International adoption
Post adoption services offered by CISSS and CIUSSS
Moratorium on new international adoption files
A moratorium on international adoptions with certified bodies is in force. The opening of new files is suspended.
However, files submitted without certified bodies, in the circumstances expressly provided for by regulation, as well as files with certified bodies that are already open are exempt from this measure and will continue to be processed as planned. For more information on cases where adoption without an accredited agency is possible, see the page International adoption without a certified body.
Before any adoption procedures are undertaken, they must be authorized by the Secrétariat aux services internationaux à l’enfant (SASIE). Without this authorization, they will not be recognized: no adoption or immigration approval will be granted, and the child will not be able to obtain the right to live permanently in Canada. These rules exist to ensure that every adoption takes place within a legal and safe framework and, above all, in the best interests of the child.
Like the entire Québec population, families who receive a child through national and international adoption have access to the integrated health and social services centre (CISSS) or the integrated university health and social services centre (CIUSSS) in their region. These facilities offer services and programs that aim, in particular, to support the optimal development of children and to help people with adjustment difficulties, physical and mental health issues, but also developmental problems. Support can take the form of family, parental or individual follow‑up, adapted to the child’s and the family’s situation. Professionals in the health sector and schools or childcare services work together to ensure the best possible support.
Whether for an international or national adoption, a number of services are offered by other government bodies, including the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP), and by community organizations in addition to the public service offer. Several organizations offer support, discussion groups, information sharing, webinars or hotlines.
Post‑adoption services aim to support families in order to ensure the child integrates successfully into their new living environment, promote the child’s optimal development as well as provide support in relation to the issues closely associated with adoption.
In national adoption, as soon as the child is placed, the Director of Youth Protection (DYP) plans a meeting schedule intended to ensure the child’s integration and support the family. The frequency of meetings is adjusted based on the child’s and the family’s needs.
In international adoption, in order to obtain post‑adoption services, the adopter or the certified body must confirm with the Secrétariat aux services internationales à l’enfant (SASIE):
- the date of the child’s arrival in Canada;
- the date the child was entrusted to the adopter’s care.
Upon confirmation of the child’s arrival in Québec, the SASIE informs the CISSS or the CIUSSS concerned of the child’s arrival in its territory.
Within 14 days of the child’s arrival in Québec, families receive a visit from a caseworker from the CISSS or CIUSSS in their region who must:
- establish the initial contact with the adoptive family;
- provide advice to facilitate the child’s integration into their new family and social environment;
- support the parent and help them understand their child’s needs;
- provide advice on the appropriate care to be given to the child;
- refer the parent or the child to services or other resources as needed.
Post adoption medical support
Like the entire Québec population, adopted children can have access to a family doctor who will follow their overall health. If the child does not have a family doctor assigned to them, they must be registered with the Québec Family Doctor Finder. Once the medical follow‑up is in place, if the child needs more specialized services, they will be referred to the necessary specialized services (medical or social), in particular those for adoption.
In the context of an international adoption, in the weeks following the child’s arrival in Québec, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor specializing in adoption in order to:
- bring the child’s immunization schedule up to date;
- establish a regular health follow‑up schedule;
- verify or complete the health assessment done abroad;
- assess the child’s physical and psychological health, where applicable.
Services relating to research into family and medical antecedents and reunions
Social and biological history and reunion research services for persons domiciled in Québec at the time of their adoption and adopted by parents domiciled outside Québec, as well as for persons domiciled outside Québec at the time of their adoption and adopted by parents domiciled in Québec, are provided by the Secrétariat aux services internationaux à l’enfant. Consult the contact information for socio-biological research and reunion services for international and intergovernmental adoptions.
Social and biological history and reunion research services for persons domiciled in Québec at the time of their adoption and adopted by parents domiciled in Québec are offered by integrated health and social services centres (CISSS) and integrated university health and social services centres (CIUSSS). Consult the contact information for socio-biological research and reunion services for national adoptions.
For more information about social and biological history and reunion research services consult the page Services relating to research into family and medical background and reunions.
Last update: October 27, 2025