Department of Linguistics
T&I Labour Market in Canada
By: Ariella Schiff
Introduction
On October 28, 2006, it was stated in the Montreal Gazette, one of Montreal, Canada’s major newspapers that “Translation services have never been more in demand than they are today.” This was written by Julia Riscaldino, a job resource consultant, in response to a question posed by one of the newspaper’s readers regarding the translation and interpreting industry in Canada. Ms. Riscaldino also explains that due to globalization, organizations are conducting business on an international scale, and that as a result, require their documents to be translated.
It is this notion that this report aims to investigate. Its purpose is to evaluate the current translation, interpreting and terminology labor market in Canada, and to determine whether or not it offers ample opportunities to one who desires to find work within the field. It will examine its specific areas, namely the types of jobs available, the job outlook in general, the languages in demand, the required skills and education, professional recognition, associations, incomes and how one can go about at finding employment.
Types of Jobs
Translators
Translators specialize in written communication; they render written material, such as correspondence and reports, from one language into another. They may also translate software and its accompanying technical documents, revise and correct translated material, and train and supervise other translators.
Translators also work as part of localization teams. Localization is the adapting of software for a foreign market, and aside from traditional translation, it involves multilingual project management, conversion of translated documentation to other formats, translation memory alignment and management, multilingual product support, and translation strategy consultancy.
Terminologists
Terminologists are communications specialists; they identify and standardize the specific vocabulary used in a particular field and compose glossaries, terminology banks, technological files, dictionaries, lexicons and resources. They manage these terminological databases by conducting research on the given field, updating them and circulating their information. They also act as consultants for translators, interpreters and technical writers who require specialized terminologies.
Interpreters
Interpreters render oral communication from one language into another during speeches, meetings, conferences, debates, conversation, in court, or before administrative tribunals; they do so either by means of electronic equipment, or aloud. Interpreting may be done simultaneously (while the speaker is delivering his/her speech), consecutively (after the speaker has finished delivering his/her speech), or whispered (simultaneous interpreting done in a low whisper to one or two people). Interpreters may also provide services to individuals and small groups traveling in Canada and abroad, and may train other interpreters.
Conference Interpreters
Conference Interpreters offer simultaneous or consecutive interpreting services. In the case of simultaneous interpreting, they interpret a message while it is being delivered to them electronically, and in the case of consecutive interpreting, they interpret a message after the speaker has finished delivering it.
Court Interpreters
Court Interpreters offer interpreting services in courts of law or in administrative tribunals. They either consecutively interpret witness’ statements or simultaneously interpret the entire proceedings by electronic means for one of the people in attendance.
Community Interpreters
Community Interpreters enable communication between providers of public services and people who are not fluent speakers of the language of the country in order to facilitate complete access to legal, health, education, government and social services.
This sort of activity has always taken place, but it has usually been done by volunteers or family members of the individual who does not speak either of the official languages of Canada. This type of service has not yet been regulated by the CTTIC (Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council); however, the demand for it is growing. In response to its need for structure and recognition, some training programs have surfaced. For example, the Vancouver Community College in Vancouver, British Columbia, offers the Health Care & Community Services Interpreting Certificate Program (http://www.vcc.ca/cs/index-program-overview.cfm?area=CS_INTERPR&prog=HEALTHINTP#HEALTHINTP).
Translators, terminologists and interpreters are employed by the government, translation and interpreting agencies, private corporations, international organisations, and the media, or are self-employed.
According to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the following is a list of official job titles in Canada within the domain of translation and interpreting, and terminology:
| American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter | conference interpreter |
foreign broadcast translator |
literary translator |
scientific translator |
translator adaptor |
ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter |
consecutive interpreter |
foreign news translator |
localiser |
sign language interpreter |
translator, foreign broadcasts |
C. Int. (certified interpreter) |
court interpreter |
interpreter |
LSQ (langue des signes québécoise) interpreter |
sign language platform interpreter |
translator, foreign news |
C. Term. (certified terminologist) |
cultural interpreter |
interpreter for the deaf |
medical terminologist |
simultaneous interpreter |
translator-reviser |
C. Tr. (certified translator) |
cultural or international adaptation specialist |
interpreter, sign language |
medical translator |
tactile interpreter |
transliterator |
certified interpreter (C.Int.) |
deaf interpreter |
jurilinguist translator |
oral interpreter |
technical translator |
visual language interpreter |
certified terminologist (C.Term.) |
educational interpreter |
langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) interpreter |
platform interpreter, sign language |
terminologist |
|
certified translator (C.Tr.) |
elbow interpreter |
legal terminologist |
relay interpreter |
terminology advisor |
|
community interpreter |
escort interpreter |
legal translator |
reviser - translation |
translator |
|
Job Outlook
Translation
Translator positions are available first to university graduates who hold a degree in the field, and sometimes to people who are fluently trilingual in English and French, Canada’s official language pair, and another language, and who have training in a specialized field such as law or engineering. In Canada, the unemployment rate in translation is currently very low.
