We oppose potential job cuts at the Immigration an​d Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) that may be imposed as early as this month, as they will make a bad situation worse.

The immigration and asylum system in Canada is at a breaking point.

Historic job cuts at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada are causing record backlogs, with direct implications for immigration and refugee claim referrals at the IRB.

The federal government also continues to clamp down on immigration with real impacts on people, families, and our members at the Immigration and Refugee Board.

The significant backlogs at IRB are not just case numbers – this is causing longer wait times for refugees facing painful anxiety and uncertainty about their future.

Despite high workloads and backlogs, the IRB is seeking efficiencies as part of its “Realignment and Reallocation Plan.”

We want to make something very clear to the Minister of Immigration, the IRB chairperson, and IRB leadership: the best way to increase efficiency is to invest in workers delivering these services. Our members – and the people they serve – need investment, not “efficiencies.”

We have repeatedly warned of high workloads at IRB, the overreliance on overtime, and the impacts of this workload on employee wellbeing. The knock-on effects in courts and the legal system are also real. Of note, our members in the Refugee Protection Division conduct highly sensitive casework and the workload in this context is unsustainable.

Our members are trying to operate in world riddled with peril and strife, job cuts, and record backlogs, so finding “efficiencies” in this context is an insult.

Our members – and the people they serve – deserve robust supports and resourcing.

We encourage you to join our campaign demanding that no cuts occur at IRB.

The government should invest in these programs and our members, when it matters most.