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ARCHIVED - RPP 2006-2007
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada


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Section 3: Supplementary Information

Responsibilities

Chairperson

The Chairperson is the IRB's Chief Executive Officer, senior decision-maker and spokesperson. Providing overall leadership and direction to the Board's three decision-making divisions, the Chairperson is responsible for creating and promoting a vision of the IRB that unifies all IRB personnel around the common purpose of making timely and just decisions on immigration and refugee matters.

In addition to the broad responsibility of the management of Governor-in-Council appointees, the Chairperson has a range of statutory powers at his disposal to provide assistance to decision-makers in order to enhance the quality, consistency and efficiency of decision-making. The Chairperson is accountable to Parliament and reports to it through the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Executive Director

The Executive Director is the IRB's Chief Operating Officer and reports to the IRB Chairperson. The Executive Director is responsible for IRB operations and the administration of the Board's three decision-making divisions. The Executive Director is also responsible for approximately 900 public servants, including those who provide direct support to decision-making activities at the IRB.

Senior Management

Two Deputy Chairpersons (appointed by the Governor-in-Council) and one Director General (appointed under the Public Service Employment Act) oversee the decision-making in the three divisions. Four Directors General and a Senior General Counsel (all appointed under the Public Service Employment Act) are responsible for the corporate management and services functions, operations of the IRB, and legal services.



IRB Organization Chart


The IRB organization chart

(Click on image to enlarge)



Table 1: Departmental Planned Spending and Full-Time Equivalents

This table shows the IRB's forecasted spending for 2005-2006, as well as the planned spending and full-time equivalents for the fiscal years 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.

($ millions) Forecast Spending 2005-2006 Planned Spending 2006-2007 Planned Spending 2007-2008 Planned Spending 2008-2009
Refugee Protection 84.5 86.8 85.3 85.3
Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews 14.9 15.3 15.5 15.5
Immigration Appeal 12.6 15.3 12.9 12.9
Budgetary Main Estimates (gross) 112.0 117.3 113.7 113.7
Less: Respendable revenue        
Total Main Estimates 112.0 117.4 113.7 113.7
Adjustments:        
Governor General Special Warrants:        
1. Compensation for collective agreements 4.0      
2. Reforms to Refugee Determination System 1.8      
3. Operating budget carry forward 0.8      
Budget Announcements:        
1. Procurement savings (0.1) (0.5)    
Other        
1. Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) 1.0      
Total Adjustments 7.5 (0.5)    
Total Planned Spending 119.5 116.8 113.7 113.7
Total Planned Spending 119.5 116.8 113.7 113.7
Plus: Cost of services received without charge 20.5 19.5 19.3 19.3
Net cost of Program 140.0 136.3 133.0 133.0
Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1,060 1,050 1,025 1,025

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown.

The variance between the 2005-2006 Forecast Spending and Planned Spending in 2006-2007 is $2.7 million. The overall decrease is mainly due to:

  • A decrease of $3.5 million in temporary funding for the development of the Integrated Case Management System (ICMS)
  • An increase of $1.9 million in temporary funding to address short-term pressures to reduce the inventory of sponsored family-class applications in the Immigration Appeal program activity
  • An increase of $0.9 million in compensation for collective agreements
  • A decrease of $0.8 million relating to the Operating budget carry forward provision for 2005-2006 as requested in the Governor General Special Warrants
  • A decrease of $0.7 million to adjust the Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) factor from 20 percent to 19 percent
  • A decrease of $0.5 million in 2006-2007 related to procurement savings

The difference in the planned spending for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 is due mainly to the end of the temporary funding of $3.9 million of which $2.0 million relates to administrative measures in support of refugee reform within the Refugee Protection program activity and $1.9 million relates to the short-term pressures to reduce the inventory of family-class applications in the Immigation Appeal program activity; offset by the 2006-2007 procurement savings reduction.



Table 2: Program by Activity

The table below presents information on how the IRB plans to spend its resources by decision-making program activities in the next fiscal year.

2006-2007
  Budgetary ($ millions) Non-Budge-
tary
 
Program Activity Oper-
ating
Capital Grants and Contri-
butions
Gross Revenue Net Loans, Invest-
ments and Advan-
ces
Total Main Estim-
ates
Adjust-
ments (planned spending not in Main Estim-
ates)
Total Planned Spending
Refugee Protection
  86.8     86.8   86.8   86.8 (0.3) 86.4
Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews
  15.3     15.3   15.3   15.3 (0.1) 15.2
Immigration Appeal
  15.3     15.3   15.3   15.3 (0.1) 15.2
Total 117.4     117.4   117.4   117.4 (0.5) 116.8

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown.




Table 3: Voted and Statutory Items Listed in Main Estimates

This table shows the way Parliament votes resources to the IRB, and essentially replicates the summary table listed in the Main Estimates. Resources are presented to Parliament in this format. Parliament approves the voted funding and the statutory information is provided for information purposes.

2006-2007
Voted or Statutory Items
($ millions)
Vote Wording Current Main Estimates Previous Main Estimates
10 Program Expenditures 103.3 98.6
(S) Contributions to employee benefit plans 14.1 13.4
Total 117.4 112.0



Table 4: Services Received Without Charge

The table below presents information on the IRB's services received without charge from other government departments for the next fiscal year.

2006-2007
($ millions)
Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) 13.9
Contributions covering employers' share of employees' insurance premiums and expenditures paid by Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (excluding revolving funds)
Employer's contribution to employees' insured benefits plans and expenditures paid by TBS
5.6
2006-2007 Services received without charge 19.5



Table 5: Resource Requirements by Organization and Decision-making Activity

This table shows how the IRB plans to spend its resources at the organization level and decision-making activities in the next fiscal year.

2006-2007 ($ millions)
Organization Refugee Protection Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews Immigration Appeal Total Planned Spending
Chairperson, Executive Director and Secretariat
(including Governor-in-Council salaries)
  24.6 0.2 4.6 29.4
Refugee Protection Division
  1.2     1.2
Immigration Appeal Division
      0.9 0.9
Immigration Division
    4.0   4.0
Strategic Communications and Partnership
(including special purpose account for the translation of decisions)
  6.0 5.4 2.8 14.2
Human Resources and Professional Development
  3.3 0.4 0.4 4.1
Legal Services
  4.3 0.2 0.2 4.7
Corporate Planning and Services
  6.9 1.2 1.2 9.3
Operations
(including regions and ICMS)
  40.1 3.8 5.1 49.0
Total 86.4 15.2 15.2 116.8



Table 6: Integrated Case Management System Project (ICMS) *

The scope of this project is to improve case management by streamlining and automating business processes within the IRB and to implement an integrated case management system that will support IRB operations. ICMS will provide IRB employees with access to all information required to manage or work with IRB cases. ICMS will provide the IRB with the capacity to automate its case processing improvements, and to:

  • Improve processing time
  • Reduce backlog and overall cost of processing refugee cases
  • Promote a consistency in decisions that will enhance the protection of refugees and the overall security of Canadians
  • Increase security and integrity of the data
  • Improve the current IT infrastructure

*Although ICMS does not meet the Treasury Board Secretariat definition of a major project for reporting purposes, it represents a significant investment for the IRB.

Current Estimated
Total Cost
Cumulative Spending
to March 31, 2005
Forecast Spending
2005-2006
Planned Spending
2006-2007
($ millions)
40.0 24.1 8.9 7.0

On May 30, 2003, the IRB obtained the Effective Project Approval (EPA) for the implementation of the Integrated Case Management System (ICMS). On May 23, 2005, an amended EPA was approved to adjust the total estimated cost from $33.0 million to $37.0 million. An amended EPA was approved in June 2006 to increase EPA authority from $37.0 million to $40.0 million.

Plans Expected Results
Stage 1
Release 1: Replace the current Claim Type Management System and automate screening and streamlining activities More robust system that will improve the IRB's case management
Implemented June 2004
Release 2: Automate research processes Increased the effectiveness of the research processes by the automation of the research requests
Implemented April 2005
Release 3: Create Electronic Personal Information Form (e-PIF) Enhanced client services by allowing Counsels to send PIFs electronically
Implemented May 2005
Release 4: Automation of the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) processes Delivering the program through automating functions and improving the quality and consistency of decision-making by providing timely, integrated, comprehensive and accurate information on cases
Implemented May 2005
Stage 2
Automate Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) processes Building on Stage 1, development of the various ICMS elements required to provide actual appeal processing and scheduling for the IAD. (Under review pending business rationalization of IAD processes.)
Stage 3
Automate Immigration Division (ID) processes Building on Stage 2, development of the various ICMS elements required to provide actual appeal processing and scheduling for the ID. (Under review pending business rationalization of ID processes.)



Table 7: Internal Audits and Evaluations

The IRB has an active Internal Audit and Evaluation function that supports the delivery of independent, objective and strategically focused audit and evaluation products. The findings and recommendations flowing from internal audits and evaluations are a primary source of evidence for both strategic and operational decision-making and broader assurance purposes.

For 2006-2007, the IRB has drafted an ambitious Internal Audit and Evaluation plan that is rooted in program and strategic risk, as well as externally driven audit and evaluation requirements. The Internal Audit and Evaluation function of the IRB will also initiate the work of implementing the new government-wide Policy on Internal Audit.

Plans Expected Results
Cyclical Compliance Reviews
Videoconferencing, Human Resources Strategy and Streamlining Evidence-based assessment of management action taken on recommendations made in prior reviews/evaluations
Logic Model and Performance Measurement Framework
IAD Innovation Development and completion of the Logic Model and Performance Measurement Framework for the IAD Innovation
Values and Ethics Framework Development and completion of the Logic Model and Performance Measurement Framework for the Values and Ethics Framework
Internal Audit
Contracting Practices Assurance that IRB contracting practices comply with TBS policy and identification of control weaknesses, if any
Control Self-Assessment
MAF Element: Stage One Three-year approach to ramp up for larger policy requirement to provide holistic assurance against key controls, as defined by the Office of the Comptroller General

In 2005-2006 three reports were issued, each with an associated management response:

  • Videoconferencing in Refugee Hearings (public release: May 2005)
  • Review of the Human Resources Function (public release: May 2005)
  • Formative Evaluation of the IRB's Streamlining Initiative (public release: January 2006)

Each of these reports and their associated management response and action plan can be found at the following link:

http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/about/transparency/evaluations/index-eng.htm