2. Find out why the Minister got involved

Start by reading your Notice of Intent to Intervene.

The Notice explains why the Minister is involved in your refugee hearing.

The Minister may have concerns about:

your credibility, which is whether your story is believable
your identity, meaning you're who you say you are
the nexus, which is the reason you're claiming refugee protection
the integrity of Canada's refugee system, meaning whether you're using the system properly

Once you know the reasons the Minister is involved, you can prepare the right and arguments to respond. Learn about this in Step 3.

Why CBSA may get involved

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) may get involved because they have evidence that suggests:

you have a criminal record
you got involved in organized crime
you broke international human rights laws or there are other security concerns
you arrived in Canada illegally
you're detained because there are concerns about your identity or for other reasons

Why IRCC may get involved

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may get involved because they have evidence that suggests:

you gave untrue or incorrect information to immigration officials, or you left out information, called misrepresentation
you waited too long to make your refugee claim
you have more than one nationality
you already have protection or permanent status in another country, you had this status but lost it, or you were allowed to get this status but never did
you're making a claim just to get benefits in Canada, like health care or social assistance
issues in your case are well-known, for example, because the media reported them

IRCC may also get involved if they have evidence that raises concerns about:

whether your claim is believable
whether you have used another identity
your past immigration history in Canada, such as previous refugee claims or immigration applications

If both CBSA and IRCC have reasons to get involved, a CBSA officer speaks at your hearing.

Exclusion issue

Sometimes, the Minister may get involved because there's an exclusion issue in your case. You will know there is an because the Minister's Notice will mention Article 1E or 1F of the Refugee Convention.

Exclusion means they believe you should not get refugee protection because, for example:

you already have protection or permanent status in another country, you had this status but lost it, or you were allowed to get this status but never did
you committed a serious non-political crime outside Canada
you broke international human rights laws, or
there are other security concerns

If your case involves an exclusion issue, read There's an exclusion issue in my case. What should I do?