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What happens next?

All asylum claimants undergo health and security screenings. That helps a border services officer or immigration officer determine if a person is eligible to make a claim. Someone can be deemed ineligible for a number of reasons, including if they’ve been recognized as a refugee by another country, are inadmissible to Canada on security grounds, or if they previously made a refugee claim that was rejected.

Those deemed eligible — most of them are — will have their cases referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board and given a date for a hearing. While waiting for their hearing, they are entitled to temporary health coverage.

What happens at the Immigration and Refugee Board hearing?

An adjudicator reviews the claimant’s paperwork, as well as documents produced within the IRB outlining the political, social, economic and human rights conditions of the country the claimant is fleeing. A claimant will be asked to provide testimony in support of their claim. Hearings usually last half a day. If a claim is rejected, an appeal can be filed with the Appeal Division or an application can be made to Federal Court for judicial review.

How many asylum claims have been made over the years? Is it on the rise?

After a period of decline, there has been an upward trend in recent years.

Claims at IRCC inland offices nationwide:

2012: 11,711

2013: 5,746

2014: 7,333

2015: 8,946

2016 (Jan-Oct): 10,260

Claims processed at CBSA ports of entry or inland CBSA offices nationwide: