Selection process number: 25-IRB-EA-BD-09-383442

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Calgary (Alberta), Vancouver (British Columbia), Etobicoke (Ontario), Ottawa (Ontario), Toronto (Ontario), Montréal Island (Québec) PM-06 Deployment, Indeterminate, Specified period $112,834 to $129,017             For further information on the organization, please visit Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada  Closing date: 3 December 2025 - 23:59, Pacific Time 4 December 2025 - 02:59 (EST)  Who can apply:  Persons residing in Canada, and Canadian citizens and permanent residents abroad.

 

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need accommodation during any phase of the evaluation process, please contact IRB.25-IRB-EA-BD-09-383442_PM-06.CISR@IRB-CISR.GC.CA. All information received about accommodation is kept confidential.

As the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is committed to conducting inclusive and barrier-free staffing processes, if you have a functional limitation or a disability that may impact your performance at any step of the process, such as when submitting your application online, completing an exam or a written exercise and/or participating in an interview, you may request an accommodation.

Assessment accommodations are designed to remove the obstacles without altering the criteria being assessed, and to allow candidates to fully demonstrate their abilities.

Should you be invited to participate in an exam, a written exercise, or an interview, you will receive an e-mail including additional information on the assessment format so that you can determine whether you require an accommodation.

If you require accommodation, support in completing and submitting your application, or if you are unable to apply online, please make your request as soon as possible to the following address IRB.25-IRB-EA-BD-09-383442_PM-06.CISR@IRB-CISR.GC.CA prior to the closing date of this employment opportunity.

Candidates who have previously qualified for the position of Decision-Maker (Member) and are still interested, are required to apply to this process to be considered. 

 

Duties

Stream 1: Refugee Protection Division (RPD)

The RPD is the largest of four divisions within the IRB, Canada's largest independent administrative tribunal. The RPD is a fast-paced, innovative, and engaging work environment, where Members are expected to deliver a high number of decisions pertaining to refugee claimants.

RPD Members determine whether refugee protection claims made in Canada are well-founded or not, delivering their decisions orally and in writing, with claimants or other parties present. Other duties include vacating or ceasing refugee status, for example, in cases where misrepresentations or changes in circumstances are later discovered.

IMPORTANT NOTE

RPD Members are exposed to difficult written narratives and oral testimony, including narratives of violence, trauma, sexual assault, crime, genocide, torture, and political persecution. RPD Members must be able to maintain composure and navigate these areas to obtain the necessary evidence on which they must base their decisions in a high-volume environment. 

Lead refugee determination hearings

RPD Members prepare for and preside over refugee claim hearings, then issue decisions respecting refugee claims. Most RPD hearings are held on a virtual platform, though some occur in person at IRB premises.

RPD Members conduct hearings with claimants present. Legal counsel, witnesses, and other parties or observers are often also present. RPD proceedings and decisions are recorded. RPD Members’ decisions are subject to higher reviewing bodies, including the Federal Court. Consequently, RPD Members must maintain a very high standard of oral and written communication, which must be concise, focused and legally-sound and can be easily understood.

RPD Members work independently, composing and revising their decisions with limited administrative support. 

RPD Members use effective questioning techniques to obtain important information in the refugee claims before them. The depth, breadth, and focus of questions will vary from case to case. RPD Members must be active listeners and must be able to spontaneously adjust lines of questioning as hearings progress. Often, this involves making complex and difficult credibility assessments as evidence unfolds. RPD Members are expected to remain calm and to manage the hearing so that it is meaningful, effective, procedurally-fair and completed on time.

RPD Members must promote procedural fairness and natural justice principles, which includes remaining neutral and open-minded in hearings and decision-making.

Analyze evidence and write decisions 

RPD Members must deliver clear, concise, and cogent decisions that clearly explain to claimants the reasons for the results of their claims, whether positive or negative. Decisions will almost invariably include an analysis of complex events, including the RPD Member’s findings respecting a claim’s general credibility, and the application of relevant legislation, case law and policy guidelines to the facts of each case. Some decisions are simple and short while others can be very legally-complex.

To be successful, RPD Members must not only have a thorough understanding of refugee case law, administrative law principles, relevant legislation, policy instruments, and the rules of natural justice, they must also be able to swiftly apply their understanding during the hearings (often in situations where there is incomplete information), and in rendering decisions.

RPD Members are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics as their comportment and decisions influence the public’s confidence and trust in the IRB and in the integrity of Canada’s refugee and immigration system.  RPD Members must adhere to the Code of Conduct for Members of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

RPD Members are also expected to complete cases in a timely manner and to be flexible with unpredictable scheduling, caseload, and case types.

Please note that for bilingual positions, RPD Members must be able to work effectively in English AND in French, including rendering oral decisions in both official languages.

Stream 2: Immigration Division (ID)

The ID is one of four divisions of the IRB. ID Members conduct detention reviews and admissibility hearings. Unlike the IRB’s other three divisions, ID Members’s workload is composed entirely of cases referred to it by the Canada Border Services Agency.

ID members require similar competencies to those expected of members in other divisions, yet the nature of ID Members’ work can be especially challenging.

Notably, expectations include but are not limited to:

Rendering well-reasoned decisions orally at the conclusion of each hearing, with very limited scope – given the statutory time limits and high-volume caseload – to reserve and render decisions in writing later.

Conducting hearings in a correctional or high security environment with significant background noise and rudimentary facilities or by videoconference or teleconference with hearing participants in multiple locations, or in person.

Managing voluminous files and exhibits, primarily in the form of a digital file.

Dealing professionally and compassionately with individuals who are suffering from mental illness or addictions, and who may not understand the nature of the proceedings.

Presiding at hearings with significant media interest.

Presiding over cases involving individuals who may have engaged in serious criminality, crimes against humanity, or acts of terrorism.

The ID is a high-volume tribunal and ID Members are expected to keep pace with their workload, meet tight deadlines, and render a high number of quality decisions. 

ID detention reviews are considered a critical service with statutory time-limits that must be met. This requires ID Members to be flexible and, in some cases, work outside regular business hours.

Please note that for bilingual positions, ID Members must be able to work effectively in English AND in French, including rendering oral decisions in both official languages.

Work environment

We seek to make the IRB more reflective and inclusive of Canadian society. Are you a member of one or more of the following groups: Indigenous Peoples*, Black and other Racialized People, Persons with a disability, Women or LGBTQ2+? Are you looking for continuous opportunities for advancement and to make a difference? If you share our vision for a strong and inclusive Canada, come be a part of the IRB Team!

IRB decision makers are subject to the Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace and must be present in office 3 days per week. This arrangement is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. 

*The term “Indigenous peoples” aligns with international usage and replaces the legislative term “Aboriginal peoples” that appears in the Employment Equity Act and the Employment Equity Regulations.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to staff positions in two different groups:

Stream 1: PM-06 Member, Refugee Protection Division (RPD)
Stream 2: PM-06 Member, Immigration Division (ID)

This process may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to staff similar positions, at the same group and level, with various security requirements, various tenures (indeterminate, specified period, and deployment) and with various linguistic profiles.

Public service employees who are at the same group and level may be considered first for a deployment.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

EDUCATION

Required for both streams:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution or a satisfactory score on the Public Service Commission test approved as an alternative to the completion of university.

Note:
The term “degree” refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.
The term “Recognized post-secondary institution” refers to a public or private institution that has been given authority to grant degrees by a public or private act of a provincial/territorial legislature or through a government-mandated quality assurance mechanism. For greater certainty, also included are institutions authorized to grant specific academic credentials for specific academic programs.

If you were educated outside of Canada, you must obtain Degree equivalency through a recognized agency that is a member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services Canada.

EXPERIENCE
Required for both streams:

EE1: Significant* work experience assessing and analyzing contradictory information or conducting investigations to elicit or verify information to present recommendations or render a decision, orally and in writing

EE2: Significant* experience in the interpretation or application of legislation and regulations to individual cases

EE3: Experience assessing a high-volume of complex** information coming from a large number of sources to make a recommendation or render a decision on an individual case

EE4: Significant* work experience in summarizing or conveying information contained in reports, summaries, and/or briefing material to present findings resulting from research or analysis orally or in writing

Definitions:

*Significant experience is defined as the depth and breadth of the experience normally associated with having performed the duties for a minimum of five (5) years.

**Complex is defined as involving multiple competing issues raised in a delicate or highly sensitive context and involving multiple parties.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Various language requirements:

English essential
French essential
Bilingual imperative CBC/CBC
Bilingual imperative CCC/CCC

To help you understand the language requirements of the position you can review the Requirement of bilingual positions.

Second language writing skills self-assessment

To help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, you may take the Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills. This is an optional self-assessment available for you to take before completing your application.

KNOWLEDGE

Required for stream 2 (ID) only:

Knowledge of the legal and administrative principles that guide the functioning of an independent administrative tribunal and Members in carrying out their responsibilities

Knowledge of the Canadian immigration system

Note: Knowledge requirements will be assessed in a separate interview before appointments.  

ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES

Required for both streams:

Ability to efficiently preside over hearings involving multiple people or stakeholders

Ability to make decisions quickly and to present them in a succinct, clear and compelling way

Judgement and reasoning in decision-making

Ability to work under pressure and manage time-sensitive priorities

Ability to work with technology such as, but not limited to, word processing and spreadsheet tools, email communication, collaboration tools (Microsoft Teams), presentation software, etc.

