AI-Assisted Vaccination Verification at Canada's Border

ArriveCAN is a digital platform developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada to collect travel and COVID-19 health information from people entering Canada. One of its key features uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to automatically scan and read travellers' proof of vaccination documents. This helps border services officers process travellers more quickly, reducing wait times and points of contact at the border.

When you submit your proof of vaccination through the ArriveCAN app or web portal, the system attempts to read and verify the document automatically. If the system successfully recognizes your proof of vaccination, that information helps inform whether you meet the entry requirements and what, if any, quarantine rules apply to you. Importantly, ArriveCAN does not make the final decision about your eligibility to enter Canada — that decision rests with a human border services officer. If the system cannot read your document, an officer will manually review it.

The system was assessed at Impact Level 2 under the Government of Canada's Directive on Automated Decision-Making. A Privacy Impact Assessment has been completed, and a recourse process exists for travellers who wish to challenge decisions. The algorithm is considered a trade secret, and human override of system outputs is enabled at all times.