Note: This document is not a legal document. For precise, legal information, please consult the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, and IRB rules.
The IRB does…
- Hear and decide claims for refugee protection made in Canada
- Decide appeals from allowed or rejected claims for refugee protection made in Canada
- Conduct admissibility hearings for foreign nationals or permanent residents, at the request of the CBSA or IRCC, 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 for foreign nationals or permanent residents detained by the CBSA, to determine if there are sufficient reasons to continue the detention of the person
- Hear and decide appeals on immigration matters, such as appeals from refused family class sponsorship applications and appeals from removal orders
The IRB does not…
- Make refugee and immigration policies (IRCC)
- Receive refugee protection claims and decide whether they should be referred to the IRB for determination (IRCC and CBSA)
- Deal with refugee protection claims made outside Canada (IRCC)
- Select immigrants, including deciding on sponsorship applications (IRCC)
- Issue visitor visas (“temporary resident visas”), work permits or student visas (IRCC)
- Issue Minister's permits (“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)