CARL has prepared two position papers on remote hearings at the IRB. The first paper is entitled “CARL’s Position on Resuming Refugee Protection Division (RPD) Processing of Claims”. It recommends expanding the file review process and using pre-hearing conferences. It outlines concerns with remote hearings, offers minimum procedural safeguards for those that take place and notes the issues that guidelines for remote hearings should address. Read this paper here.
The second paper is entitled “CARL’s suggested COVID-19 Practice Notice for Matters Before the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) and the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD)”. This document is drafted in the form of a practice notice, and is CARL’s recommendation to the IRB (not an IRB document). It suggests specific procedural and evidentiary accommodations for the adjudication of refugee claims given COVID-19 and discusses COVID-19 issues that may affect the interpretation and application of refugee definition. Read this paper here.