Order Paper response reveals tens of thousands of asylum claims fast-tracked through paper-based review process, with average processing times nearly cut in half

Federal records tabled in response to an order paper question reveal that 39,310 refugee claims in Canada were approved without an oral hearing between 2020 and 2025 through the Immigration and Refugee Board's “File Review” process.

The figures were disclosed in response to order paper question Q-1002, asked by Conservative MP Brad Redekopp, which sought details on how the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) uses paper-based decision-making processes to determine refugee claims.

According to the government's response, 128,116 claims were screened for possible file review between 2020 and 2025. Of those, 39,310 claims were triaged into the File Review stream and approved without an oral hearing.

The same records show:

• 21,759 claims were moved from File Review to shorter hearings
• 58,803 were sent to regular hearings
• 12,131 were ultimately rejected after hearings
• 4,829 were withdrawn
• 1,534 were abandoned
• 1,881 remained pending at the end of the reporting period

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The government said all refugee claims are individually assessed, but claims suitable for paper review generally come from countries or claim categories with acceptance rates of 80% or higher, where identity documents are considered reliable and where officials believe country conditions and legal issues are relatively straightforward.

Officials stated that claims cannot be approved through File Review if front-end security screening remains incomplete, if credibility concerns arise, if identity issues exist, or if ministers intervene over concerns such as inadmissibility or integrity issues.

The records also indicate that refugee claims accepted through File Review moved significantly faster than those requiring hearings. Claims approved without oral hearings averaged 11 months from referral to final decision, while claims decided through hearings averaged 20 months.

Of the 39,310 claims approved without hearings, the government said ministers intervened in only 19 cases, requested a hearing in just one case, and later sought vacation or cessation of refugee status in 15 cases after obtaining new information.