Canadian authorities have identified cases where artificial intelligence is being used to generate fabricated narratives in immigration and asylum applications, including fake court rulings and unsupported legal citations.

Both Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) have noted the emergence of longer appeal documents that often contain inaccurate or nonexistent case law, increasing processing demands without strengthening claims, according to the Globe and Mail.

The IRB has described this development as a new operational challenge for its workforce. Confirmed fraud, including misrepresentation or fake documents, can result in a five-year entry ban for perpetrators. The Canada Border Services Agency, IRCC, and RCMP investigate such cases, with the IRB referring potential integrity issues to partners.

In a statement to the Globe, the IRB asserted that the illegal use of AI is adding "unnecessary complexity and time to our work.”

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IRCC has confirmed spotting AI-generated fraudulent applications, but won't share specific examples, worried it could help fraudsters stay one step ahead.

“We have observed instances where AI has been used to help generate fraudulent applications,” said IRCC spokesperson Isabelle Dubois. “As we work to detect and prevent fraud, publicly sharing these specific examples could inadvertently help fraudulent claimants identify alternative methods to circumvent detection.”

At the same time, the department is using its own AI tools to catch false narratives, spot suspicious travel patterns, and detect doctored photos or documents.

Despite promising to reduce Canada's immigration to "sustainable levels," Prime Minister Mark Carney has kept levels high, continuing large targets for permanent residents (380,000 annually) and temporary workers (380,000 in 2026), even as housing shortages and strained public services persist.

Mark Carney claims the Liberals will reduce immigration to "sustainable levels."

The prime minister goes on to praise Canada's free speech and diversity while urging Canadians abroad to return home and build their lives. pic.twitter.com/UeUxqqxg7s

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 2, 2025

Many refugee claims are still decided on paperwork alone, though lawyers stress that in-person hearings are the best way to test whether a story holds up. The IRB says it will expand AI use for routine tasks like file preparation in 2026-27, but final decisions will stay with human members.