Refugee Protection Officers, formerly known as Refugee Hearing Officers review case files, prepare relevant exhibits, examinine and/or cross-examine claimants and witnesses, and present objective summaries and observations on facts and jurisprudence to assist decision makers.
In the fourteen years that I worked as a Refugee Protection Officer, I dealt with refugee claimants from almost every country in the world, including Baha'is escaping persecution in Iran.
Claimants from every continent have testified of suffering persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, social group (including gender, union affiliation, etc.).
This persecution has ranged from severe discrimination, spousal abuse, threats, intimidation, expropriation of assets, genital mutilation, beatings, and rape to torture, imprisonment without cause and the disappearance or murder of family and friends.
The search for the true identity of the claimant and the truth behind their claims is sometimes an enormously difficult task that doesn't end with a refugee determination by the IRB but extends to other government branches.
I invite you to click on the icon or text links below to get a better perspective on refugee issues:
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Between October 1988 and November 2002, I was employed at the Immigration Refugee Board, an Administrative Tribunal responsible for deciding refugee claims in Canada.
Canadian Government Institutions
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Citizenship and Immigration Canada Canadian Security Intelligence Service (See Immigration and Citizenship Screening) RCMP Immigration, Passport and Citizenship Enforcement Program
IRB Counterparts in Other Countries
U.K. Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Australia Refugee Review Tribunal
U S Immigration Naturalization Service
Organizations Devoted to Refugee and Human Rights Issues
