As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve quickly, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) would like to provide an update on the current situation for the Board.
On Friday, March 13, 2020, interim screening measures were introduced to limit the possible exposure to COVID-19 while maintaining IRB operations recognizing the importance of the issues being adjudicated and the rights of all parties involved. In line with the Government of Canada’s direction, and the measures that we are implementing, the IRB remains open for business until further notice.
As of Monday, March 16, 2020, screening procedures will be implemented in the following manner: any party or representative who reports or shows symptoms of the virus or who has travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days, will be asked to leave the premises. The respective hearing will be postponed except in the case of detention reviews, where alternative arrangements may be made to allow for the hearing to proceed to continue to meet statutory time limits. For postponed hearings, the registry will contact the parties to reschedule them promptly.
Further, if you have proceedings scheduled before the IRB, and you have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days, or have symptoms, please contact the appropriate registry in your region who will inform you of next steps.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and are working on operational procedures to provide further guidance which will be shared on Monday, March 16th. Additional updates will be provided as they become available.
For the most up-to-date information, visit Canada.ca/coronavirus and follow Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, on Twitter. You can also contact the coronavirus information line at 1-833-784-4397, interpretation services are available in multiple languages. Questions about COVID-19 should be directed to the Public Health Agency of Canada.