IRCC is now using advanced data analytics to process TRV applications submitted outside of Canada
This week, IRCC announced new efficiencies in its temporary resident visa (TRV) application process. The improvements include the use of advanced data analytics on:
- all TRV applications submitted from outside Canada, and
- spousal and common-law partner sponsorship applications submitted in Canada.
TRV applications submitted from outside Canada
IRCC is expanding the use of advanced data analytics to reduce the increasing volume of TRV applications. Moreover, the analytics system will help to identify routine applications for streamlined processing, and sort and triage non-routine applications based on their level of complexity. However, the analytics system won’t “refuse or recommend refusing applications,” says IRCC.
“IRCC officers will continue to make the final decision on all applications, and only an IRCC officer can refuse an application.”
As we mentioned in our article ‘The Use of AI for Immigration Processing‘ IRCC has been using advanced data analytics and machine learning for a while. Moreover, it started with the automation of a portion of the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), on online applications from China and India.

Since 2018 IRCC has sorted and processed more than 1 million TRV applications with the help of advanced data analytics. IRCC also noticed that routine files can be assessed 87% faster using the system. “This results in some applicants receiving decisions more quickly,” says IRCC.
Spousal and common-law partner sponsorship applications
In the Digital transparency: Automation and advanced data analytics, IRCC explains that it started a pilot using this technology to help process spousal and common-law partner sponsorship applications that are submitted in Canada. In this section, IRCC does not explain how it is using advanced data analytics in these applications. It just mentions that these systems recognize patterns to help accelerate the work and better inform decision-makers. Basically, the system determines if an applicant is eligible before it sends the file to an officer. However, officers ‘make the final decision on applications’.
To know how IRCC has been using big data and AI to replace some human decision-makers, please visit the following article:
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