Program directory · Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Refugee Appeal Decisions
- Department
- Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
- Program code
- BGC02 (IRB)
- Core responsibility
- Adjudication of immigration and refugee cases
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
Render quality decisions and resolve cases in a timely manner regarding appeals against a decision made on a refugee protection claim
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refugee Appeal Decisions | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $265M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Employees (FTEs) 205, against 118 in 2018-19 (+73%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Indicators added: Percentage of cases finalized within 12 months | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Indicators dropped: Percentage of cases pending beyond time standards | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Spending $28.2M, against $16.2M in 2018-19 (+74%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2020-21 | Indicators added: The percentage of cases that meet high quality standards | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2020-21 | Indicators dropped: The average score of proceedings measured on a 1-3 scale for being respectful and focused, and of decisions that are clear, concise and complete | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Indicators added: Less than XX% of inventory pending over 18 months | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Indicators dropped: Percentage of cases finalized within 12 months | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Spending $46.9M, against $37.2M in 2021-22 (+26%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2025-26 | Planned employees (FTEs) 358, against 297 in 2024-25 (+21%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators added: Annual volume of Refugee Appeal cases finalized; Average wait time for decisions on Refugee Appeals; Percentage of Refugee Appeal cases that meet or exceed the quality standard; Percentage of Refugee Appeal decisions overturned by the Federal Court; Time within which 80% of Refugee Appeals are finalized | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators dropped: % of decisions overturned by the Federal Court; Annual finalizations; Less than XX% of inventory pending over 18 months; The percentage of cases that meet high quality standards | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
% of decisions overturned by the Federal Court
Expected result: Fair and timely adjudication of immigration and refugee cases
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≤ 1% | 2019 | 1.9% The overturn rate by the FC continues a downward trend since the standard of review was clarified by the Federal Court of Appeal in 2016 | Not met |
| 2019-20 | ≤ 1% | 2020 | 1.3% The overturn rate by the Federal Court continues a downward trend since the standard was clarified by the Federal Court of Appeal in 2016. | Not met |
| 2020-21 | ≤ 2% | 2021 | 1.1% | Met |
| 2021-22 | ≤ 2% | 2022 | 1.6% | Met |
| 2022-23 | ≤ 1% | 2023 | 1.7% The percentage of decisions overturned by the Federal Court is higher as a result of a slight decrease in total finalizations. The actual number of Refugee Appeal Division decisions overturned remains stable at less than 200 over the past two years. | Not met |
| 2023-24 | ≤ 1% | 2024 | 2.5% The percentage of decisions overturned by the Federal Court is higher as a result of a decrease in total finalizations. The actual number of Refugee Appeal Division decisions overturned remains stable at less than 200 over the past three years. | Not met |
| 2024-25 | ≤ 1% | 2025 | 2% The percentage of decisions overturned by the Federal Court is higher as a result of a decrease in total finalizations. The actual number of Refugee Appeal Division decisions overturned remains stable at less than 200 over the past three years. | Not met |
Annual finalizations
Expected result: Volume of finalizations
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 4,000 | 2019 | 5,279 | Met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 9,400 | 2020 | 10,859 | Met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 13,500 | 2021 | 9,816 Target for annual finalization identified prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was not met due to pandemic-related disruptions and some Governor-in-Council member vacancies. The Refugee Appeal Division finalized more appeals than it received and reduced the appeal inventory by 41%. | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 13,500 | 2022 | 11,124 In 2021–22, the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) achieved 82% of its finalization target. The RAD fell short of its target due to pandemic-related disruptions and a 15%-member vacancy for the reporting period. However, the RAD finalized the most appeals in one year since its inception in 2012. This decreased the inventory and the wait times for a decision to be rendered. | Not met |
| 2022-23 | 11,000 – 13,500 | 2023 | 10,873 The total finalizations for 2022 to 2023 was 20% below the full capacity target of 13,500. This is a result of an average of 20% member vacancies throughout the year. | Not met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 11,500 | 2024 | 9,774 The intake of refugee appeals was not sufficient for the Refugee Appeal Division to meet its annual finalizations target. | Not met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 11,500 | 2025 | 9,415 While the Division’s output kept pace with intake, it received insufficient appeals during the reporting period to meet the established target. | Not met |
