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LEGISLATIVE GUIDE FOR THE RPD

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

Refugee Protection Division Rules

Oath or Solemn Affirmation of Office Rules
(Immigration and Refugee Board)

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

Refugee Protection Division
Legal Services

June 28, 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. PREFACE
  2. 1.   CONTENTS OF THE IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROTECTION ACT
    1. 1.1   Structure of the Act
    2. 1.2   Key Provisions for the Board
      1. 1.2.1   IRB - General
      2. 1.2.2   ID Provisions
      3. 1.2.3   IAD Provisions
      4. 1.2.4   RPD Provisions
      5. 1.2.5   RAD Provisions
      6. 1.2.6  Grounds of Inadmissibility
    3. 1.3   Designations and Delegations by the Minister
      1. 1.3.1  Designation of Officers
      2. 1.3.2  Delegation of Minister's Powers
    4. 1.4   Authority to Make Regulations
      1. 1.4.1  General Authority to Make Regulations
      2. 1.4.2  Specific Authority to Make Specific Regulations
      3. 1.4.3  Regulations that Must be Tabled in Parliament
    5. 1.5   Objectives and Application of the Act
      1. 1.5.1  Objectives - Immigration
      2. 1.5.2  Objectives - Refugees
      3. 1.5.3  Application of the Act
  3. 2.   THE IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD
    1. 2.1   Structure of the Board
      1. 2.1.1  Divisions and Members
      2. 2.1.2  Head Office
    2. 2.2   Appointment of GIC Members
      1. 2.2.1  Appointment to Regional or District Office of the Board
      2. 2.2.2  Term of Office
      3. 2.2.3  Lawyers / Notaries
      4. 2.2.4  Designation of DCs and ADCs
      5. 2.2.5  Designation of CMs
    3. 2.3   Rights and Obligations of Members
      1. 2.3.1  Chairperson and GIC Members
      2. 2.3.2  Chairperson and All Members
    4. 2.4   Public Service Appointments
      1. 2.4.1  Executive Director
      2. 2.4.2  Other Personnel
    5. 2.5   Dispositions: Ceasing to Hold Office or Unable to Take Part
      1. 2.5.1  Member Ceases to Hold Office
      2. 2.5.2  Member Unable to Take Part
    6. 2.6   Chairperson
      1. 2.6.1  Powers and Duties of the Chairperson
      2. 2.6.2  Delegation of the Chairperson's Powers
      3. 2.6.3  Acting Chairperson
      4. 2.6.4  Authority to Make Rules of the Board
    7. 2.7   Conduct of Members - Remedial and Disciplinary Measures
      1. 2.7.1  Grounds for Chairperson's Request to Minister
      2. 2.7.2  Measures Minister May Take
      3. 2.7.3  Judicial Inquiry
      4. 2.7.4  Judge's Report to Minister
      5. 2.7.5  Measures GIC May Take
  4. 3.   OVERVIEW OF THE REFUGEE PROTECTION DETERMINATION PROCESS
    1. 3.1   Definitions
      1. 3.1.1  "Refugee Protection"
      2. 3.1.2  "Protected Person" / Rights of Protected Person
      3. 3.1.3  "Convention refugee" / "Person in need of protection"
    2. 3.2   Key Provisions in the Refugee Protection Determination Process
      1. 3.2.1  Eligibility and Referral
      2. 3.2.2  Process at the RPD
      3. 3.2.3  Process at the RAD
      4. 3.2.4  Judicial Review - Federal Court
  5. 4.   MAKING A CLAIM FOR REFUGEE PROTECTION
    1. 4.1   Claims Inside and Outside Canada
      1. 4.1.1  Claims Outside Canada
      2. 4.1.2  Claims Inside Canada
    2. 4.2   Eligibility to be Referred to the RPD
      1. 4.2.1  Officer Determines Eligibility / Deemed Referral
      2. 4.2.2  Duty of Claimants
      3. 4.2.3  Suspension of Eligibility Determination
      4. 4.2.4  Ineligibility Criteria
        1. 4.2.4.1  Prior Acceptance under this Act
        2. 4.2.4.2  Prior Rejection by the Board
        3. 4.2.4.3  Prior Ineligibility / Withdrawal / Abandonment
        4. 4.2.4.4  Prior Acceptance in Another Country
        5. 4.2.4.5  "Safe Third Country"
        6. 4.2.4.6  Security Risks / Human Rights Violators/ Criminals
      5. 4.2.5  Authority for Regulations on Eligibility
    3. 4.3   Referral to the RPD - Duty of Officer
    4. 4.4   Suspension or Termination of Proceedings at the RPD
      1. 4.4.1  Notice to Suspend Consideration of Claim
      2. 4.4.2  Notice of Ineligible Claim
      3. 4.4.3  Extradition Procedure
  6. 5.   REFUGEE PROTECTION DIVISION
    1. 5.1   General RPD Provisions - IRPA
      1. 5.1.1  Questions of Law / Fact / Jurisdiction
      2. 5.1.2  Informal / Quick / Fair
