ILAC Closes —
What Students Need to Do Now

On September 18, 2026, ILAC Education Group filed for bankruptcy protection and ceased operations immediately. All classes and programming have been cancelled. After nearly thirty years as one of the best-known names in Canadian language education, this is difficult news. This article sets out what current and incoming ILAC students need to address right now — study permit conditions, transferring to a new school, and tuition refunds — based solely on IRCC and provincial government sources.

What has been confirmed (as of September 18, 2026)

ILAC published the following notice on its own website:

"On Friday, September 18th, ILAC filed for bankruptcy protection and is ceasing operations, effective immediately. All classes and programming have been cancelled, effective immediately."

A softer message titled "A Message to the ILAC Community" also appears on the ILAC homepage, but the notice above is the operative one.

Which institutions are affected

The notice refers only to "ILAC" and does not distinguish between legal entities. However, all three ILAC websites now point to the same closure notice.

Treat language programs, co-op diplomas and high school programs as all affected. Note, though, that these three are governed by different regulators with different tuition protection schemes — so the sections below depend on which program you were enrolled in.

The urgent question — the status of your study permit

A study permit carries legal conditions. Under IRCC rules you must be enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI) and actively pursue your studies — remaining enrolled each semester, making progress in your program, and not taking a leave longer than 150 days.

When a school shuts down, you can no longer meet those conditions through no fault of your own. Left unaddressed, this becomes a status problem. IRCC rules state that you must end your studies if you no longer meet the requirements of being a student, and leave Canada when your permit expires. Finding a new DLI — or changing status — is therefore time-sensitive.

Changing schools — and the exception that applies here

Normally you must apply to extend your study permit and receive the new permit before you begin studying at a new DLI. You cannot simply move schools and continue on your existing permit.

But an exception applies in exactly this situation. IRCC allows you to begin studying at your new DLI while your application is still being processed if all of the following are true:

• You have not left Canada since receiving the letter of acceptance (LOA) from your new DLI
• You continue to meet the conditions of your existing study permit
• Your previous school closed, discontinued your program, was suspended, or lost its designated status

That last point describes the ILAC situation precisely. In other words, once you have an LOA from a new school and have submitted your application, you can start classes without waiting for the decision. Students who do not know this lose months unnecessarily.

One warning: do not leave Canada after receiving your new LOA. Departing breaks the first condition above, and you would then have to wait for the new permit before starting classes.

What happens to the tuition you already paid

This depends on the province and on the type of program — language training and career college programs are not treated the same way.

Vancouver campus — British Columbia

British Columbia operates a Student Tuition Protection Fund through the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit. If a certified institution ceases to hold its certificate before students complete their programs, those students may file a tuition refund claim.

To verify: the fund applies to programs at certified institutions. Whether your specific language program is covered depends on the institution's certification, so contact the Student Claims Officer directly at the address above.

Toronto campus — Ontario

Ontario operates the Training Completion Assurance Fund (TCAF). Its scope is narrower than many people assume: it applies to career colleges registered under the Career Colleges Act, 2005 — not to general language schools. Students of ILAC International College and students of the language school may therefore be in different positions.

The 14-day window matters most. Check that your contact details are current — notices are likely to go to the email address the school had on file, and a stale address can cost you the deadline.

What to do this week

1. Secure your documents first. Save your enrolment contract, receipts, payment records, letter of acceptance, attendance and transcript records, and all correspondence with the school as PDFs or screenshots. Once the student portal goes dark, this is hard to recover — and it is the evidence your refund claim rests on.
2. Check your study permit expiry date and conditions. How much time remains shapes your options.
3. Research new DLIs and confirm they can issue an LOA and a PAL/TAL. Seats at popular schools fill quickly.
4. File a claim with the provincial regulator. BC: PTI.StudentSupport@gov.bc.ca. Ontario: TCAF-PCC@ontario.ca.
5. Watch for notices from KPMG, the Licensed Insolvency Trustee, regarding the process for students and creditors.
6. Postpone any travel outside Canada. Leaving after you receive a new LOA removes your ability to start classes while your application is pending.

What is not yet known

In the interest of accuracy, here is what has not been confirmed:

• The precise scope and legal position of each of the three entities
• Whether any teach-out will be arranged — the notice does not mention one
• The scale and timing of refunds
• When and how students will be contacted individually
• Whether IRCC will issue guidance specific to this closure

This article will be updated as official information is confirmed. We will not fill the gaps with speculation.

A closing note

For almost thirty years ILAC was where students from around the world took their first steps in Canada. Countless people learned English there, made friendships, and found the starting point for their studies and careers. It has long been a respected name in this sector, and this is difficult news. It is a hard time for the teachers and staff who spent years supporting those students.

What matters now is not to panic, but not to wait either. Secure your records, confirm your permit status, and start looking for a new school — in that order. For an overview of study pathways in Canada, see our study services.

This article is general information based on ILAC's published notice and official IRCC, British Columbia and Ontario sources as of September 18, 2026. It is not legal advice for any specific case. The situation may change quickly — please confirm the latest official announcements from the relevant authorities before making decisions.