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 all 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 International Adoption Act (LAI) — 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: All international adoptions in Quebec (except adoptions of relatives or citizens of the country of origin) must be facilitated through an organisme agréé — an accredited non-profit body authorized by the Ministry. The SASIE maintains and updates the list of authorized 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.

Active Country Programs and Suspensions

International adoption programs are not stable — they shift based on diplomatic relations, local moratoria, child welfare concerns, and foreign government decisions. As of 2026, several major Quebec programs are suspended:

• China: Suspended
• Haiti: Suspended
• Ukraine: Suspended

Active programs at the time of writing include Vietnam, the Philippines, Colombia, Bulgaria, and a small number of other countries. The SASIE publishes an updated list; before you commit to a country, confirm with the SASIE that the program is open and accepting new files.

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. The SASIE maintains a list of accredited bodies and their authorized countries. Examples of active bodies 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 (courts can waive for relatives)
• Domiciled in Quebec
• No criminal record involving violence or offences against children
• Medical and financial stability
• 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:

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. A realistic full timeline:

• SASIE file opening and psychosocial assessment: 6 to 12 months
• SASIE authorization of your dossier: 3 to 6 months
• Waiting period with the accredited body for a child proposal: 6 to 24 months (highly variable by country)
• SASIE review of child proposal and IRCC "Letter of No Objection": 1 to 3 months
• In-country finalization and travel: 2 to 8 weeks
• Quebec court judgment and new birth certificate: 3 to 9 months
• Federal citizenship or permanent residency for child: 3 to 12 months

Total from starting the process to having the child home and legally yours: 3 to 6+ years depending on the country program.

After the Adoption: Quebec Birth Registration

Once the foreign adoption is finalized and you bring the child to Quebec, you must file the foreign judgment with the Directeur de l'état civil (DEC). The DEC issues a Quebec act of birth for the child — a prerequisite for the final federal citizenship application through IRCC.

Quebec birth registration for internationally adopted children creates a Quebec birth certificate identical in appearance to one issued at birth. It does not state that the child was adopted.

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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