Raison d’être
The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) is an independent, accountable administrative tribunal established by Parliament on January 1, 1989, to resolve immigration and refugee cases fairly, efficiently and in accordance with the law. The IRB ensures continued benefits to Canadians: by only accepting refugee claimants needing protection in accordance with international obligations and Canadian law; by contributing to the integrity of the immigration system, the safety and security of Canadians and upholding Canada’s reputation of justice and fairness for individuals; and promoting family reunification. The IRB also contributes to the quality of life of Canada’s communities by strengthening our country’s social fabric and by reflecting and reinforcing core values that are important to Canadians. These include respect for human rights, peace, security and the rule of law. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is responsible for this organization.
Operating context
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB or the Board) is responsible for making well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters efficiently, fairly and in accordance with Canadian law and international obligations. As such, the IRB safeguards Canada’s respect for the rule of law and due process for all through its arm’s-length, specialized decision-making. It contributes to the security of Canadians and the integrity of the immigration and refugee system.
The IRB is one part of a complex Canadian immigration and refugee system, set in an evolving global context with shifting trends and approaches to immigration and refugee matters. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees highlights a 4% decrease in the number of asylum-seekers who sought international protection in 2025, compared to the previous year. It also notes that globally, the number of pending asylum applications continued to grow. These international trends are reflective of Canada as well. By the end of the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year, the intake of new refugee claims had declined below the Refugee Protection Division’s processing capacity, allowing for a gradual reduction in inventory. Despite this, a substantial surplus inventory persists due to sustained and unprecedented intake volumes above funded capacity in previous years. Additionally, the composition of the inventory is becoming more complex. Multiple years of sustained effort will be required to return the inventory to working level. Intake is rising in the Refugee Appeal Division as well. Though intake remained generally stable for the Immigration Division and the Immigration Appeal Division throughout much of the fiscal year, the increasing complexity of Canadian immigration law has significantly heightened the complexity of cases before both divisions. Members are required to navigate evolving legal frameworks, assess increasingly nuanced and often voluminous evidence, and apply sophisticated legal analysis to a broad range of circumstances. As a result, members require additional time to thoroughly evaluate the facts, interpret and apply legal principles, and render well-reasoned, legally sound decisions.
Over the fiscal year, the Board undertook work to prepare for the passage of the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, which is anticipated to have significant implications for IRB processes. The Bill received Royal Assent in March 2026, with some measures being implemented gradually through regulations. The Board continues to work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency to ensure alignment throughout the implementation process. The IRB is closely monitoring the impact of the new legislation, which appears to be influencing the nature and complexity of its caseload. As the composition of refugee claims evolves, it may affect the number of finalizations that the IRB can achieve this fiscal year.
In 2025 to 2026, the IRB operated in an environment of financial uncertainty associated with the anticipated sunsetting of temporary funding and the Government of Canada Comprehensive Expenditure Review. In response, the Board implemented prudent staffing measures, including relying in part on natural attrition within its member complement. Ultimately, Budget 2025 provided a two-year renewal of temporary funding. The Board adjusted its staffing approach to respond to evolving budget assumptions; however, this transition required time, resulting in a temporary reduction in the workforce. The renewed funding also included expectations to improve the timeliness of asylum decisions, requiring a realignment of resources toward asylum claim processing.
Despite reduced resources, the IRB achieved record-high finalizations, with over 107,000 decisions rendered across its four divisions. This is due in part to the Board’s ongoing efforts to scale operational capacity through the modernization and simplification of its tools and processes. The IRB will continue to optimize operations across all divisions while rigorously maintaining quality.