1. Chinook is a Microsoft Excel-based tool developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for temporary resident application processing to increase efficiency and to improve client service by decreasing the impacts of system and broadband latency, thus improving processing times.

2. Chinook displays information stored in the Global Case Management System (GCMS), IRCC’s processing system and system of record, in a more user-friendly way, allowing for increased GCMS user productivity.

3. Chinook is a tool designed to simplify the visual representation of a client’s information. It does not utilize artificial intelligence (AI), nor advanced analytics for decision-making, and there are no built-in decision-making algorithms.

4. It is always an IRCC officer, not the Chinook tool, that makes the final decision on an application. Chinook does not assess or make decisions on applications. Officers continue to review all client-submitted information to ensure informed and fair decisions. The use of Chinook does not lead to a less thorough review of applications, nor does it change the way decisions are made, it simply offers a consolidated view in a more user-friendly way, instead of a multiple screen layout of the application’s information.

5. Chinook is not a mandatory tool for IRCC officers and does not fundamentally alter the decision-making process.