When a child arrives for adoption, the parents may be eligible for different types of benefits. Each type of benefit has its special conditions, especially concerning the benefit period within which the weeks of benefits must be taken by the parents. The number of benefit weeks is determined according to the choice of plan. Planning of benefit weeks accounts for this specific situation.
Types of Benefits
Adoption Benefits
To be eligible for adoption benefits, the parents must ensure a regular presence with the child to care for them. The benefit weeks may be taken at the same time by both parents or in different weeks. Some adoption benefits are shareable, while others are exclusive. The number of adoption benefit weeks is determined according to the choice of plan: basic plan or special plan. See the Choice of Plan table.
Shareable Adoption Benefits
The parents may share the adoption benefit weeks between them, according to their agreement.
Did you know that…?
Under the basic plan, you could receive 4 additional adoption benefit weeks when each parent has been paid at least 8 shareable adoption benefit weeks.
Under the special plan, you could receive 3 additional adoption benefit weeks when each parent has been paid at least 6 shareable adoption benefit weeks.
Only shareable adoption benefits may entitle the parents to additional benefit weeks.
Exclusive Adoption Benefits
Each parent is entitled to a number of exclusive adoption benefit weeks. These benefit weeks may not be shared between the parents or transferred to the other parent.
Exclusive adoption benefit weeks can be added in certain circumstances:
When the birth certificate or the equivalent document is modified by adding the name of a second parent, the Centre de service à la clientèle must be notified. The parent is eligible for single parent benefits only for the period during which they were the only parent mentioned on the birth certificate or the equivalent document.
Adoption-Related Welcome and Support Benefits
The purpose of the adoption-related welcome and support benefits is to meet the specific needs of parents who adopt a child. To be eligible for these benefits, the parents must ensure a regular presence with the child to care for them. The two parents may share these benefits between them, according to their agreement. The number of adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks is determined according to the choice of plan: basic plan or special plan. See the Choice of Plan table.
The adoption-related welcome and support benefits are not taken into account to obtain additional shareable adoption benefits. The parents may choose to receive shareable adoption benefits before taking advantage of adoption-related welcome and support benefits, if this option is more advantageous for them.
Document Confirming the Intention to Adopt
This is an official document coming from the authority responsible in Québec for your adoption procedures. Proof of intention to adopt is required to establish that the child has arrived for adoption. After your application is received, you will receive a request for information, which will indicate the document to provide depending on your situation.
Benefit Period
You may receive your benefits within a specified period.
Adoption benefits and the adoption-related welcome and support benefits
- may begin in the week in which the child arrives in the care of one of the parents for adoption.
In the case of an adoption outside Québec, the benefits may begin five weeks before the date of the child's arrival in the care of one of the parents for adoption.
- must end, subject to exceptions, no later than 78 weeks (18 months) after the child's arrival.
The date considered as the date of the child's arrival for adoption depends on the type of adoption:
- For regular adoption, Indigenous custom adoption and adoption under the Banque Mixte (Mixed Bank) Program, this is the date when the child is placed physically with the family.
- For special (intrafamily) adoption and adoption of a child already placed in the foster family, this is the date of the court filing of the application for an order to place the child for adoption.
- For an adoption outside Québec, this is
- either the date when the child, who was physically entrusted to the adoptive parents by the relevant authority, arrived in Québec
- or the date when the child is entrusted to the adoptive parents in the province or country of origin by the relevant authority when the parents make the request.
A benefit week always begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. It is impossible to split the week into days. For example, if your child arrives on Wednesday and you worked Monday and Tuesday, you may:
- either begin your benefits the previous Sunday and declare your earnings for Monday and Tuesday
- or begin your benefits the following Sunday.
Go to the page Declaring income while you are receiving benefits.
Choice of Plan
When you apply for benefits, you must choose between two options: the basic plan or the special plan.
- The basic plan grants more benefit weeks, during which lower benefits are received.
- The special plan grants higher benefits, spread over a shorter period.
This choice therefore determines the number of parental insurance benefit weeks that may be paid and the percentage replacement of your earnings for these weeks.
| Type of Benefits |
Basic Plan |
Special Plan |
|---|
| Exclusive adoption |
5 weeks to each parent
70% of earnings*
|
3 weeks to each parent
75% of earnings*
|
Welcome and support
shareable between
the parents |
13 weeks
70% of earnings*
|
12 weeks
75% of earnings*
|
Adoption shareable
between the parents |
32 weeks
- First 7 weeks: 70% of earnings*
- Next 25 weeks: 55% of earnings*
4 additional benefit weeks at 55% of earnings* once 8 shareable adoption benefit weeks have been paid to each parent.
|
25 weeks
75% of earnings*
3 additional benefit weeks at 75% of earnings* once 6 shareable adoption benefit weeks have been paid to each parent.
