Act

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides the IRB's jurisdiction to hear and decide cases on immigration and refugee matters. The Act sets out the core principles and concepts that govern Canada's immigration and refugee protection programs, including provisions relating to refugees, sponsorships and removals, detention reviews and admissibility hearings, and the jurisdiction and powers of tribunals.

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act received Royal Assent on November 1, 2001. The new Act came into force on June 28, 2002. 

Rules

Each set of Divisional Rules establishes the practices and required procedures for the Division. The Rules of each Division are binding, although certain Rules expressly grant discretion.

Rules provide direction to decision-makers and serve to direct users of the tribunals in their presentation of cases before the Board. The Rules also define the roles and responsibilities of IRB personnel supporting the adjudicative functions of the tribunals. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, in s. 161(1), provides statutory authority for the Rules.

The Rules were registered on June 11, 2002 and the official versions were published on the Canada Gazette Web site on June 14, 2002. The Rules came into force on June 28, 2002.

• Immigration Appeal Division Rules
  (Commentaries to the Immigration Appeal Division Rules)
• Immigration Division Rules
  (Commentaries to the Immigration Division Rules)
• Refugee Protection Division Rules
  (Commentaries to the Refugee Protection Division Rules)

Other Rules 

• Federal Court Immigration and Refugee Protection Rules (1993, amended 2005)
• Oath or Solemn Affirmation of Office Rules (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)

Regulations

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Regulations) relate to temporary foreign workers, students, the examination of persons seeking entry, the permanent resident card, residency obligations, the family class, the selection of skilled workers and business immigrants, refugees, humanitarian and compassionate considerations, inadmissibility, detention and release, pre-removal risk assessments and other enforcement-related matters. These regulations have been amended since coming into force.

One particular amendment is the Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, which relate to who may for a fee represent a person who is the subject of a proceeding or application before the Minister, an officer, or the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

The Regulations were registered on June 11, 2002 and the official versions were published on the Canada Gazette Web site on June 14, 2002. They came into force on June 28, 2002. The Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations were registered on March 14, 2004 and came into force on April 13, 2004.