Ontario Cuts OW/ODSP for Work & Study Permit Holders

Ontario announced today, August 13, 2026, that people in Canada on a work permit or study permit are no longer eligible for Ontario Works (OW) or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). According to a Canadian Press report published the same day through CTV News, Ontario has amended its Ontario Works and ODSP regulations so that anyone in Canada without legal status, and anyone authorized to stay only on a temporary basis, such as through a work permit or study permit, can no longer receive these two forms of social assistance.

Who Just Lost Ontario Works and ODSP Eligibility?

Two groups are directly named in the change. The first is people who are in Canada illegally, meaning without any legal immigration status. The second is people who are only authorized to stay in Canada on a temporary basis, and the Canadian Press report gives student visas and work permits as examples of this second group, which in practice covers most study permit and work permit holders. According to the report, Ontario's Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Michael Parsa, said the amended regulations would ensure taxpayer dollars are focused on people facing financial hardship who are legally allowed to live in Canada.

Why Did Ontario Make This Change?

Premier Doug Ford first promised the change after media reports about a tribunal ruling that awarded Ontario Works payments to a man who had come to Canada decades earlier on a temporary work permit that had since expired. According to the Canadian Press, Ford wrote in a social media post the month before the change that his government would always support people who have fallen on hard times, but "that doesn't include people living in Canada illegally." The regulatory amendment announced this week extends that position beyond people without status to also exclude people whose only authorization to be in Canada is temporary, such as a work or study permit.

Does This Affect Refugee Claimants, PRs, or Citizens?

The amendment, as reported, targets two specific categories: people without legal status, and people authorized only temporarily. Permanent residents and Canadian citizens fall outside both categories. Refugee claimants have historically been treated differently under Ontario Works policy. Directive 3.1 of the Ontario Works Policy Directives, as most recently published before this week's amendment, states that refugee claimants who file from within Canada, with official documentation confirming they have made a claim for refugee protection, such as a Refugee Protection Claimant Document, are eligible for Ontario Works effective the date they initiated their claim with an immigration officer. That same version of the directive also treated visitors, including people on a student visa or work permit, as ineligible for Ontario Works unless they had made a refugee claim or applied for permanent residence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. It is not yet clear from public reporting exactly how this week's amendment interacts with that existing carve out, so if you hold a work or study permit and have a pending refugee claim or PR application, confirm your specific situation with a licensed representative rather than assuming either way.

What Should Work and Study Permit Holders Do Now?

If you are on a work permit or study permit and were counting on Ontario Works or ODSP as a backup if your income drops or your permit runs into trouble, that safety net is no longer there. This makes it more important, not less, to have a real plan for your status before a gap opens up. That can mean applying for a permit extension well before it expires, exploring whether you qualify for a pathway to permanent residence, or, if you are already out of status, understanding a humanitarian and compassionate application to stay in Canada out of status. If your visitor, work, or study status is close to expiring, addressing it now costs far less than trying to fix it after the fact.

What This Means If Your Status Feels Uncertain

Losing access to provincial social assistance raises the stakes on getting your immigration status right the first time. For many temporary residents, an application based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds is one of the few remaining routes to stay in Canada when other options have closed, and it depends heavily on how the case is documented and presented. Alisa Osipovich, RCIC-IRB R1055424, reviews your specific situation, including your permit history and any hardship factors, and helps you understand which options are realistically available to you before a financial or status gap forces the decision.