Updated September 24, 2026
Students arrived at ILAC expecting English classes and a path toward their next goal in Canada. On September 18, 2026, those plans changed abruptly. The International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) announced that it had filed for bankruptcy protection, ceased operations and cancelled all classes and programs effective immediately. ILAC said it could no longer secure the resources needed to operate and named KPMG Inc. as its Licensed Insolvency Trustee.
For affected students, the most urgent questions are practical: Can they finish the classes they paid for? Will they get a refund? What happens to housing or a study permit? Here is what the school and Languages Canada have confirmed so far.
How many students are affected?
Languages Canada identified 1,362 current in-person students in ILAC language programs affected by the closure. By September 21, it had placed more than 430 of them in other member schools. The association is also coordinating support for ILAC’s online language students.
The figure of 1,362 is not a confirmed total for everyone affected by ILAC’s closure. ILAC also offered high school and career college programs, which fall outside Languages Canada’s language-program placement effort. Students who paid for a future course may also need help.
Can students continue their English classes?
Languages Canada is arranging places in comparable language programs through its Education Completion Assurance Plan, known as eCAP. Its September 23 clarification says the goal is for students placed through this process to complete the equivalent education they already paid for without paying additional tuition for the replacement program. Placements depend on the student’s original course, location or study format, remaining study time and available spaces. Students cannot require a particular school to accept them.
Languages Canada says it is prioritizing students whose courses were due to finish soonest. It advised affected language students and their agents to wait for placement instructions while it matches students with available programs. Students who arrange another school themselves should tell Languages Canada so its placement list remains accurate.
Does eCAP provide a tuition refund?
A replacement course is the main form of support; a cash refund is not automatic. Languages Canada expressly clarified on September 23 that eCAP is not a tuition reimbursement or insurance program. Its published plan describes a limited process for seeking a partial refund of unused tuition if a comparable placement cannot be found, subject to the plan’s conditions and available funds. Students should ask Languages Canada how those provisions apply to their own enrollment before assuming they qualify for a payment.
The replacement-class arrangement also does not cover accommodation, transportation, travel, activities, textbooks, materials or other expenses. A student facing a housing cancellation fee or a flight change should address those costs separately with the relevant provider.
What should an affected student do now?
- Keep your records together. Save your enrollment agreement, payment receipts, course dates, ILAC emails, housing documents and any message about the closure. The eCAP plan calls for proof of registration and payment when student records are unavailable from the closing school.
- Check the Languages Canada ILAC updates. The association directs language-program placement inquiries to the dedicated student contact listed on that page. If you have already contacted it, its September 23 notice asks you to send another message only when you have important new information.
- Review your immigration situation before changing schools. A placement in another course does not, by itself, answer every study-permit question. Requirements differ by program and permit circumstances. Check Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s guidance on changing schools for the rules that apply to you.
- Contact your education agent and other providers. If an agent arranged your course, housing or travel, ask for written updates on each booking. Keep any proposed new enrollment or cancellation terms in writing.
Why is the closure drawing wider attention?
ILAC’s announcement followed the closure of EC English locations, including Canadian campuses. Languages Canada said it had placed all 471 EC English students in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver in alternative schools within four days. ILAC’s reported in-person language-student count is nearly three times as large, making its placement effort more complex.
ILAC attributed its financial difficulties to significant regulatory changes affecting the education sector over the previous three years. That is the school’s explanation; its announcement does not establish a single cause for the closure or set out a final accounting of its debts.
FAQ
Is ILAC still holding classes?
No. ILAC announced that it ceased operations and cancelled all classes and programming effective September 18, 2026.
Will I have to pay tuition again at a replacement language school?
Languages Canada’s stated objective is to arrange an equivalent replacement program through eCAP without additional tuition for the period being replaced. Course materials and other expenses may still be the student’s responsibility.
Can I choose my replacement school?
You can consider your own options, but an eCAP placement is coordinated by Languages Canada and depends on a suitable course and available capacity. Choosing a school yourself does not require that school to accept an eCAP placement.
I paid for a course that has not started. Am I covered?
The published eCAP plan includes students who were accepted and paid in advance, provided their program meets the plan’s requirements. Eligibility for a particular student still needs to be confirmed through Languages Canada.
Does the Languages Canada placement process cover ILAC high school or career college students?
The association’s current ILAC placement instructions concern language programs. It says it has contacted representative bodies for the high school and career college sectors, but students in those programs should seek guidance specific to their institution and course.
What about my accommodation or flight costs?
Those expenses are outside eCAP’s coverage. Contact the housing or travel provider directly about its cancellation terms and keep records of the response.
The next step
ILAC’s closure has interrupted studies and plans for students in Canada and those preparing to arrive. For language students, the clearest route currently available is Languages Canada’s placement process. Keep your documents, follow its official updates, and confirm any school change against IRCC’s current rules before making a decision that affects your status in Canada.