Automated Triage for IEC Work Permit Applications

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses an automated triage model to help process applications for the International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday Program more efficiently. The system sorts incoming applications by applying pre-existing eligibility rules — such as age, country of citizenship, passport validity, and country of residence — to identify straightforward cases that meet all non-discretionary requirements. When the system determines that an applicant meets these criteria, it issues an automated positive eligibility assessment. The system can never refuse an application or recommend a refusal.

This model affects applicants to the IEC Working Holiday Program by potentially speeding up the processing of their applications. If your application is identified as a routine case, the eligibility portion of your assessment is handled automatically, allowing IRCC officers to focus their attention on reviewing your admissibility and rendering a final decision. Applications that are not selected for automated positive eligibility assessment continue to be fully reviewed by an officer in the same way as before. In all cases, a human officer makes the final decision to approve or refuse.

IRCC is committed to transparency and fairness in using this system. The eligibility rules used by the model are the same rules that officers currently apply manually, and they are regularly reviewed by experienced officers, legal, policy, and data science experts. An ongoing quality assurance process monitors the system for bias and ensures it performs as intended. Clients who wish to challenge a decision have access to existing recourse processes, and plain language notices inform applicants that this system is used during processing.