Maple News reports new data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showing that about 27% of inland spousal sponsorship applications submitted in 2025 (January through October) were refused due to incompleteness. Of 45,235 spouse or common-law partner sponsorship applications reviewed during this period, 32,994 were accepted for processing, while 12,241 failed the R10 completeness check.
An application is considered complete only if it satisfies the requirements laid out in Regulation 10 (R10) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. If an application is incomplete, IRCC returns it and issues a refund of the fees paid.
Monthly counts illustrate the pattern of the initial screening. From January to October 2025, passes ranged from 2,642 to 3,734 per month, while failures ranged from 940 to 1,635. The month-by-month breakdown was: January — passed 3,606; failed 1,635; February — passed 3,051; failed 1,379; March — passed 2,928; failed 1,180; April — passed 3,375; failed 1,297; May — passed 3,734; failed 1,289; June — passed 3,438; failed 1,071; July — passed 3,580; failed 1,145; August — passed 3,308; failed 1,061; September — passed 3,332; failed 1,244; October — passed 2,642; failed 940.
IRCC’s inland spousal sponsorship assessment begins with the R10 completeness check. A complete submission includes all forms, documents, information, signatures, and fees listed in the official checklist. Eligibility to sponsor or be sponsored is not assessed at this stage. If a submission is incomplete, it is returned, and the applicant receives a refund.
Implications and guidance: The sizable incompleteness rate underscores the importance of submitting a fully documented application. Prospective applicants should carefully review the R10 checklist before submission, gather all required items, and ensure signatures and fees are in order. When in doubt, seek guidance from official resources or licensed immigration professionals to reduce delays.
Maple News will continue to report on IRCC data and share practical tips to help families navigate the sponsorship process.