Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
www.hrsdc.gc.ca
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Intercountry Adoption in Canada
Approximately 2,000 children are adopted every year by citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) is the lead federal department responsible for intercountry adoption in Canada.
Intercountry Adoption Services
Intercountry Adoption Services (IAS) represents the Department’s interests in intercountry adoption by:
- developing pan-Canadian responses on issues such as unethical and irregular adoption practices and child trafficking;
- acting as a clearing house on adoption legislation, policies and practises of ‘sending’ countries, research, data and statistics; and,
- encouraging communications and continually building on working relationships with provincial and territorial, federal, and foreign government counterparts in the adoption community.
Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption
The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption is an international agreement that encourages participating countries to comply with international adoption standards in the best interests of children. The Convention is also structured to strengthen adoption practices to prevent the abduction, sale or trafficking in children. Birth families and adoptive families are safeguarded as well, although the Convention’s primary focus is to protect the rights and interests of children.
The Government of Canada ratified the Convention in December 1996. On behalf of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, IAS is the federal Central Authority for Canada under the Convention.
Intercountry adoption processes
Intercountry adoption is regulated under both provincial and foreign adoption laws. In Canada, either the provinces and territories or licensed adoption agencies carry out adoption case management. For information on intercountry adoption processes, please contact your provincial or territorial government.