FYI: Refugee Statistics for 2005

(Provided by the Centre for Refugee Studies at York University)

Immigration and Refugee Board Statistics for 2005
Decisions of Refugee Protection Division

27,212 refugee claims were finalized
12,061 (44%) were positive
11,846 (44%) were negative
1,634 (6%) were declared abandoned
1,671 (6%) withdrew or were otherwise resolved

The number of claims finalized went down significantly from recent years: 27,212, compared to 40,408 in 2004, 42,477 in 2003, and 32,466 in 2002.

The number of claims pending at the end of the year continued to decline: 20,552 at 31 December 2005, compared to 27,290 at the end of 2004, 41,575 at the end of 2003, and 52,761 at the end of 2002. If the IRB continues at the same rate of finalization, it will take just over 9 months to finalize all the claims pending at the end of 2005.

20,786 claims claims were referred to the Board in 2005, continuing the recent decline: 25,750 in 2004, 31,937 in 2003, 39,498 in 2002, 44,038 in 2001.

The acceptance rate has risen slightly after several years of decline. For several years it stood at about 47%, then it dropped to 42% in 2003 and further down to 40% in 2004. In 2005, it rose to 44%. The percentage of abandoned and withdrawn has also dropped: from a combined total of 16% in 2003, to 13% in 2004 and 12% in 2005. The percentage of negative decisions has gone down slightly compared to 2004: 44% in 2005, compared to 47% in 2004 (it was 42% in 2003). In 2005, claims decided at a hearing had a 50% chance of being accepted (as they did in 2003), whereas in 2004, there was only a 45% chance of being accepted.

Regional acceptance rates (as a percentage of total claims finalized) for 2005 were as follows:

Montréal: 44% (in 2004: 41%; in 2003: 42%, in 2002: 43%)
Ottawa/Atlantic: 66% (in 2004: 53%; in 2003: 50%, in 2002: 51%)
Toronto: 46% (in 2004: 40%; in 2003: 43%, in 2002: 50%)
Calgary: 30% (in 2004: 27%; in 2003: 35%, in 2002: 48%)
Vancouver: 27% (in 2004: 24%; in 2003: 28%, in 2002: 30%)

Vancouver continued to have a high abandonment rate of 14% (17%, in 2004, 15% in 2003, 18% in 2002, 21% in 2001). Toronto’s abandonment rate fell from 11% in 2002 and 2003 to 7% in 2004 and remained at 7% in 2005 (other regions: Montreal, 4%; Calgary, 5%, Ottawa/Atlantic, 2%).

End of statistic report.