On May 25, 1982, the Québec government created the Secrétariat à l’adoption. Under the authority of the Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, it had a two-year mandate to find permanent, effective solutions to the problems related to adoption. Two years later, its mandate was renewed and the organization became entirely responsible for international adoption. In the mid-1980s, the Secrétariat à l’adoption officially became the Secrétariat à l'adoption internationale (SAI).

Under the authority of the Assistant Deputy Minister for Social Services since 2004, the SAI is headed by the International Adoption Secretary and Director General. The SAI’s daily activities include administration, advice for the potential adoptive parent, the processing of international adoption files and records, and the handling of searches for family and medical histories, and international reunions.