Hearings and In-Canada Refugee Claims

The Immigration and Refugee Board has four divisions:

• the Immigration Division
• the Refugee Protection Division
• the Immigration Appeal Division, and;
• the Refugee Appeal Division.

The majority of immigration hearings held involve refugee claims. Refugee claims (in most cases) made from within Canada, at a Canadian airport or at the border are heard by the Refugee Protection Division in a trial-like hearing.

Some refugee claimants, however, due to making a refugee claim in other countries, will not have a hearing before the Refugee Protection Division but will instead have an interview with a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment officer.

However your claim is processed, it is extremely important to have help at your refugee hearing or PRRA interview.

We are also available to assist persons facing detention reviews or "admissibility" hearings before the Immigration Division.