In an article for The Conversation, Lisa Ruth Brunner (University of British Columbia) highlights the use of AI to predict who will receive study permit approval from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Brunner states that prior to the international student cap, international applicants to Canada were primarily assessed based on educational credentials, but now, some postsecondary institutions may start considering the likelihood of applicants receiving study permits. Brunner states that some institutions have hired private companies that use AI to predict which students are likely to be assessed favourably by the IRCC and argues that this practice threatens the diversity of Canada’s pool of future immigrants. The author concludes that IRCC, private companies, and postsecondary institutions must make it clear to international applicants how they are being assessed.
