The interpreting service provider (ISP) industry in Canada has seen significant development since the establishment of the National Standards Guide on Community Interpreting Services (NSGCIS) in 2007. This guide aimed to ensure consistency and high quality in community interpreting services across various sectors, including health, government, legal, education, and social services. It set out requirements for providing quality community interpreting services, promoting excellence through assessment, training, strategic hiring practices, continuous performance monitoring, and professional recognition.

Key ISO Standards in Interpreting

Since the publication of the NSGCIS, a series of ISO standards have addressed the broader landscape of interpreting, focusing on specialized domains such as legal and healthcare. These standards include:

• ISO 13611:2024: Interpreting — Requirements and recommendations for community interpreting (first published in 2014 and republished after a systematic review)
• ISO 18841:2018: Interpreting services — General requirements and recommendations
• ISO 20228:2019: Interpreting services — Legal interpreting — Requirements
• ISO 21998:2020: Interpreting services — Healthcare interpreting — Requirements and recommendations 
• ISO 23155:2022: Interpreting services — Conference interpreting — Requirements and recommendations

Despite these established standards and advancements, the community interpreting sector remains largely unregulated, with no mandatory accreditation for ISPs. This has resulted in a wide variation in standards and practices.

Challenges in the Industry

Language and skills assessments, such as the CILISAT and ILSAT exams, are available in various languages, but no single clear guidance on the best path exists. The Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA), formerly AILIA, launched a certification program in early 2010 to foster professionalism and reliability among ISPs. However, the decision on minimum qualifications for interpreters and who is deemed qualified for specific assignments remains at the discretion of individual ISPs.

This lack of regulation often becomes apparent when I receive calls from individuals working as interpreters who have never received formal training. Many are shocked to discover the depth of skills and knowledge required for their critically important work. The errors resulting from untrained interpreters can have serious consequences for people’s health, wealth, liberties, and freedoms, as well as inefficiencies and costs borne by the system.

Training Opportunities and the Need for Standardization

Training opportunities for community interpreters in Canada range from brief orientation sessions to extensive 180-hour college certificate programs. However, a common framework and ethical mandate forming a standard approach to education and training are missing. Currently, there is a hodgepodge approach that allows dangerous practices and unscrupulous actors to gain ground. While the need for interpreters continues to grow, the availability of courses for interpreter education has been declining in recent years.

Learn more about how standards were created.

Efforts by Certifying and Accrediting Bodies

Certifying and accrediting bodies such as ATIO, ATIA, ATIS, ATIM, ATINS, CTTIC, CTINB, OCCI, OTTIAQ, and STIBC have seen growth in membership and provide independent credentialing mechanisms separate from ISPs and training institutions. These bodies, alongside initiatives by the Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA), work to consolidate the industry, enhance professional recognition, and promote the importance of community interpreting through conformity assessments, certification efforts, and public education campaigns.

The Role of ISO in Standardizing Certification

ISO plays a crucial role in standardizing certification processes across various fields, including interpreter training. By establishing clear guidelines and requirements, ISO ensures consistent, reliable, and globally recognized certification processes. This standardization helps maintain high-quality services and fosters trust among clients and professionals.

In the ever-evolving landscape of interpreting, ensuring excellence in training programs is crucial. As a veteran of the interpreting industry since 1989, I have witnessed significant changes, including the rise and fall of various educational programs. This article explores the challenges faced by interpreter training programs and the unwavering commitment to maintaining high standards in this essential field.

Historical Context

Interpreter training in Canada has a rich history marked by key milestones and significant contributions to the profession. Over the years, various institutions have offered comprehensive programs to train interpreters, addressing the growing need for skilled professionals in diverse sectors such as healthcare, legal, and public services.

