International adoption
Profile of the intercountry adopted children
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.
The profile of children adopted from abroad has changed.
Most children waiting for parents:
- are over 4 years old;
- are from a family of two or more children;
- have a physical or psychological health problem.
Origin of the children
Children proposed for adoption are orphans or abandoned. They come from different environments (orphanages or foster families). Some have been in difficult situations. They may be:
- abandoned children whose family is unknown;
- orphans whose family council has consented to adoption;
- children whose biological parents have been deprived of parental authority;
- children whose biological parents have consented to adoption.
Health of the children
Some children may have a physical or psychological health problem.
It is important for prospective international adoptive persons to be well informed in order to understand the potential needs of the child proposed for adoption and be able to offer them all the parental and medical care required. It is especially important to be informed when the children have a particular profile, whether they are older or have specific needs. Adoption preparation workshops as well as training to prepare for the adoption of a child domiciled outside Quebec cover this subject.
For more information about the health of children proposed for adoption, go to the page Health of the child.
Period of grieving for the children
An adopted child is marked by the loss of people who are important to them, their ties to them and their points of reference. So they will necessarily be going through a grieving process when they arrive in Quebec.
They are facing several challenges from different angles:
- physical;
- environmental;
- emotional.
The child must create new bonds and new relationships in their host country. This process takes time.
Last update: June 11, 2024