Chinook Usage in IRCC Visa Sections Around the World
In recent years, IRCC has been using advanced analytics (AA), artificial intelligence (AI), and automation to modernize Canada’s immigration system and improve client service. The latest IRCC technologies have been used to support the processing of:
- Temporary Resident (TR) applications,
- Permanent Resident (PR) applications, as well as
- to triage emails to support faster responses to queries at various IRCC inboxes.
Further, some of the attention on how IRCC is using advanced analytics has centered on IRCC’s use of the Chinook tool. Chinook is a Microsoft Excel-based tool developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for temporary resident application processing. According to IRCC, Chinook simplifies the visual representation of a client’s information. But, what does this mean? Chinook displays (in a more user-friendly way) information stored in:
- the Global Case Management System (GCMS),
- IRCC’s processing system,
- and system of record.
Now let’s see the Chinook usage in several IRCC visa sections.
Chinook Usage
The latest Lexbase publication -Volume 33, Issue 9- shows a breakdown of the Chinook tab usage from January 1, 2022, to February 8, 2022. According to the report, 44,442 applications have used Chinook. Moreover, the office section shows where the final decision was made.
| Office | Applications |
| Abu Dhabi | 1,687 |
| Accra | 18 |
| Amman | 1,088 |
| Ankara | 2,327 |
| Bangkok | 781 |
| Beijing | 22 |
| Beirut | 344 |
| Bogota | 1,930 |
| Buenos Aires | 330 |
| Cairo | 150 |
| CPC-Ottawa | 15,828 |
| Dakar | 173 |
| Guangzhou | 1 |
| Ho Chi Minh | 1,401 |
| Hong Kong | 404 |
| Islamabad | 1 |
| Jakarta | 471 |
| Kingston | 758 |
| Lima | 482 |
| Manila | 2,036 |
| Mexico | 3,824 |
| Nairobi | 2,267 |
| New Delhi | 66 |
| New York | 2 |
| Paris | 3,226 |
| Port of Spain | 320 |
| Pretoria | 730 |
| Rabat | 172 |
| Rome | 215 |
| Singapore | 1,780 |
| Tunis | 214 |
| Vienna | 290 |
| Warsaw | 1,104 |
| Grand Total: | 44,442 |
As you can see, the five IRCC visa sections where Chinook has been used the most are:
- CPC-Ottawa (15,828),
- Mexico (3,824),
- Paris (3,226),
- Nairobi (2,267), and
- Ankara (2,327).
In an announcement made by IRCC on January 2022, the institution said they are trying to responsibly develop and deploy data-driven technologies in line with all privacy requirements.
“As part of our compliance with Canada’s Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision-Making, an algorithmic impact assessment (AIA) has been completed” added IRCC.
The AIA assesses the analytical models used for TRV applications. Moreover, it has numerous measures in place to mitigate possible risks. These measures include an extensive review process for potential discriminatory impacts, privacy and security elements built into the design of the system, and the ability of officers to overturn an eligibility determination.
When was Chinook created and how is it used by IRCC officers?
To know more information about the Chinook tool, please visit the following article:
Also, we strongly recommend reading:
- IRCC is now using advanced data analytics to process TRV applications submitted outside of Canada, and
- Deep Dive in the Use of AI for Immigration Processing
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Al Parsai, LLM, MA, RCIC-IRB
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Adjunct Professor, Queen’s University Faculty of Law
Instructor, Ashton College, Immigration Consulting Program
Author of 88 Tips on Immigration to Canada and Inadmissibility to Canada for Human Rights Violations
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