Lady2007:

I also reapplied with the new platform four days before Christmas, and the application is still in progress. I am really hopeful it comes out before the 30 working days.

EyinjuGod:


https://ircc.canada.ca/visit-visiter/en/get-account-ircc-portal/

First link to get code.

https://portal-portail.apps.cic.gc.ca/signin?lang=en

Second link to register/apply

EyinjuGod:


https://ircc.canada.ca/visit-visiter/en/get-account-ircc-portal/

First link to get code.

https://portal-portail.apps.cic.gc.ca/signin?lang=en

Second link to register/apply

Awas:


I applied on the 26th to hoping and praying to. has your eligibility started?

Awas:


Thank you

Nadnad:


Hello , have you tried to apply using the new portal, if yes did you get a code ?
I have been unable to get code to proceed with the visa application.
I also know someone that has completed the application process but unable to make payments using the new portal, once it gets to payments stage it starts to show error

Liljel:
I got a feedback from my application today, however, I was refused a Visa on the basis of lack of home ties.

Submitted January 5th 2022
Refusal January 28th 2022

I would apply again, but, how do I give the visa officer comfort that I would return to Nigeria before my visa elapses.

Liljel:
I got a feedback from my application today, however, I was refused a Visa on the basis of lack of home ties.

Submitted January 5th 2022
Refusal January 28th 2022

I would apply again, but, how do I give the visa officer comfort that I would return to Nigeria before my visa elapses.

Awas:

I got rejected on visiting visa today also .

Awas:

I got rejected on visiting visa today also .

Liljel:
I got a feedback from my application today, however, I was refused a Visa on the basis of lack of home ties.

Submitted January 5th 2022
Refusal January 28th 2022

I would apply again, but, how do I give the visa officer comfort that I would return to Nigeria before my visa elapses.

Awas:


I got rejected on visiting visa today also .

Liljel:
I got a feedback from my application today, however, I was refused a Visa on the basis of lack of home ties.

Submitted January 5th 2022
Refusal January 28th 2022

I would apply again, but, how do I give the visa officer comfort that I would return to Nigeria before my visa elapses.

Lezy:
You can apply again. But work on your home ties.

What is or are the proof of home ties you submitted before?

What type of visa application was it?

pufframmy:
why not requedt for ur GMCs Note to know the main reason before reapplying

Bostin:
Do you used invitation letter or just the hotel reservation . What home ties did you used

pufframmy:
why not requedt for ur GMCs Note to know the main reason before reapplying

Liljel:


Would the GCMS note state a different reason other than those on the rejection letter?

adveert002:

It the same reason, the only difference is you will read the step by step of the process

Kurukuru:
Deep Dive in the Use of AI for Immigration Processing

Immigration application volumes are constantly rising, and clients are increasingly expecting quicker and easier interactions. Therefore, IRCC

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: the policy and decision-maker based on the immigration law.

" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;">IRCC has been using big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to replace some human decision-makers in its immigration system. Of course, this raises concerns on how technology could lead to errors and assumptions for immigrants’ applications.

In this article, we’ll review the automated decision systems that IRCC has been using in applications and the guiding principles behind them.

OverviewIn recent years2021 policy on Automated Support for Decision-makingThe Automator’s HandbookUse of AI for Immigration Processing: Overview

A report released in 2018 by the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab suggested that Canada has been experimenting with AI since 2014. “The government has also quietly sought input from the private sector related to a 2018 pilot project for an ‘Artificial Intelligence Solution‘ in immigration decision-making and assessments,” says the report. It also mentioned this included Humanitarian and Compassionate applications and Pre-Removal Risk Assessments. Vulnerable people use these two applications as a last resort to remain in Canada.

Earlier that year, federal officials launched a pilot project to have an A.I. system sort through Temporary Resident Visa

TRV: a document attached to a passport page that allows a person to visit Canada.

" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;">temporary resident visa applications from China and India. The analytics program helped officers triage online visa applications to process some cases more efficiently.

According to an IRCC presentation (2020), the department did use “advanced analytics and machine learning to automate a portion of the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) business process, focusing on online applications from China and India”.