Less than XX% of inventory pending over 18 months
Expected result: Timely Decisions rendered
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | ≤ 5% | 2023 | 2% | Met |
| 2023-24 | ≤ 1% | 2024 | 4% The percentage of cases pending for longer than 18 months is higher as a result of an overall decreased inventory. The number of cases impacted has been stable for the past four years at fewer than 100. | Not met |
| 2024-25 | ≤ 1% | 2025 | 1% | Met |
The percentage of cases that meet high quality standards
Expected result: Cases are resolved through proceedings that are focused and respectful and decisions that are transparent, intelligible, and justified.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | ≥ 75% | 2021 | 90% | Met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 75% | 2022 | — Actual results are not available for 2021–22. The focus of the quality review shifted following the move from in-person hearings to virtual hearings and included an Access to Justice Review of Virtual Hearings which concluded that a strong majority of stakeholders had an overall positive experience with virtual hearings. The Board is further evolving its virtual hearings processes based on the re… | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 80% | 2024 | 87% | Met |
Percentage of cases finalized within 12 months
Expected result: Timely Decisions rendered
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | ≥ 50% | 2020 | 20% Operational focus on reducing processing times resulted in actual and projected average processing times being within their target range of less than 12 months (eight and nine months respectively). The combined impact of focusing on total finalizations and significantly reducing the inventory of pre-2019 appeals reduced the proportion of appeals finalized within the 90-day time limit of the Immig… | Not met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 50% | 2021 | 9% Target for timely decisions was not met. Disruptions to operations related to the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a case management strategy that focused on the oldest cases in the Refugee Appeal Division’s inventory were key contributing factors. | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 80% | 2022 | 90% | Met |
The average score of proceedings measured on a 1-3 scale for being respectful and focused, and of decisions that are clear, concise and complete
Expected result: Cases are resolved through proceedings that are focused and respectful and decisions that are transparent and intelligible
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 2 – 3 | 2019 | 2.1 | Met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Annual volume of Refugee Appeal cases finalized
Expected result: Finalizations of Refugee Appeal Division cases
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 12,000 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Average wait time for decisions on Refugee Appeals
Expected result: Timely Refugee Appeal Decisions rendered
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≤ 6 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Percentage of Refugee Appeal decisions overturned by the Federal Court
Expected result: Fair and timely adjudication of Refugee Appeal Division cases
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≤ 1% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Time within which 80% of Refugee Appeals are finalized
Expected result: Timely Refugee Appeal Decisions rendered
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≤ 6 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
Percentage of Refugee Appeal cases that meet or exceed the quality standard
Expected result: Refugee Appeal Division cases are resolved through quality proceedings and decisions
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 80% | 2028 | — | Planned |
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $23.2M | $16.2M |
| 2019-20 | $29.3M | $28.2M |
| 2020-21 | $47.1M | $34.5M |
| 2021-22 | $52.6M | $37.2M |
| 2022-23 | $50.7M | $46.9M |
| 2023-24 | $62.2M | $50.7M |
| 2024-25 | $67M | $51.4M |
| 2025-26 | $58.8M | — |
| 2026-27 | $48M | — |
| 2027-28 | $46M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $43.1M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 180 | 118 |
| 2019-20 | 208 | 205 |
| 2020-21 | 326 | 243 |
| 2021-22 | 407 | 257 |
| 2022-23 | 397 | 288 |
| 2023-24 | 373 | 283 |
| 2024-25 | 423 | 297 |
| 2025-26 | 358 | — |
| 2026-27 | 293 | — |
| 2027-28 | 277* | — |
| 2028-29 | 259* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $23,200,766 | $23,200,766 | $23,200,766 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $29,303,804 | $23,544,701 | $22,958,104 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $47,103,123 | $24,151,867 | $23,008,307 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $52,581,872 | $50,642,690 | $28,673,975 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $50,710,704 | $28,705,578 | $23,705,578 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $62,169,540 | $64,675,644 | $51,536,419 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $67,004,645 | $53,857,006 | $53,358,574 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $58,829,105 | $54,562,243 | $54,562,243 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $47,993,030 | $45,973,364 | $43,106,676 | ||||||||
| Actual | $16,213,445 | $28,241,621 | $34,512,160 | $37,236,948 | $46,880,529 | $50,651,078 | $51,384,753 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