      3. 5.1.3  Single Member / Three Member Panels
      4. 5.1.4  Physical Presence or Live Telecommunication
      5. 5.1.5  Powers
        1. 5.1.5.1  Inquiries Act, Part I
        2. 5.1.5.2  Do Things Necessary to Provide a Full and Proper Hearing
    2. 5.2   Proceedings in Private / in Public
      1. 5.2.1  Proceedings in Private
      2. 5.2.2  Proceedings in Public
      3. 5.2.3  Application for Public Proceeding
      4. 5.2.4  Role of UNHCR
    3. 5.3   RPD Hearings
      1. 5.3.1  Inquire into any Matter
      2. 5.3.2  Must Hold a Hearing / Physical Presence or Live Telecommunication
      3. 5.3.3  Notice of Proceeding / Scheduling Conference
      4. 5.3.4   RPD Provides PIF and other Documents to Minister
      5. 5.3.5  Opportunity to Participate
      6. 5.3.6  Oral Representations At End of Hearing
      7. 5.3.7  Rules of Evidence
      8. 5.3.8  Credibility / Claimant without Identification
      9. 5.3.9  Judicial Notice / Specialized Knowledge
    4. 5.4   General Provisions - RPD Rules
      1. 5.4.1  Definitions
      2. 5.4.2  Where There is No Applicable Rule
      3. 5.4.3  Acting on the RPD's Own Initiative
      4. 5.4.4  Changing a Requirement of the Rules
      5. 5.4.5  Excusing Non-compliance with the Rules
      6. 5.4.6  Changing Time Limits
      7. 5.4.7  Failure to Follow a Rule / Proceedings Not Invalid
      8. 5.4.8  Communicating with the RPD
      9. 5.4.9  Contact Information
        1. 5.4.9.1  Contact Information - Claimant and Counsel
        2. 5.4.9.2  Other Rules Requiring Contact Information
    5. 5.5   Commentaries to the RPD Rules
    6. 5.6   Counsel
      1. 5.6.1  Right to Counsel
      2. 5.6.2  Contact Information for Counsel
      3. 5.6.3  Counsel of Record
    7. 5.7   Applications under the RPD Rules
      1. 5.7.1  General Procedure - RPD Rule 44
        1. 5.7.1.1  Making an Application - RPD Rule 44
        2. 5.7.1.2  Responding to a Written Application - RPD Rule 45
        3. 5.7.1.3  Replying to the Written Response - RPD Rule 46
      2. 5.7.2  Applications based on RPD Rule 44
      3. 5.7.3  Application to Change the Date or Time of a Proceeding
      4. 5.7.4  Application to Change the Location of a Proceeding
    8. 5.8   Joinder
    9. 5.9   Disclosure of Personal Information from Other Claims
    10. 5.10   Personal Information Form (PIF) / Travel and Identity Documents
      1. 5.10.1  Authority to require a PIF
      2. 5.10.2  Claimant's Signature / Interpreter's Statement
      3. 5.10.3  Number of Copies / Time
      4. 5.10.4  Copies of Identity and Travel Documents with the PIF
      5. 5.10.5  Changes to the PIF
      6. 5.10.6  Duty to Provide Acceptable Identity Documents
      7. 5.10.7  Minister's Request for the PIF
    11. 5.11   Duties of the Refugee Protection Officer (RPO)
      1. 5.11.1  General
      2. 5.11.2  Interview with an RPO - Expedited Process
    12. 5.12   Acceptance of Claim Without a Hearing (Expedited Process)
      1. 5.12.1  Authority for Expedited Process
      2. 5.12.2  Procedure at the Expedited Process
    13. 5.13   Minister's Intention to Intervene
      1. 5.13.1  Minister's Authority to Intervene
      2. 5.13.2  Notice of Intervention
      3. 5.13.3  Notice to the Minister - Exclusion, Inadmissibility, Ineligibility
    14. 5.14   Language of Proceedings
      1. 5.14.1  Hearing of Claim
      2. 5.14.2  Application to Vacate or to Cease Refugee Protection
    15. 5.15   Interpreters
    16. 5.16   Designated Representatives
    17. 5.17   Persons in Custody
    18. 5.18   Documents
      1. 5.18.1  Form of Documents Prepared by a Party
      2. 5.18.2  Language of Documents
      3. 5.18.3  Disclosure of Documents
      4. 5.18.4  Providing a Document (Service and Filing)
      5. 5.18.5  When a Document is Considered Received
      6. 5.18.6  Original Documents
      7. 5.18.7  Additional Documents After the Hearing
    19. 5.19   Witnesses
      1. 5.19.1  Providing Witness Information
      2. 5.19.2  Summons to a Witness
      3. 5.19.3  Warrant for Arrest
      4. 5.19.4  Excluding A Witness from the Hearing Room
    20. 5.20   Conferences
    21. 5.21   Abandonment of Proceedings
    22. 5.22   Withdrawal / Abuse of Process
    23. 5.23   Reinstatement
      1. 5.23.1  Application to Reinstate a Withdrawn Claim
      2. 5.23.2  Application to Reinstate a Minister's Application