Assertiveness

Self-control

Working effectively with others

Demonstrating integrity and respect

Effective interactive oral communication

Effective interactive written communication

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (Asset qualifications)

EDUCATION

A Bachelor of Law degree

EXPERIENCE

AE1: At least two (2) years experience as a decision maker presiding over hearings and rendering decisions at an administrative tribunal or a quasi-judicial organization

AE2: At least two (2) years experience presenting cases before an administrative tribunal or court of law

AE3: At least two (2) years experience as a practitioner or an advocate or counsel in the areas of criminal, immigration, or refugee law

AE4: Experience working within another order of government (province, territory, municipality) in the fields of immigration, refugee, migration, settlement, diaspora, or with vulnerable populations

AE5: Experience interpreting and applying legislation, regulations, and constitutional law to prepare decisions or present cases in the area of immigration law or refugee law or criminal law

AE6: At least two (2) years experience in presenting cases before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

ORGANIZATIONAL NEED

Placement of IRB employees affected by Workforce Adjustment (WFA): 

To ensure placement of IRB employees affected by WFA, we are asking all affected employees who are interested in this position to apply. Since a pool of qualified candidates will be established from this process, we will proceed with the assessment of all candidates. However, should affected employees qualify; they will be appointed prior to other qualified candidates.

It is important to note that if an employee is no longer affected by WFA at the time of appointment, they can not be appointed ahead of other affected qualified candidates.

The IRB has a need to increase its representation of persons from the following employment equity groups: Indigenous Peoples and Persons with Disabilities. The appointment of qualified individuals will take this organizational need into consideration.

Conditions of employment

Stream 1 (RPD):
Reliability status security clearance

Stream 2 (ID):
Secret security clearance

Willingness and ability to work outside the public service's core business hours (Mondays to Fridays) as per Article 25.11 in the Program and Administrative Services collective agreement.

Both streams (RPD and ID):
Ability to maintain permanent residency status or Canadian citizenship throughout the duration of employment

Willingness and ability to work overtime

Individuals who are appointed are required to swear the oath or solemn affirmation of office set out in the rules of the Board before their first hearing as per Section 153(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

GENERAL INFORMATION

You must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.

You may be required to meet the asset qualifications, the operational requirements, or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

You are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of your choice. You are required to indicate your preferred official language in your application.

Our intention is to communicate with you by e-mail. You MUST check your email accounts frequently as there may be a deadline for responses. Watch your junk/spam mailbox in your email to ensure you do not miss an email, since they can often be automated and may look like junk mail.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent; we will contact you when the screening process is completed.

APPLICATIONS

Only applications received directly via the VidCruiter Platform will be accepted. If you require accommodations, please make your request as soon as possible to IRB.25-IRB-EA-BD-09-383442_PM-06.CISR@IRB-CISR.GC.CA prior to the closing date of this employment opportunity.

You must answer all screening questions. Failure to do so will result in the automatic elimination of your application.

You must describe how you meet each essential and asset qualification (education and experience). We strongly suggest that you indicate where and when you gained the experience (organizations, dates, context, etc.), your exact role and responsibilities, the actions you personally took not the efforts of the team, and the impact of your actions. Simply stating you meet the qualification or listing your current or past responsibilities is not enough. If you fail to clearly show how you meet the qualifications, your application may be rejected. Your resume may be used to confirm your responsibilities; however, we will not ask for any missing information from your application. You may wish to view this instructional video Cracking the Code before you apply.

WAITING PERIOD FOR REASSESSMENT

The retest period for re-assessment within the context of this selection process is 365 days (1 year) from the date of elimination at either the written exam, interview, or reference stage of the process. If you reapply to a subsequent process before the retest period has elapsed your application will not be considered.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Proof of your education credential(s) and Canadian citizenship or permanent residence will be required. 

Education outside Canada: It is your responsibility to ensure you have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. It is best to start the education assessment process right away since it can be time-consuming to prevent any delays later on if you pass the assessment phase.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

All assessments will be conducted through the VidCruiter Recruitment platform. 

You will be asked to complete a Digital literacy test as a part of your application. Instructions regarding the test can be found on the application platform.

Pass marks will be established for each qualification. 

Volume management strategies, such as random selection, top-down approach, invoking any asset(s) and/or cut-off scores, as well as the level, extent or degree of skill achieved in one or more qualifications MAY be used at any point in the staffing process. This means achieving the pass mark is not a guarantee of an appointment or that you will be put through to the next stages of the assessment process.

You may be assessed using one or more of the following tools: standardized tests, written exams, interview, simulation exercise, reference check, and other assessment tools. 

Qualifications indicated on this advertisement may be assessed and/or validated throughout the selection process effective from the time you submit your application. This includes any correspondence (written or oral) with Human Resources and Management.

Timelines for this process are very strict. The onus is on you to make yourself available for each assessment session.

Scheduling of alternative assessment dates will ONLY be considered for the following reasons with proof:

• religious reasons
• death in the family
• medical reasons
• conflicting exams
• other exceptional circumstances

RELOCATION

All newly-appointed employees other than GIC appointees to the federal public service, who accept an indeterminate or term position of at least one year, will be relocated under the Initial Appointees Relocation Program.

The Initial Appointees Relocation Program provides newly appointed employees with the sum of up to $5,000, subject to certain provisions.

Federal public servants who accept a position will be relocated under the National Joint Council Relocation Directive. 

PREFERENCE

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

 

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Contact information
Member Recruitment
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada