" risk according to pre-established criteria. This is fine if the system does not cause problems in the application.

However, the notes taken by the agent during the evaluation are not transferred to the official file and are deleted at the end of the session. Herein lies the potential conflict: when these notes are deleted, the applicant is left in a state of informational defenselessness. This is not the end of their case, but it does complicate the process. 

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Chinook Efficiency vs. Procedural Fairness: A Reflection on the Applicant's Right

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As a lawyer and consultant, I have observed this technological evolution in immigration with concern, and I can say with certainty that there is concern within our profession, given that these tools ultimately affect the applicant's right to a "reasonable decision." 

Important: The Supreme Court has been clear: every decision on the application must be logical and based on the evidence presented. 

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How can you avoid the risk of rejection when an officer has only seconds to review your profile on an Excel spreadsheet?

It is deeply frustrating to see immigrants who have followed the process to the letter face the risk of being rejected by an automated system. We are not just talking about a denied application, but months of savings and family dreams lost due to an algorithmic misinterpretation.

This tendency toward speed is not bad in itself; it is an advance in terms of automation. However, when an important detail is omitted, the immigration law itself is ultimately violated by infringing on procedural fairness. 

In simple terms: the law requires the official to review all of their evidence before making a judgment; if the Chinook system omits a key document and the official does not notice, they are failing in their duty to be fair. 

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In the face of unfair rejection: Judicial Review 

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Fortunately, this system error is our best defense tool. If your case received a superficial review, Canadian law allows us to demand a Judicial Review before the Federal Court to correct this injustice and force the government to evaluate your file with the seriousness it deserves.

To ensure that your application passes the "robot" test, you, as the interested party, should be cautious before submitting your application.

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Recommendations to avoid rejections

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The key to immigration applications lies in the thoroughness of their execution. Preventing your file from falling through these gaps in the system and ensuring that the officer sees the full extent of your efforts requires strategic steps. I highly recommend these steps: 

• Organize your attachments by prioritizing the most important information in your case so that it is not overlooked at a quick glance.

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• Write a letter of motivation with a legal focus. Don't just tell a personal story focused on your dreams. Present a serious summary that will help the officer understand your case so that it will be approved.

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• Fill out your forms correctly and read them carefully to detect any discrepancies that the algorithm may flag as a "risk alert."

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• When in doubt, seek legal advice on immigration matters. 

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Our team at Immiland Canada can help you. Contact us if you would like a regulated consultant to evaluate your case.

More details on this topic in this video on our YouTube channel: Some reasons for rejection and possible solutions for your immigration process to Canada.

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With love,

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Immiland Canada