The IVA virtual assistant is a new guide to the first steps of the immigration process
MONTREAL, Aug. 2, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - EXEO, a Montreal-based law firm specialized in immigration and international mobility, launches IVA (Immigration Virtual Assistant) a free, AI-powered virtual assistant to assist close to 180,000 people looking to immigrate to Canada each month.
As one of Canada's pioneering legal technology initiatives geared to the general public, IVA is the first tool to cover more than 25 permanent and temporary Canadian immigration categories.
Reducing stress and making the process easier
The first steps of the immigration process can be difficult. Applicants often refer to multiple sources to understand which programs they are eligible for and how to start the application process.
"We witness daily the first-hand stress induced by the immigration application process," says Marc-André Séguin, a partner at EXEO and co-founder of IVA. It's very tedious and can become complicated depending on the potential immigrant's country of origin. We wanted our expertise to benefit people, whether they are looking to settle down, work or study in Canada. Our solution was to offer them a tool that simplifies the initial steps of the process."
With IVA, EXEO is hoping to democratize access to information, increase transparency and facilitate processing applications.
With a 5- to 10-minute interaction with IVA, individuals can obtain answers and guidance - a task that might otherwise require several hours of research.
Quebec-minted innovation in the field of artificial intelligence
Accessible via Facebook Messenger, IVA uses a Q&A format to provide users with information regarding the possibilities that are open to them. IVA covers more than 25 immigration program categories, from work permit applications to student visas to permanent residence programs.
IVA's content is vetted by lawyers and researchers who track changes to the Canadian regulations. Updates are done in real time, using adaptive programming. This Canadian initiative is the result of more than 1,000 hours of research and programming, as well as the work of a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, researchers, copywriters, programmers, graphic designers, artificial intelligence specialists and web designers.
According to Mr. Séguin's partner and co-founder of IVA, Francis Tourigny, the need for this type of technology is real. "Canada is growing more popular overseas, and applications are pouring in daily. We were getting more and more calls from people having trouble making sense of the information available on the Internet. We're proud to offer a technology tool that answers applicant's initial questions, free of charge."
Today, the tool interacts with users in English. Communication in French will be available as of August 8th, 2017. IVA will also be offered in other languages in the coming months, and new features will be available soon.
About EXEO
EXEO is a Montreal-based law firm specialized in immigration and international mobility services. To remain competitive in the global market, EXEO wants to put its expertise to work and partner with its clients by supporting them during their application process. For more information, visit www.ivabot.com and www.exeo.ca.
SOURCE EXEO
Media information: Kim Gradek, Zone Franche, [email protected], 514.317.5715 xt 208, 514.967.7785
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