IRCC error !
Hi everyone,
I’m posting because I’m honestly exhausted and I want to know if anyone went through something similar with IRCC.
I’m in Canada under an inland common-law sponsorship with my Canadian partner. We’ve been together for 3 years and living together continuously since March 2025. We submitted a strong application with tons of proof (joint lease, travel together, family letters, relationship history, etc.).
The issue is that my Open Work Permit was refused in April 2026, and from what my lawyer says, it looks like the officer assessed my file under the wrong category (C41), even though I’m applying as a sponsored common-law partner inland.
Because of this refusal, I immediately lost my right to work, even though the PR sponsorship itself is ongoing. My lawyer believes this is a clear officer error and submitted a reconsideration request on April 22, 2026.
Timeline
April 2026 : Under maintened statut
April 2026: OWP refused, have to stop working
April 22, 2026: Lawyer submitted reconsideration request
April 29, 2026: IRCC confirmed internally they took action on the reconsideration
May 6, 2026: Received AOR for PR sponsorship application
May 12, 2026: IRCC email said an officer had taken “appropriate action” on the reconsideration file
May 15, 2026: Federal MP office contacted IRCC again; Edmonton office confirmed the reconsideration is active and pending review
Today (May 20, 2026): Still waiting, unable to work
My lawyer says this should normally be reopened because the refusal appears based on the wrong eligibility category, but the waiting is brutal financially and mentally.
My questions
Has anyone here had an OWP refusal reopened through reconsideration because of officer error / wrong category?
How long did reconsideration take before approval or reopening?
Is Edmonton usually slow for reconsiderations?
I’ve seen some people say reconsiderations can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 months, but I’m trying to understand what’s realistic for cases involving a clear IRCC mistake