The Role of The Interpreter’s Lab

Founded in 2012, The Interpreter’s Lab was created as an auxiliary to post-secondary interpreter training courses, focusing on professional development to address the growing need for consistent, robust, and dependable training. Our vision remains to provide training that helps interpreters develop their skills, advance their careers, and maintain their competence. We strive to balance cost, effectiveness, comprehensiveness, and responsiveness to the marketplace, always with a firm view on evolving best practices and international standards.

Challenges in Interpreter Training

Program Closures

Shortly after our inception, Vancouver Community College (VCC) closed its interpreter programs, which were among the most comprehensive in the country and internationally esteemed. As a sessional instructor with VCC at the time, and a developer of numerous curriculum models delivered across the province, I was approached by various community stakeholders to fill this gap. In response, we expanded our offerings to provide more comprehensive training based on the curriculum models we had developed over the years.

Recently, we were disappointed to hear about Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) decision to close their interpreting and translation programs. The SFU program, specific to Mandarin/English in healthcare and legal settings, was a vital resource. Its closure will significantly impact current and future students, program staff, and existing firms and agencies, especially government services, that rely on properly trained interpreters. We hope to assist in filling the gap left by SFU’s program and work with all stakeholders to ensure that properly trained interpreters continue to support essential government services, making them accessible to all in the community.

Declining Educational Opportunities

Throughout my over three decades in this profession, the demand for interpreters, especially in healthcare, has steadily increased, while educational opportunities and standards (with few exceptions) have declined. We have continued to offer these programs because we believe interpreters are an integral part of any community and a crucial component of the Canadian landscape.

The Importance of Standards

ISO TC 37/SC 5 and International Standards

As a member of the International Standards Committee on Language and Terminology – ISO TC 37/SC 5 – since 2010, I am a strong advocate for the importance of adhering to standards. These standards ensure consistency, reliability, and quality in interpreter training and services.

Learn more about why interpreter standards matter. 

The New Standard for Training Programs in Community Interpreting

In 2021, I initiated a standard on Training Programs in Community Interpreting, set to publish in fall 2024. While aimed at community interpreting, this standard applies to all community-based settings—healthcare, public services, and law enforcement. This initiative was driven by the rise of numerous programs that claimed to educate bilinguals to work as interpreters without adhering to proper standards.

The Role of Interpreters in the Community

Interpreters play a vital role in various sectors, ensuring effective and accurate communication, maintaining confidentiality, and respecting the autonomy of all parties involved. They are crucial in healthcare, public services, and law enforcement, contributing significantly to public efficiency and reducing costs.

Addressing Misconceptions

Interpreting vs. Bilingualism

One common misconception is equating interpreting with bilingualism. Being bilingual does not automatically qualify someone to be an interpreter. Professional interpreters possess specific skills, competencies, and knowledge essential for their role, including maintaining confidentiality, ensuring effective communication, and respecting the autonomy of all parties in a session.

The Value of Professional Training

Professional interpreter training provides significant benefits, including improved communication, reduced public spending through efficiencies, and enhanced service quality. It is essential to recognize the value of professional training in developing competent interpreters.

Commitment to Excellence

The Interpreter’s Lab’s Approach

We continue to offer training programs, sustained by an exceptional roster of skilled, experienced, professional instructors from across the country. Despite challenges such as low enrolment, we remain dedicated to providing high-quality education and training. Our programs aim to create a united community through effective communication, celebrating the diversity and autonomy of individuals.

Overcoming Challenges

To address low enrolment and other challenges, we are committed to raising awareness about the importance of professional interpreter training and advocating for industry standards. We aim to collaborate with stakeholders to enhance the recognition and support of interpreter training programs.

The Future of Interpreter Training

Adapting to Market Needs

The Interpreter’s Lab plans to adapt to changing market needs by continuously updating our training programs and methodologies. We aim to stay ahead of industry trends and ensure our offerings remain relevant and effective.

Collaboration and Support

We believe in the power of collaboration with stakeholders, including educational institutions, certifying bodies, and industry professionals, to support and develop interpreter training programs. By working together, we can ensure the sustainability and excellence of interpreter training.

