If IRCC accepts a reconsideration request, does that cancel my original refusal completely?

If IRCC agrees to reconsider and reverses its position, that effectively supersedes the original refusal for purposes of moving the application forward — in practice, the application generally proceeds as though it were approved, or continues processing without the original refusal standing in the way. But this is not the same as a formal legal quashing of the earlier decision by a court or tribunal; it is the same decision-making authority simply choosing to exercise its discretion differently on review.

This distinction can matter for reasons beyond the immediate application. The fact that a refusal was originally issued, even one later reversed through reconsideration, can still be part of the applicant's history and may need to be disclosed accurately on future applications, depending on what is asked. A successful reconsideration resolves the practical outcome, but it does not erase the historical fact that a refusal occurred at some point.

Anyone relying on a successful reconsideration should keep clear records of both the original refusal and the reversal, since future applications may ask about prior refusals regardless of how the matter was ultimately resolved.