Evaluation of the In-Canada Asylum System Reforms

If there are concerns with the claim, IRCC or the CBSA may participate at the RPD or the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) hearing to present evidence and arguments on the merit of claim or on the exclusion of the claimant from the refugee determination process. [...] The passage of the two Bills put in place a number of changes to the ICAS, including modifications to the RPD, the creation of the RAD11, the bar on PRRA and H&C applications, and the designated country of origin (DCO) policy12. [...] The Enhanced Security Screening pilot was led by the RCMP and aimed to further strengthen the screening of refugee claimants.14 IRCC was the lead department responsible for the implementation of the reforms, in collaboration with a number of other federal organizations: the IRB, the CBSA, the RCMP, the Courts Administration Service, the Department of Justice, and Public Safety Canada. [...] The scope of the evaluation focussed on the reforms that were made to the ICAS through the 2010 and 2012 legislative changes and examined the period from the full coming-into-force of the reforms on December 15, 2012, through to December 31, 2014. [...] The following were out of the scope of the evaluation: an assessment of the quality or effectiveness of the individual activities or processes of the organizations that are involved in the ICAS; an assessment of the relevance of the legislative and policy changes; and the activities funded via the backlog reduction strategy20 and refugee resettlement21.