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

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Section 4: Other Items of Interest

IAD Innovation

In recent years, the IRB has seen a substantial increase in the number of cases brought before its Immigration Appeal Division. This includes increases in sponsorship appeals (73 percent of the IAD caseload), removal order appeals and the new residency obligation appeals. Since 2002, the Division's annual intake has increased by 50 percent. In addition, the average processing time for appeals that are currently being finalized stands at almost ten months. At present, the IAD has almost 9,000 appeals in its pending inventory.

The increased volume of cases is indicative of a long-term trend for the Division rather than a passing or short-term spike. As Canada welcomes more immigrants, the IAD will likely face a higher volume of appeals and increased backlog, placing at risk public confidence in the appeal process.

Launch of IAD Innovation Initiative

Responding to the growing caseload, the IRB launched the IAD Innovation initiative on September 30, 2005. This follows the Chairperson's Action Plan, which first examined and transformed the processes of the Refugee Protection Division. The overall purpose of the action plans remains unchanged: to transform the IRB into a tribunal that resolves matters at the earliest possible opportunity and makes fair decisions in a simpler and faster way.

The IAD Innovation initiative entails a comprehensive re-examination of how the IAD works, including a re-thinking of all the processes by which it delivers justice. Following extensive internal and external consultations, the Chairperson released the IAD Innovation Plan on March 21, 2006. The Plan contained 26 proposals including:

• More proactive, more flexible and less court-like tribunal
• More information from the parties earlier in the process
• More effective screening and streaming of cases (triage and case management)
• More early resolution
• More proactive hearing, more focused and efficient, with issues and evidence identified at an early stage
• Integrate the work of specialized case management teams in the regions
• Members to develop an adjudication strategy to address a high volume of cases

While the IAD has a very good reputation among its stakeholders, the consultations have shown everyone isan openness to major changes. There is broad consensus that the IAD needs to take more control over its processes, that some appeals proceed unnecessarily to the hearing stage, and that members should take a more proactive role in the hearing room.

Impact

The IAD Innovation Plan seeks to ensure that the IAD can continue to deliver a high quality of justice simply, quickly and fairly, and in a manner that maximizes the opportunities for parties to resolve appeals without a hearing and within the shortest possible time.

The Board will engage in further consultation early in the fiscal year 2006-2007 before moving to the implementation planning stage and actual implementation. There will also be a short-term strategy to deal with the growing inventory of appeals.

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Risk Management

The objective of IRB's integrated risk management framework is to increase the IRB's capacity to manage risk and integrate risk into priority setting, planning and other key decisions. IRB's executive team clearly defines the corporate context and practices for managing strategic and organizational risks proactively. By addressing risk within and throughout the normal planning phase, risk management represents not so much a new task, but rather a more structured way of doing what managers have been doing intuitively.

Risk is an active factor in decision-making processes at the Board, as evidenced by an executive committee assessment of corporate risks and the status of risk management (Corporate Risk Profile); an integrated risk management function with an organizational focus linked to corporate decision-making; protocols, processes and tools to ensure the application of risk management principles throughout the Board's decision-making and delivery; and, continuous organizational learning and lessons learned from risks identified and mitigated or not.

In 2006-2007, the IRB will:

• Prepare its annual Corporate Risk Profile
• Prepare its Internal Audit and Evaluation three-year risk-based plan
• Reposition the IRB risk management process in line with the Government of Canada's policy direction and government-wide approach

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Business Continuity Planning

The IRB security program is governed by the policy directive to support the national interest and the Government of Canada's business objectives by safeguarding employees and assets, and assuring the continued delivery of services. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) has established the requirements for comprehensive business continuity planning. The IRB's security priorities, therefore, are to protect people, information and assets, and to ensure the continued delivery of services. This imposes an obligation for business continuity planning, continuous risk management and IT disaster recovery planning.

In 2006-2007, the IRB will develop, test and assess its Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to ensure the Board's state of readiness to deal with possible disruptions of service. The IRB's overall readiness for recovering from service disruptions will also be evaluated. The BCP also includes a permanent maintenance cycle that encompasses ongoing review and revision of all plans to account for legislative and other changes, additional training, and regular testing and validation of all plans, including reports on lessons learned. The BCP will be incorporated, as appropriate, into the IRB's risk-based audit cycle as the basis of reporting to TBS and to Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada.

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Information and Contacts

Legislation Administered

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
(S.C. 2001, c. 27, as amended)

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
(SOR/2002-227, as amended)

Refugee Protection Division Rules
(SOR/2002-228)

Immigration Division Rules
(SOR/2002-229)

Immigration Appeal Division Rules
(SOR/2002-230)

Oath or Solemn Affirmation of Office Rules (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)
(SOR/2002-231)

IRB Processes

Visit these websites to find out how the IRB tribunal processes its cases:

• Process for Making a Claim for Refugee Protection
  http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/references/procedures/processes/rpd/rpdp-eng.htm
• Admissibility Hearing Process
  http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/references/procedures/processes/id/ahp-eng.htm
• Detention Review Process
  http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/references/procedures/processes/id/drp-eng.htm
• Sponsorship Appeal Process
  http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/references/procedures/processes/iad/sap-eng.htm
• Removal Order Appeal Process
  http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/references/procedures/processes/iad/roap-eng.htm

Related Information

UNHCR website: http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home

Contact us

For more information, visit the IRB website at
http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca or contact the IRB Communications Directorate at
(613) 947-0803 or contact one of the IRB offices listed below.

National Headquarters

Immigration and Refugee Board
Minto Place, Canada Building
344 Slater Street, 12th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0K1
Tel: (613) 995-6486  Fax: (613) 943-1550

Regional Offices

Eastern Region

200 René Lévesque Boulevard West
Guy Favreau Complex
East Tower, Room 102
Montreal, Quebec  H2Z 1X4
Tel: (514) 283-7733  Fax: (514) 283-0164

Minto Place, Canada Building
344 Slater Street, 11th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0K1
Tel: (613) 943-8630  Fax: (613) 943-1550

Central Region

74 Victoria Street, Suite 400
Toronto, Ontario  M5C 3C7
Tel: (416) 954-1000  Fax: (416) 954-1165

Western Region

Fording Place
205-9th Ave. S.E., 9th Floor
Calgary, Alberta  T2G 0R3
Tel: (403) 292-6134  Fax: (403) 292-6131

Library Square, Suite 1600
300 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia  V6B 6C9
Tel: (604) 666-5946  Fax: (604) 666-3043

The photographs that appear in this report originate from a number of sources, and include images of IRB locations, IRB employees working in offices, as well as photographs from public royalty-free image banks, so as not to infringe on the privacy of actual claimants or persons appearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

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