Note: This document is not a legal document. For precise, legal information, please consult the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Regulations, and IRB Rules.
The IRB DOES…
- Determine whether persons who have made a refugee protection claim in Canada, are refugees or not.
- Hold admissibility hearings, at the request of CBSA, to determine if a person should be allowed to enter or remain in Canada; or should be ordered removed from Canada (issuing removal orders)
- Conduct detention reviews, at the request of CBSA, to determine if there are sufficient reasons to continue the detention of the person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
- Hear appeals on immigration matters, such as appeals from refused sponsorship applications and appeals from removal orders.
The IRB DOES NOT…
- Make refugee and immigration policies (IRCC)
- Receive refugee protection claims and decides whether they should be referred to the IRB for determination (IRCC)
- Deal with refugee protection claims made outside Canada (IRCC)
- Select immigrants, including deciding on sponsorship applications (IRCC)
- Issue visitors visas (“temporary resident visas”), work permits, student visas (IRCC)
- Issue Minister’s permit (“temporary resident permits”) (IRCC)
- Conduct pre-removal risks assessments (IRCC)
- Decide applications based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds (IRCC)
- Issue danger opinions regarding persons found to be refugees (IRCC)
- Issue security certificates (IRCC and CBSA)
- Grant Canadian citizenship (IRCC)
- Issue removal orders against non-permanent residents in certain cases (CBSA)
- Arrest and detain people under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (CBSA)
- Remove people from Canada (CBSA)
