Are all refugee claims processed in the same way?
No, the IRB reviews each claim to determine the fairest and most efficient way to process it. The IRB selects one of three possible ways to process the claim. • The fast-track expedited process is used for claims from certain countries or for certain types of claims. The categories of claims change from time to time, for example, depending on country conditions. In the expedited process, a tribunal officer (TO) interviews the claimant and then makes a recommendation about the claim. If the recommendation is favourable, the claim is forwarded to a member who will decide if it should be accepted without a hearing. A full hearing is held if the claimant is not granted refugee protection through the expedited process. • Fast-track hearings are held for claims that appear to be simple because they may be decided on the basis of one or two issues. • Full hearings are held for claims that involve more than two issues and may be complex. To read more about how claims are processed, please see
