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Intercountry Adoption Services (IAS)

Program Description

Intercountry Adoption Services (IAS) represents Human Resources and Social Development Canada in its capacity as the lead federal department for intercountry adoption.

IAS works with foreign governments, other federal departments, provinces and territories. Provinces and territories have their own legislation governing adoptions, and under this legislation carry out case management of individual adoptions. For more information on intercountry adoption processes, please contact the appropriate provincial/territorial adoption authority.

IAS carries out three main functions:

  • Issue resolution: IAS facilitates the development of a pan-Canadian response on issues between provincial/territorial jurisdictions and foreign countries, including matters such as child trafficking.
  • Knowledge dissemination: IAS gathers and disseminates to the provinces and territories information about adoption legislation, policies and practices in foreign countries; current research; and data about intercountry adoptions.
  • Facilitation of strong working relationships: IAS facilitates communications and strong working relationships among adoption officials in Canada at the federal, provincial and territorial levels.

IAS also acts as the Federal Central Authority for the Government of Canada in accordance with the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. This Convention establishes safeguards to ensure that international adoptions are carried out in the best interests of the child. It sets out a framework for co-operation between member States to prevent the abduction of, sale of, or trafficking in, children. The Convention applies to adoptions involving two countries that have agreed to participate. Canada became signatory to the Convention in 1995. The Convention is available at: www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.text&cid=69.

Information on Canada’s Bilateral Agreement with Vietnam can be accessed by clicking on the following link: Bilateral Agreement.

The following link contains documents which were prepared by IAS. Research and Publications.

For other federal information on intercountry adoption, please click on the following links:

Date Modified:  2007-08-22

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