The International Language Academy of Canada closed suddenly and has filed for bankruptcy, displacing hundreds of students and staff in Vancouver.
The Story
The International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) has filed for bankruptcy after closing suddenly on Friday, leaving hundreds of international students and employees seeking answers about what happens next.
According to ILAC, financial challenges over the past three years contributed to the closure and the organization says it does not have the resources to continue operating.
Students and faculty described the shutdown as unexpected. A former teacher, Thomaz Bartolomei, said he and his colleagues are waiting to hear from ILAC about the next steps, adding that the closure came even though he believed the school was expanding, including renovations on the second and third floors.
Former students also said they had not seen warning signs. One former student, Geiovanna Rios, said classes appeared normal and that she had classes the day before the shutdown, while another former student, J.P. Salaroli, said ILAC had been hiring and that the closure created immediate uncertainty.
Several students said their ability to work is tied to their study permits, and that the shutdown has forced them to stop working. Others said they paid tuition in advance for a full program and have not received information about refunds for the remainder of the year or whether they will be transferred to another program.
Former student Kimberly Bernardes said her plans for moving to Canada were linked to ILAC and that the closure has left her without a clear path forward.
In a statement to media, ILAC’s chief executive officer said, in part, that limits on international students mean fewer people can access the education and opportunities the school was created to provide, and that ILAC is working closely with regulators to ensure students receive support during the transition.
The closure comes against a backdrop of federal efforts affecting the international student sector. Canada’s 2026–28 Immigration Levels Plan is intended to reduce the number of students and temporary workers coming to Canada to help ease pressures on housing, infrastructure and services, and Canada’s federal website shows study permit numbers dropped from almost 300,000 issued in 2024 to just under 115,000 in 2025 and are on track to fall further in 2026.
For students displaced by ILAC’s sudden closure, key questions now include what support will be provided by regulators, whether students can secure refunds or transfers, and how their immigration-related arrangements will be affected as they await next steps.
← More stories