Maple News reports that, effective May 26, 2026, candidates in Alberta’s Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) who hold a Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) can now edit their submission without cancelling it.
Previously, updating a WEOI required cancelling the existing submission and submitting a new one, which meant paying the WEOI fee again.
Additionally, candidates who receive invitations under certain streams may now decline the invitation and return to the WEOI pool before the 15-day invitation period expires to be considered for other eligible streams.
Alberta published these changes on the AAIP Updates webpage on May 26, 2026, with immediate effect.
The AAIP is also offering refunds to candidates who, between April 7 and May 26, created and submitted a WEOI and paid the submission fee, but later cancelled to make edits.
The WEOI submission fee was introduced on April 7, 2026. With this update, Alberta retroactively compensates those who were affected by the old rules.
Note: refunds are not automatic; applicants must request a refund of the original WEOI fee via the Opportunity Alberta contact form. Eligibility: refunds are not available to candidates who canceled due to Express Entry profile updates or who resubmitted a WEOI during an active invitation period.
Additionally, updating a WEOI does not extend its validity; all WEOIs remain valid for one year from submission, regardless of edits.
Context: The May 26 update follows the April 7 introduction of a $135 WEOI submission fee, applicable to all candidates seeking to immigrate under the AAIP worker streams. Maple News notes that these changes reflect ongoing provincial efforts to balance screening costs with flexibility for applicants.