    24. 5.24   Reopening
      1. 5.24.1  Application to Reopen a Claim
      2. 5.24.2  Application to Reopen a Minister's Application
    25. 5.25   Notice of Constitutional Question
      1. 5.25.1  Requirements from the Federal Court Act
      2. 5.25.2  Procedure from RPD Rules
    26. 5.26   Decision on a Claim for Refugee Protection
      1. 5.26.1  Decision to Accept or Reject Claim
      2. 5.26.2  No Credible Basis for the Claim
    27. 5.27   Rendering RPD Decisions and Reasons
      1. 5.27.1  Rendering RPD Decisions
      2. 5.27.2  Rendering RPD Reasons
      3. 5.27.3  Calculating Time to Apply for Judicial Review of an RPD Decision
      4. 5.27.4  When RPD Decisions Take Effect
        1. 5.27.4.1  Decisions allowing claims
        2. 5.27.4.2  Decisions rejecting claims
        3. 5.27.4.3  Applications to Vacate or to Cease Refugee Protection
        4. 5.27.4.4  Abandonment Proceedings
        5. 5.27.4.5  Withdrawal of an Application
        6. 5.27.4.6  Three member panels: decision allowing claim
        7. 5.27.4.7  Other decisions
    28. 5.28   Minister's Application to Vacate Refugee Protection
      1. 5.28.1  Grounds for the Application
      2. 5.28.2  Rejection of the Application
      3. 5.28.3  Application Allowed / Deemed Rejection of Claim
      4. 5.28.4  Procedure for Making the Application
      5. 5.28.5  Other Related Provisions in the RPD Rules
    29. 5.29   Minister's Application to Cease Refugee Protection
      1. 5.29.1  Grounds for the Application
      2. 5.29.2  Exception for "Compelling Reasons"
      3. 5.29.3  Procedure for Making the Application
      4. 5.29.4  Other Related Provisions in the RPD Rules
  7. 6.   REFUGEE APPEAL DIVISION
    1. 6.1   General Provisions
      1. 6.1.1  Jurisdiction
      2. 6.1.2  Informal / Quick / Fair
      3. 6.1.3  Composition of Panels
      4. 6.1.4  Proceedings in Private / in Public
      5. 6.1.5  Role of UNHCR
      6. 6.1.6  Right to Counsel
      7. 6.1.7  Designated Representative
      8. 6.1.8  Abandonment of Proceedings
      9. 6.1.9  Withdrawal / Abuse of Process
    2. 6.2   Making an Appeal
      1. 6.2.1  Decisions that can be Appeale to the RAD
      2. 6.2.2  Grounds for Appeal
      3. 6.2.3  Procedure for Making Appeal
    3. 6.3   Procedure at the RAD
    4. 6.4   Participation of the Minister
    5. 6.5   RAD Decisions and Reasons
      1. 6.5.1  Judicial Notice / Specialized Knowledge
      2. 6.5.2  Types of Decisions
      3. 6.5.3  Precedential Value
    6. 6.6   Decisions and Reasons
      1. 6.6.1  Rendering RAD Decisions
      2. 6.6.2  Rendering RAD Reasons
      3. 6.6.3  When RAD Decisions Take Effect
      4. 6.6.4  Calculating Time to Apply for Judicial Review of a RAD Decision
  8. 7.   JUDICIAL REVIEW
    1. 7.1   Federal Court - Trial Division
      1. 7.1.1  Procedure
      2. 7.1.2  Grounds for Judicial Review
      3. 7.1.3  Powers of the Trial Division
    2. 7.2   Federal Court of Appeal
      1. 7.2.1  Jurisdiction
      2. 7.2.2  Powers of the Federal Court of Appeal
    3. 7.3 Supreme Court of Canada
  9. 8.   PRE-REMOVAL RISK ASSESSMENT (PRRA)
    1. 8.1   Protection
      1. 8.1.1  Application to Minister for Protection
      2. 8.1.2  Where "Refugee Protection" May Not Result (S. 112(3))
      3. 8.1.3  Procedures
      4. 8.1.4  Consideration of Application
        1. 8.1.4.1  Types of Evidence
        2. 8.1.4.2  Hearing: When Required and Procedures
        3. 8.1.4.3  Ordinary Cases - All Protection Grounds to be Considered
        4. 8.1.4.4  Criminal and Security Cases - S. 97 Protection Grounds Only
      5. 8.1.5  Effect of Decision to Allow the Application
      6. 8.1.6  Effect of Abandonment or Withdrawal of the Application
      7. 8.1.7  Reasons for Decision
    2. 8.2   Principle of Non-refoulement
      1. 8.2.1  Protection
      2. 8.2.2  Regulations
  10. 9.   TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS - IRPA
    1. 9.1   Continuation of the Board
    2. 9.2   Continuation of IRB Office Holders
    3. 9.3   General Application of IRPA
    4. 9.4   Continuation under the Immigration Act by the CRDD
    5. 9.5   Where No Appeal to the RAD
    6. 9.6   CRDD Decisions Set Aside by Federal Court
    7. 9.7   Regulations for Transitional Provisions
    8. 9.8   Repeal of the Immigration Act



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