It’s possible to ask for child support from a parent who lives outside Quebec or Canada. As long as one parent lives in the province, a Quebec court can order someone to pay child support. But how is the amount decided? And how do the rules make sure support is paid?
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If you get divorced or separate from your ex, you might end up paying or receiving support payments for the children you have together. Child support is money one parent pays another to help meet their children’s needs. It helps pay for everyday expenses, like food, housing, communication, clothing, transportation and extracurricular activities.
How is child support calculated?
If you get divorced before a Quebec court, and your ex lives outside Quebec, child support payments will be calculated according to rules set by the federal government.
You can look at the Federal Child Support Tables to figure out the approximate amount for these payments. These tables show the basic amount for the province or territory where the parent paying child support lives. If that parent lives outside Canada, then the base amount for Quebec is used.
If you were never married, or separate without divorcing, you can still ask a Quebec court to order the other parent to pay child support. In such a case, the amount will be calculated according to rules set by the Quebec government. If one of the parents lives outside Canada, their income will generally be converted to Canadian dollars when calculating the support amount.
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Did you know? You can use this Child Support Payment Calculation Tool to estimate the amount you should receive for your children, depending on your situation. |
The other parent lives elsewhere in Canada or in the United States
Quebec’s tax agency, Revenu Québec, has a support-payment collection program that manages child support payments when a parent lives in another province or territory of Canada. This program also applies when a parent lives in one of these American states: California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania or Vermont.
In most cases, your file is automatically sent to Revenu Québec when a Quebec court orders the payment of child support. After confirming certain information with both parents separately, Revenu Québec acts as an intermediary. You won’t have to communicate directly with the other parent.
Revenu Québec collects the payments and transfers them to the other parent. It can also take action if a parent doesn’t pay child support. For example, Revenu Québec can withhold the amount the parent owes through source deductions on their salary, withhold their tax refund, seize their property or bank accounts, or even suspend their Canadian passport.
The other parent lives in France
Quebec and France have an agreement that makes legal judgments involving both places easier to enforce. Under this agreement, Quebec’s department of justice manages child support payments. This department’s French name is the Ministère de la Justice du Québec.
If the other parent lives in France and doesn’t respect a Quebec court judgment ordering them to pay child support, you can inform Quebec’s department of justice. They will forward the case to France’s department of justice, which will take steps to locate the other parent and make them pay the child support.
If you move to France, you can also notify France’s department of justice if the other parent in Quebec stops paying child support. French authorities will then contact Quebec’s department of justice, which can take similar steps with the parent living in Quebec.
The other parent lives elsewhere abroad
If the parent paying child support lives elsewhere abroad, the rules to enforce payment depend on where they live. In this case, consult a lawyer or notary to understand your rights and options.
While you or the other parent are abroad, Quebec’s tax agency, Revenu Québec, will continue to manage your child support payments. One parent continues to send payments to Revenu Québec, which transfers the money to the other parent, no matter where they live.
Have you thought about family mediation?
Family mediation can help resolve conflicts involving child support. It’s a voluntary and impartial process that helps you communicate with your ex.
Quebec family mediation services are available to anyone who lives in the province. A mediator can help you and your ex negotiate directly with each other to find solutions adapted to your situation.
International family mediation services can also help resolve issues that arise from living far apart. For example, you could use this type of mediation to agree on which child support rules to follow, visits, long-distance communication with the children or who will pay for trips so that family ties are maintained despite the distance.