Changes at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)
Under the new system:
- No earlier than 15 days after having their asylum claim referred to the IRB, claimants will be interviewed by a public servant. Interviews will occur sooner only if the claimant agrees
- During this interview, information on claims will be gathered and hearings scheduled
- A different public servant at the IRB will conduct the hearing within 90 days in most cases
- For claimants from designated countries of origin, hearings will occur within 60 days
The new information-gathering interview will accelerate the refugee determination process. The changes to the IRB hearing process will better respond to sudden spikes in claims and help prevent future backlogs where claimants wait for months to get a hearing.