Image: (PDF) EU Conference Presentation – IRCC. Patrick McEvenue, Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Planning /IRCC / Government of Canada / October 28, 2020.

However, according to the same presentation, they were not:

Automating decisions in business lines like Asylum, Humanitarian & Compassionate cases, Pre-Removal Risk Assessment.Using “black box” algorithms that make determinations in unknowable or unexplainable ways.Planning to displace the central role of officers in immigration decision-making.In recent years

In 2020, the government of Canada released a Directive on Automated Decision-Making, which outlined the responsibilities of federal departments using AI. It also released the Algorithmic Impact Assessment tool to help institutions understand the implementation of AI. In addition, the tool determined the impact of automated decision systems.

Parsai Immigration Services did some research about IRCC’s AI pilot projects. But, there was not much public information on how exactly IRCC is using AI to deliver programs and services. According to another presentation from the Government of Canada Data Conference: An Integrated Data Community for Building Back Better (February 2021), this is what IRCC did in 2021:

Image: (PDF) Government of Canada Data Conference: An Integrated Data Community for Building Back Better / February 18, 2021.

Therefore, our firm obtained the policy on the automated decision system via an information request to IRCC, to have a better understanding of the guiding principles behind these projects. Let’s explore it!

Policy Playbook on Automated Support for Decision-making: 2021 edition

The policy, which is a working version/draft, guides individuals involved in developing and implementing automated systems that support decision-making. Moreover, it covers some legal considerations and tips to align with administrative, human rights, and privacy law.

The policy targets automated systems that support, in whole or in part, administrative decisions. This includes systems that:

classify cases according to the level of scrutiny they require;flag cases for human review or investigation;provide recommendations about whether applications should be approved;or render complete decisions.

According to the policy, these systems take up a new role in IRCC’s decision-making model. And the rules that these systems apply “could be derived from sophisticated data analytics, or from interviews with experienced officers”.

“A new policy on automated support for decision-making is an opportunity to ensure that the Department’s thinking keeps pace with the speed of technological change, and that our people and practices continue to deliver a suite of programs equal to the expectations of Canadians and the world.”

12 Guiding Principles

The following set of principles outlines IRCC’s overarching goals:

The use of AI and automation should deliver a clear public benefit. IRCC should use these tools wherever it can do so responsibly, effectively, and efficiently.Humans (not computer systems) are accountable for decision-making, even when decisions are carried out by automated systems.Because IRCC’s decisions have significant impacts on the lives of clients and Canadians, the Department should prioritize approaches that carry the least risk.Black box algorithms can be useful but cannot be the sole determinant of final decisions on client applications.IRCC must recognize the limitations of data-driven technologies and take all reasonable steps to minimize unintended bias.Officers should be informed, not led to conclusions.Humans and AI play complementary roles. IRCC should strive to sharpen the roles of each.Also, IRCC should continually adopt emerging privacy-related best practices in a rapidly evolving field.IRCC should subject systems to ongoing oversight, to ensure they are technically sound, consistent with legal and policy authorities, fair, and functioning as intended.Also, IRCC must always be able to provide a meaningful explanation of decisions made on client applications.IRCC must be transparent about its use of AI. It must provide meaningful access to the system while protecting the safety and security of Canadians.IRCC’s use of automated systems must not diminish a person’s ability to pursue recourse.The Automator’s Handbook

The handbook guides IRCC staff through questions that should be considered at various stages of AI and automation projects. This includes early exploration and ongoing monitoring once a system is running. In other words, the handbook helps determine whether or not an automated decision system is a good solution to the problem that the staff is trying to tackle.