Interpreter training is essential for maintaining high-quality interpreting services across various sectors. Despite the challenges, The Interpreter’s Lab remains committed to sustaining excellence in this field. Our dedication to providing robust, dependable training and advocating for industry standards ensures that interpreters can continue to play a vital role in our communities.

For more information on our programs and initiatives, visit The Interpreter’s Lab. Together, we can build a stronger, more effective community through the power of professional interpreting.

In a previous blog on being a Certified Interpreter in Canada we provided an overview of what it means to be certified and the steps involved, restated here:

Steps in the Process:

• Join the provincial CTTIC affiliate as an Associate Member
• Pay the application fee
• Gain admission to the Society as Associate Member
• Pay the full annual membership fee
• Sit for the certification exam provided by CTTIC (The Canadian Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters Council) – a national exam recognized by all provincial translation societies and associations in Canada.

How to Become a Certified Interpreter in Ontario 

The pathway to being a certified interpreter is the same regardless of which CTTIC-affiliated professional association is represented in your province: from STIBC in BC to ATIO in Ontario and ATINS in Nova Scotia – all the seven-member associations similarly administer the CTTIC exams. 

Achieving certification requires clearing the CTTIC examination. The creation of these examinations and supervision of the exam protocol is the responsibility of CTTIC; however, the actual delivery of the exams is not within their scope. This task is delegated to the provincial member agencies. 

Overview of ATIO (Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario) Certification Process

While many provinces possess a member agency affiliated with CTTIC, this is not the case for every province. In Ontario, that membership body is the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario or ATIO and those seeking to take the CTTIC examination should direct their applications to these member agencies at the provincial level.

While it’s possible to sit for the CTTIC exams, in certain cases, with no formal training going in the field, this can lead to unsuccessful attempts and could end up being a costly gamble without the payoff you’re hoping for. The smart move is to start with building a solid foundation by acquiring the essential skills, knowledge, and competencies through a reputable education and training program. This preparation will fortify your professional capabilities. Educational institutions and organizations are crucial in providing the resources and support you need for this stage.

Sometimes however you simply need a refresher or some preparation with a skilled mentor, rather than retaking a course. At The Interpreter’s Lab we offer both short-term courses that teach the foundational skills tested in the CTTIC exams, as well as exam preparation packages where you get to work one-on-one with a skilled mentor and coach. 

Note also that the pathway to certification includes first becoming an Associate member, and some of the Certified titles may also require a minimum number of hours of experience working in the designated setting. 

Tips to Prepare for The Interpreter Certification Exam

You may also consider taking an assessment of your language and interpreting skills through other measures in the interim, for example, the CILISAT, the Community Interpreter and Language Interpreting Skills Assessment Tool. Since 1994, the CILISAT was established as a proprietary-owned assessment tool that is administered by authorized testing centers across Canada. The CILISAT focuses primarily on sight translation and dialogue or consecutive interpreting in both of an interpreter’s working languages. 

While it only measures the interpreting and language skills associated with community interpreting, it can be a very good tool to have in your interpreter toolkit. You can take the CILISAT at any point during your practice, or even before you begin your journey as a measure of your current skills. 

The Interpreter’s Lab, as an authorized testing center, offers the CILISAT at competitive rates to support interpreters and your successful completion of the CILISAT is accepted in all provinces, including Ontario. 

Why is Certification Important?

Whichever is your pathway, certification is an important element of any profession. Having a certification process provides the consumer with a measure of confidence in the skills and abilities of the professional with which they are working. But certification is only one part of the professional profile, and all the other important components should also be acknowledged: education, experience and continued competence. The pathway does not end at the certification. 

If you are interested in our examination preparation packages, you can find out more by contact us at admin@209.182.202.254 or you can attend one of our free monthly information sessions by booking your spot here: The Interpreter’s Lab Individual Programs Information Session.