AI screening in hiring could lock out newcomers, Toronto research warns
Study finds algorithmic bias compounds human discrimination, leaving immigrants uniquely disadvantaged in job market searches.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
As more employers turn to artificial intelligence to screen job applications, researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University warn that the technology could amplify existing biases and uniquely disadvantage newcomers to Canada.
Rupa Banerjee, Canada Research Chair in Economic Inclusion, Employment and Entrepreneurship, found that when individual human bias layers on top of algorithmic bias, "it's not surprising that you are going to see some people be disproportionately disadvantaged over others."
Kristin Schwartz, senior manager at CultureLink, a settlement agency, explained the risk: "If there is a pattern of favouring candidates for particular Canadian universities, for example, AI will quietly learn that that is what a good candidate looks like." She noted that learning about how employers use AI can help clients, and while systemic barriers exist, newcomers shouldn't lose hope.
Banerjee's research found that the lack of humanity in the screening process is fuelling mistrust and disappointment among newcomers. One employer she spoke with expressed worry about bringing in an immigrant for an interview, fearing they may have used AI to inflate their application and couldn't actually speak English — "and it's much more risky than it would have been in the past."
The challenge comes as newcomers already struggle with credential recognition. According to Statistics Canada, over 32 per cent of recent immigrants in the past two years said they were overqualified for their jobs.
But there are opportunities. Simon Trevarthen, CEO of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, noted that job seekers can use AI to simulate interviews and identify areas for improvement before applying.
