International Adoption in Quebec: SASIE, Requirements, and Costs

Quebec is the only province in Canada with its own central authority for international adoption. While Ontario and British Columbia process international adoptions primarily through federal channels, Quebec requires its residents to work through a provincial body — the Secrétariat aux services internationaux à l'enfant (SASIE), formerly known as the Secrétariat à l'adoption internationale (SAI).

This is not a formality. The SASIE has legal authority to approve or reject your international adoption project, to accredit the bodies you can work with, and to review every child proposal before you can accept it. If you bypass the SASIE — or work with an agency that is not accredited by them — your adoption cannot legally proceed in Quebec.

Why Quebec Has Its Own International Adoption Authority

The existence of the SASIE reflects Quebec's status as a distinct legal jurisdiction. The province implemented the 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption through its own provincial law — the Act to implement the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (chapter M-35.1.3) — rather than relying solely on federal implementation. This means Quebec's standards for accreditation, dossier review, and ethical oversight of foreign programs operate independently of the rest of Canada.

In practice, this gives Quebec families both an extra layer of protection (the SASIE monitors the ethics of foreign programs closely) and an extra layer of complexity (every file passes through an additional provincial authority).

The SASIE's Role

The SASIE has three core functions:

Authorization of prospective parents: No family can legally proceed with international adoption without the SASIE first authorizing their project. This authorization requires a completed psychosocial assessment from a recognized private assessor.

Accreditation of bodies: International adoption generally proceeds through an organisme agréé — a certified non-profit body authorized by the Ministry — subject to limited exceptions and prior SASIE authorization. The SASIE maintains and updates the list of certified bodies and the countries they serve.

Review of child proposals: When a foreign country proposes a child to a Quebec family, the SASIE reviews the child's medical and social file before the family is allowed to accept the match. This prevents families from accepting a match without full information about the child's background and health history.

Contact information for the SASIE: 201, boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2M 1L2. Tel: 514-873-5226 or 1-800-561-0246.

Current Country-Program Status

International adoption programs are not stable — they shift based on diplomatic relations, local moratoria, child welfare concerns, and foreign government decisions. A moratorium on opening new international adoption files with certified bodies is in force. Existing files and limited exceptions are treated separately. Before you commit to a country, confirm the current status directly with SASIE.

Accredited Bodies (Organismes Agréés)

You cannot work with an international adoption agency that is not specifically accredited by the Quebec government for the country you are pursuing, unless a limited exception applies. The SASIE maintains a list of certified bodies and their listed countries. Examples include:

• Société formons une famille inc. — Vietnam, Philippines, Burundi
• Soleil des nations — Colombia, Haiti
• TDH pour les enfants inc. — Bulgaria, Ukraine
• Les Enfants du Mandé — Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo
• Enfants d'Orient et d'Occident — Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan

Country coverage changes as suspensions are lifted or imposed. Confirm the current list directly with the SASIE or the accredited body.

Requirements for Quebec Residents

Eligibility for international adoption is governed by Quebec law, the Code civil du Québec, and the laws of the country of origin. Quebec's minimum requirements:

• At least 18 years old
• Minimum 18-year age gap between applicant and the child (subject to possible court waiver in stepparent or other special cases)
• Domiciled in Quebec
• Criminal-record information is reviewed as part of the assessment; confirm requirements and the impact of any history with SASIE, the assessor, and the police service
• Medical information and financial stability assessed as part of the file
• SASIE authorization

Many foreign countries impose additional requirements. Colombia, for example, has minimum age requirements for prospective parents. Vietnam imposes age and marital status criteria. Your chosen accredited body will provide the specific requirements for the country you are pursuing.

The Psychosocial Assessment for International Adoption

For international adoption, the psychosocial assessment (évaluation psychosociale) is conducted by a private assessor authorized by the SASIE or your accredited body — not by a DPJ social worker, as in domestic adoption.

The international assessment typically takes 4 to 8 months (faster than the DPJ route, which can take 6 to 18 months). It covers the same core areas — family history, parenting capacity, support network, motivation to adopt — plus additional components specific to international adoption:

• Transcultural competency: Your ability to support a child's connection to their culture, language, and racial or ethnic identity
• Preparation for institutionalization effects: Many internationally adopted children have experienced early deprivation, institutional care, or prenatal substance exposure. The assessment evaluates your knowledge of these effects and your readiness to parent a child with this history
• Resolution of infertility grief: If you are coming to adoption after infertility, assessors evaluate whether you have processed the transition rather than viewing adoption as a substitute

Assessment reports for international adoption are valid for 24 months.

Cost Breakdown

International adoption in Quebec is substantially more expensive than domestic adoption through the DPJ, which involves mainly legal fees ($1,500 to $3,500 CAD).

International adoption total costs typically run $25,000 to $60,000+ CAD, depending on the country and circumstances. Major cost categories vary, so confirm current quotes before budgeting:

Both the federal and provincial governments offer an Adoption Expense Tax Credit to offset some of these costs. Quebec's Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) also provides income replacement for adoptive parents during their leave.

Timeline

International adoption in Quebec is typically slower than domestic adoption through the Banque mixte. The supported timing points are:

• Psychosocial assessment: typically 4 to 8 months
• SASIE authorization and dossier review: Timing varies; confirm current requirements
• Waiting period for a child proposal: Varies by country and program
• SASIE review of the child proposal and IRCC steps: Timing varies; confirm current requirements
• In-country finalization and travel: Weeks to several months
• Finalization: A Quebec adoption judgment is not required in every international case; a foreign grant may be recognized or a Quebec judicial step may apply
• Federal citizenship or permanent residency for the child: Timing varies; confirm current requirements with IRCC

There is no reliable single end-to-end timeline; the country program, the child's file, travel, and the applicable finalization route control the sequence.

After the Adoption: Quebec Birth Registration

Once a foreign adoption is finalized and you bring the child to Quebec, confirm with SASIE and the Directeur de l'état civil whether the foreign grant is recognized directly or whether a Quebec judicial step is required. The civil-status and federal immigration or citizenship steps depend on that route.

Where a Quebec act of birth is drawn up for an internationally adopted child, confirm with the Directeur de l'état civil how the applicable adoption and any recognized pre-existing bond will be recorded.

For a complete walkthrough of the SASIE authorization process, the dossier requirements, and what to expect at each stage — in plain English — the Quebec Adoption Process Guide covers international adoption in detail alongside the domestic pathways.

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