The government of Canada has signalled a larger role for artificial intelligence in immigration processing as it strengthens its involvement in global migration management and labour mobility initiatives.
The announcement was made during the International Migration Review Forum 2026 held at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, where Canada outlined a series of new commitments related to migration systems, labour mobility, border management, and migration misinformation.
Lena Metlege Diab led Canada’s delegation to the forum and confirmed that Ottawa is committed to supporting what it described as the “principled use of artificial intelligence in migration.”
Although the government did not provide detailed technical plans, the announcement reflects Canada’s growing reliance on digital systems and automation in immigration management.
In recent years, Canadian immigration authorities have increasingly used technology to organise visa applications, identify routine cases, and improve processing efficiency. The new commitment suggests Canada plans to expand these systems while focusing on transparency and responsible use of AI technologies.
The AI pledge formed part of a broader migration strategy presented by Canada during the forum. Other commitments included improving labour mobility, strengthening migration systems through international partnerships, addressing migration-related misinformation, and promoting cooperation between governments and civil society groups.
The International Migration Review Forum is a global meeting held every four years to assess progress under the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, an international agreement focused on improving migration governance and cooperation.
Canada used the event to reaffirm its support for international migration partnerships and announced approximately seven million Canadian dollars in funding for eight migration-related projects across Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
The projects are designed to improve migration systems, strengthen labour mobility, and create safer legal migration pathways in different regions.
One of the largest projects involves nearly three million Canadian dollars aimed at supporting safe and regular migration pathways across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Other initiatives include strengthening labour migration governance in Vietnam, improving migrant integration systems in Colombia and Ecuador, supporting migrant regularisation and employment access in Costa Rica, and improving border crisis response systems in Senegal.
Canada also announced support for improving migration data coordination in Latin America and providing assistance to LGBTQI+ refugee organisations in Kenya.
According to the Canadian government, these projects are intended to reduce irregular migration while improving economic integration and labour mobility opportunities.
The announcement also reflects Canada’s growing focus on skilled migration and labour shortages. Officials acknowledged that countries around the world are increasingly competing for skilled workers and global talent.
Canada said it plans to continue attracting skilled migrants while balancing sustainability within its immigration system, especially in industries facing worker shortages.
The government also highlighted concerns about migration-related misinformation, including online scams, false immigration information, and fraudulent migration schemes that affect migrants globally.
Although Ottawa did not announce specific anti-misinformation measures, officials said combating false information has become an important part of international migration management.
The latest announcement suggests Canada continues to view immigration as both an economic and strategic priority despite recent efforts to reduce overall immigration targets.
For skilled migrants and prospective immigrants, the move signals that Canada is likely to continue investing in digital immigration systems, international migration partnerships, and labour mobility programmes aimed at attracting global talent while modernising immigration processing procedures.