In Canada, you cannot pay an egg donor, and the RAMQ only covers services provided at a clinic licensed in Quebec. Egg donation in Greece is therefore at your own expense, and there are a few Canadian and Quebec regulations you should be aware of before you go.
In Canada, egg donation is based on an altruistic model: the donor cannot be paid. Health Canada stated in 2019 that the majority of donor sperm and, according to its estimates, the majority of donor eggs used in Canada are imported from the United States, where donors may be paid. This is one of the reasons why people in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada are considering egg donation abroad, in Greece or another country.
Here is what the Canadian and Quebec regulations state as of October 2026, what Greek law permits, and the practical considerations specific to travelling from Canada.
The Assisted Human Reproduction Act prohibits the purchase of eggs or sperm from a donor, offering to do so, or advertising such services. It only permits the reimbursement of the donor’s expenses, upon presentation of a receipt, in accordance with regulations in force since 9 June 2020: travel, meals and accommodation, childcare, psychological counselling, legal services, medication, and the retrieval of medical records.
In Greece, donation is not commercial either: the law prohibits any payment to the donor. However, it does allow for the costs associated with the donation to be covered, including travel, accommodation and loss of earnings, up to an amount set by the National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction.
The regulations implementing the Health Insurance Act, which are enforced by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), cover, in particular, in the version current as at 1 July 2026:
The woman must be under 41 years of age at the time of insemination or in vitro fertilisation, and under 42 years of age at the time of the last frozen embryo transfer. Above all, these services are only covered if they are provided at a clinic in Québec holding a licence issued by the Minister. Treatment in Greece is therefore not covered by this programme, and you will need to budget for the full cost: see the cost of IVF in Greece.
The Quebec law on clinical activities in assisted reproduction prohibits any person working in the health or social services sector from referring a person to an assisted reproduction clinic located outside Quebec for services that do not comply with the standards set out in this law or its regulations, on pain of a fine (section 10.4). The same Act stipulates that only one embryo may be transferred during in vitro fertilisation; a doctor may transfer two if they follow the guidelines of the College of Physicians, noting their reasons in the patient’s file.
In practice, discuss the number of embryos to be transferred with the Greek clinic from the outset: the Quebec standard is a single embryo, and this is what most effectively reduces the risk of a multiple pregnancy. Also speak frankly with your doctor about what they can do to provide follow-up care once you return home.
This last point may be of interest to people who already have a friend or sister in Canada willing to donate. The full Greek framework can be found in the article on egg donation and anonymity.
The federal regulations on the safety of sperm and eggs govern the importation of donor gametes: they must have been processed by a facility registered with Health Canada. These regulations do not mention embryos. Before relying on the transfer to Canada of embryos conceived in Greece using donated eggs, ask the Canadian clinic in writing whether they will accept them, and under what conditions. The rules on the Greek side are set out in the transport of embryos between countries.
It is often simpler to return to Greece: a frozen embryo transfer generally requires two to three days on site (see how many days to stay in Greece).
Canadians may enter the Schengen Area without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and their passport must be valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen Area. The European Entry/Exit System (EES) records your entries and exits; the ETIAS travel authorisation, however, is not yet open for applications as of October 2026. See visa, EES and ETIAS.
The time difference requires a bit more attention. Greece is in the Eastern European Time zone, two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time; most of Quebec is in the Eastern Time zone, five hours behind. Allow for a seven-hour time difference for most of the year, but six hours for a few weeks in spring and one week in autumn: Europe changes its clocks on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October, whilst Quebec changes its clocks on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. The times given by a Greek clinic, particularly the time for the trigger injection, are in Greek time: convert them in writing (see IVF injections and the time).
Start with two sets of written questions. To the Greek clinic: what type of donor they can offer, and how many embryos they will transfer. To your clinic in Canada: what it can do in terms of follow-up, and what arrangements it would accept for any remaining embryos. The answers will determine the rest. If you would like us to review your situation together, please write to me.
Yes, but at your own expense: the Quebec programme only covers services provided at a clinic licensed by the Minister. Furthermore, Quebec law prohibits healthcare professionals from referring you to a clinic outside Quebec for services that do not comply with its standards.
No. The Assisted Human Reproduction Act prohibits the purchase of eggs from a donor; only the donor’s expenses may be reimbursed, upon presentation of a receipt. According to Health Canada, the majority of donor eggs used in Canada are imported from the United States.
No. Health insurance regulations only cover assisted reproduction services if they are provided at a clinic holding a licence issued by the Minister in Quebec.
Seven hours for most of the year between Montreal and Greece, six hours for a few weeks in spring and one week in autumn. The injection times provided by a Greek clinic are given in Greek time.
Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/canada-ivf-egg-donation-greece/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on
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