Furthermore, the handbook analyzes the following areas:

Automated support for decision-making as a potential solutionGeneral suitability: In situations where reasonable minds may differ, the handbook doesn’t recommend automation. Conversely, staff can pursue automation if analysis of past decisions has shown that virtually any officer would reach the same conclusion.Preliminary diagnostics and impact assessments:  At this stage, the staff should focus on gathering disaggregated data about clients, analyzing this data for quality and historical bias, and checking their assumptions.Training: this may range from courses on digital government – such as those offered by the Canada School of Public Service’s Digital Academy- to training on privacy and data literacy.Partner and stakeholder engagement: the staff should deliberately seek views from a diverse group of stakeholders and document their perspectives, as you would when developing a significant policy or legislative change.Planning for design: involves the resources that the staff will use for data analytics experimentation and iterative systems development.User-centered approach: prior to undertaking a project, staff will need to have a good understanding of the general operating environment in question.Designing the systemModel suitability: exploring, mocking up, and testing some alternatives to confirm the initial hypothesis and strengthen the business case.Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA): completing a preliminary assessment at the design stage to help to anticipate risks associated with the project.User-centered design: thinking about both the most appropriate way to use technology and about the best way to involve humans.Fairness and non-discrimination: thinking carefully about how the addition of automation will change application processing and decision-making.Explainability and transparency: as a general rule, explanations should: (1) help clients understand a particular decision, and (2) provide grounds to contest the decision should the client wish to do so.Privacy: IRCC should work with a privacy expert -within the advanced analytics teams- to ensure that privacy is considered at every stage.Working in the open: involves the release of reports about AI and automation.Accountability and security: a review of compliance with existing cybersecurity policies and identified security controls.

Image: Part III – An overview of legal considerations and practical tips | Policy Playbook on Automated Support for Decision-making.

Preparing for launch

This section talks about the process for getting final approval. It also includes an assessment of the user’s, the system’s, and the partners’ readiness.

Once up and running

The section answers questions like: Is the system still functioning as originally intended? Do any intervening factors point to the need for a review?

The Automator’s Handbook also includes information such as legal considerations and practical tips, a checklist for the directive on automated decision-making, and baseline privacy requirements. Let’s focus on the last one.

Baseline Privacy Requirements

This section starts with a very important phrase: in Canada, privacy is considered a human right. The privacy requirements laid out in the document are based on the:

Privacy Act,Treasury Board Secretariat policies,directives,guidelines, andinternal IRCC guidance.

Moreover, according to the policy, the staff should consider the following, when planning, developing and monitoring any initiative involving data-driven technology:

Legal Authority: A program must identify the parliamentary authority to collect and use personal information for the specified purposes of the program.Notice and informed of purpose: IRCC must notify individuals of the purpose for which their information is being collected, commonly referred to as a ‘privacy notice’.Transparency: IRCC must notify past applicants that their information was used to train or build models.Explainability: Individuals have a right to know exactly how their personal information was processed through a disruptive technology system.Accuracy: IRCC must take all reasonable steps to ensure that personal information used for an administrative purpose is as accurate, up-to-date and complete as possible.

These are just some of the minimum requirements that all projects must meet. We hope to see IRCC’s data scientists, program designers, and policy developers trained to prioritize these ethical considerations in the development of automated support for decision-making systems. Meanwhile, we will keep you informed about other technological advances in Canada’s immigration system.

Kurukuru:
I posted this to enlighten this forum on why some people get their application decision faster. It is not that the new portal is faster. The current processing time for visitor visa is still around 78 days. What happens is that IRCC is now using an Advanced Data Analytic to process visas. When applications are submitted now, they will be processed by the machine, the machine will sort the applications to either complex or none complex applications. If you have been approved Canada visa before, the system will categorise it as non-complex and it will be passed to the VO as passing the eligibility moving the file over other files on the queue. If you submit your application with limited supporting document, and without any letter of explanation, the system will categorise or as non-complex with failed eligibility. Then the VO will recheck it and give the human decision. If your file is categorised as complex, it will be left on the queue for the VO to attend normally. This is the reason when somebody applied for the Spousal Open Work Permit and the application is taking a long time. The person applied for the visitors visa after then and the visitor visa was approved. The person got approval of the Spousal Work Permit shortly after that. It was the system that passed the Open Work Permit eligibility based on the approval of the visitors visa.

Lezy:
When did you apply?
Did you submit travel history?
What home ties did you submit?

iskilayodele:
Thanks for the breakdown. May God be with you.