|
Exclusive multiple
adoption
|
5 weeks to each parent
70% of earnings*
|
3 weeks to each parent
75% of earnings*
|
| Child arrives in the care of the parent on or after January 1, 2022 |
|---|
| Exclusive single parent adoption |
5 weeks
70% of earnings*
|
3 weeks
75% of earnings*
|
| Basic Plan |
Special Plan |
|---|
Adoption
Non-shareable benefits |
|
5 weeks to each parent
70% of earnings*
|
3 weeks to each parent
75% of earnings*
|
Adoption-Related Welcome and Support Benefits
Shareable benefits |
|
13 weeks
70% of earnings*
|
12 weeks
75% of earnings*
|
Adoption
Shareable benefits |
|
32 weeks
- First 7 weeks: 70% of earnings*
- Next 25 weeks: 55% of earnings*
4 additional benefit weeks once 8 shareable adoption benefit weeks have been paid to each parent: 55% of earnings
|
25 weeks
75% of earnings*
3 additional benefit weeks once 6 shareable adoption benefit weeks have been paid to each parent: 75% of earnings
|
Multiple Adoption
Non-shareable benefits |
|
5 weeks to each parent
70% of earnings*
|
3 weeks to each parent
75% of earnings*
|
| Child arrives in the care of the parent on or after January 1, 2022 |
|---|
Single Parent Adoption
Non-shareable benefits |
|
5 weeks
70% of earnings*
|
3 weeks
75% of earnings*
|
*The amount of the benefit is calculated according to the percentage of average weekly earnings (% of earnings)
Both parents must choose the same plan. The choice of plan is determined by the first of the two parents who files an application. This binds the other parent, even in the case of shared custody. Go to the Date of Application page.
Important
Once your application is received by the QPIP, it will no longer be possible to change plans, except under exceptional circumstances, this will apply for the duration of the benefit period.
To find out which benefits you could be entitled to claim depending on your situation, to estimate their amount or to evaluate which of the two plans is more advantageous for you, use the Benefit Calculation Simulator.
Planning of Benefit Weeks
Informing the Employer
You must agree with your employer on the time of your intended leave, regardless of whether you are eligible for parental insurance benefit weeks. The Act respecting labour standards contains provisions on leave for family events. To learn more, visit the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) website or call its telephone service at 1-844-838-0808.
Planning Benefit Weeks
The benefit weeks may be taken at the same time by both parents or at different times within the benefit period. It is possible to plan the allocation of benefit weeks to adapt to different realities.
When you complete your application, indicate all the weeks you wish to take. If your situation changes, you may modify, add or delete benefit weeks according to your needs, by accessing your file online.
Here are some examples that take the parents’ reality into account. The basic plan was considered in each situation.
Example 1: Benefits to receive additional adoption benefit weeks
Annie and Sébastien want to receive additional adoption benefit weeks. By doing their planning, they ensure that each of them will receive eight shareable adoption benefit weeks.
Annie will receive 46 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 13 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 28 shareable adoption benefit weeks (including the four additional weeks).
Sébastien will receive 13 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 8 shareable adoption benefit weeks
Total for both parents: 59 benefit weeks
Example 2: Benefit weeks taken at the same time
Jean-Philippe and Mireille have adopted two children. To care for them, they decide to take all the weeks for which they are eligible at the same time. In addition, because they have shared enough shareable adoption benefit weeks, they are entitled to four additional adoption benefit weeks.
Mireille will receive 35 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks for the adoption of more than one child at the same time
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 7 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 18 shareable adoption benefit weeks (including the additional weeks).
Jean-Philippe will receive 34 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks for the adoption of more than one child at the same time
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 6 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 18 shareable adoption benefit weeks (including the additional weeks).
Total for both parents: 69 benefit weeks
Example 3: Benefit weeks taken in different periods
Marguerite and Monica own a business and they want at least one of them continue to work for the business while the other takes care of their child at home. They therefore decide that after the week the child is adopted, Marguerite will stay alone with their child for the first part of the leave. Monica will stay alone with the child for the second part of the leave. In addition, because they have shared enough shareable adoption benefit weeks, they are entitled to four additional adoption benefit weeks.
Marguerite will receive 29 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 6 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 18 shareable adoption benefit weeks
Monica will receive 30 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 7 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 18 shareable adoption benefit weeks (including the four additional weeks).
Total for both parents: 59 benefit weeks
Example 4: Benefits taken with an interruption due to a seasonal job
Karine and Maxime have a seasonal job all summer. They choose not to take benefits during the summer period to work. In any case, they have 78 weeks to take their benefit weeks. In addition, because they have shared enough shareable adoption benefit weeks, they are entitled to four additional adoption benefit weeks.
Karine will receive 36 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 13 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 18 shareable adoption benefit weeks (including the additional weeks).
Maxime will receive 23 benefit weeks:
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 18 shareable adoption benefit weeks (including the additional weeks).
Total for both parents: 59 benefit weeks
Exemple 5: Benefits for a parent who adopts alone
Josiane has adopted a child alone.
Josiane will receive 55 benefit weeks:
- 13 adoption-related welcome and support benefit weeks
- 42 adoption benefit weeks:
- 32 shareable adoption benefit weeks
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks
- 5 exclusive adoption benefit weeks for a single parent
