International Law

Disparity in Refugee Determination

By immlawyer

Sean Rehaag, an Associate Professor at Osgoode Hall, has obtained data via Access to Information Requests with respect to the determinations made by tribunal members of the Immigration and Refugee Board. Confirming anecdotal information based on experience, Rehaag indicates wide disparities in outcomes.

The data is very interesting - especially because it is broken down by Member and by Country of Origin.

See:

Sean Rehaag, ?2008 Refugee Claim Data & IRB Member Grant Rates? (4 March 2009) online: http://www.ccrweb.ca/documents/rehaagdatamarch09.htm.

See also Professor Rehaag's journal article which seems to indicate (unfortunately) that outcomes in refugee determination "appear to hinge" (in part) on the identity of the decision maker.

Full post as published by Canadian Immigration Blawg on March 11, 2009 (boomark / email).