THE IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD OF CANADA DOES… ¹

• 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 IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD DOES NOT…

• Make refugee and immigration policies (CIC)
• Receive refugee protection claims and decides whether they should be referred to the IRB for determination (CIC)
• Deal with refugee protection claims made outside Canada (CIC)
• Select immigrants, including deciding on sponsorship applications (CIC)
• Issue visitors visas (“temporary resident visas”), work permits, student visas (CIC)
• Issue Minister’s permit (“temporary resident permits”) (CIC)
• Conduct pre-removal risks assessments (CIC)
• Decide applications based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds (CIC)
• Issue danger opinions regarding persons found to be refugees (CIC)
• Issue security certificates (CIC and CBSA)
• Grant Canadian citizenship (CIC)
• 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)

Endnotes

1. This document is not a legal document. For precise, legal information, please consult the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Regulations, and IRB Rules .