Translators tend to work for the government, or for translation companies, either as salaried employees or for themselves. Most jobs are in the Montreal and Outaouais regions.
There has always been a strong demand for translation services within Canada’s federal and provincial governments; however, the most significant increase in demand is currently from the private sector, especially within the areas of aerospace, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, finance, and information technology.
It is expected that there will be further job opportunities as positions will open due to people being promoted to management, or leaving the profession altogether to work in journalism, writing, teaching, or other positions.
Interpreting
Interpreting services are mainly needed for conferences, group discussions within a corporate environment, and anything within a legal context. Interpreters therefore travel frequently and must be able to offer flexible working hours. As opposed to translation, the interpreting market is limited, and most interpreters freelance; according to a survey of translators, terminologists and interpreters carried out by Industry Canada, in 1998, few interpreters earn a living solely on providing interpreting services, and many of them have to work as translators. However, due to globalization, multinational business’ demand for interpreting services is expected to grow, especially for consecutive interpreting.
Terminology
Due to recent government cutbacks along with the development of terminological banks and automated research tools, there are limited job opportunities within the terminology sector.
Terminologist positions are usually given to people who have a Masters degree in terminology.
Languages in Demand
To work as a translator or interpreter in Canada, one must have mastery of at least one of the official languages (English and/or French). In Québec, the ability to translate into French opens the door to further employment opportunities. Besides English and French, other languages in demand in Canada are Spanish, German, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Companies who conduct in international business often require translation or interpreting services in other languages, such as Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish.
Translation
According to a survey conducted by the University of Ottawa in 1999, translations within Canada’s official language pair accounts for 75% of translation revenue. However, the multilingualism trend is increasing, and mastery of a third language is becoming more and more necessary. It is expected that in Canada, there will be a higher demand for German, Asian languages (there is currently a significant presence of Asian language translation in British Columbia), Polish, Russian, and most especially Spanish. It is also expected that the demand for translation into “neutral languages,” such as Parisian versus Québec French, will also grow.
The localization market’s language demand is generally from English into other languages, namely Japanese, German, French and Spanish.
Interpreting
There is currently a strong demand for interpreting services outside of Canada’s official language pair, especially Spanish, because of NAFTA and the pan-American market.
Canadian interpreters who interpret within the official languages pair work mostly for domestic clients.
Necessary Skills and Employment Requirements
Personality Characteristics
Translators
In Canada, aside from mastery in at least two languages, translators are expected to have good organizational and research skills. They should have a well-rounded and intellectual curiosity, a good general knowledge, good communication and interpersonal skills, a capacity for synthesis, excellent writing skills, meticulousness, patience, and stamina. They should also have a general knowledge of computers, especially in terms of computer aided translation tools, word-processing software, Internet navigation and e-mail. Specialisation may also be required; in fact, the demand for it is such that some universities are exploring the approach of a double-major program where students earn a degree in translation along with another discipline.
Interpreters
Conference interpreters should possess the aforementioned qualities required for translators, along with a certain physical and mental toughness, and excellent concentration skills. They should have the capacity for instant mental assimilation, an excellent memory, excellent self-expression, and a pleasant voice. It is also important that they have the capacity to adapt to different working environments and to offer flexible working hours.
Terminologists
Like translators, terminologists must possess excellent knowledge of the languages with which they work, and a good general knowledge and intellectual curiosity. As well, they must have excellent computer and organizational skills because they often take part in long-term project management, such as thematic searches. It is to their benefit if they also offer flexible working hours and work well as part of a team.
Education
Education is an important asset when working as a translator, interpreter or terminologist in Canada. A bachelor’s degree in translation or a related field, with a specialization in translation, terminology or interpreting, is generally required. Specialized training in certain disciplines such as law, engineering or economics can also be of use as it allows a translator, interpreter or terminologist to have a specialized and higher-paying job. Translator and interpreter positions are given to those who have degrees before they are given to people who have a good command of the languages involved along with training in a specialized field.
The general requirement is that a translator or interpreter have at least one of the following degrees:
- a degree in translation with a specialization in translation, interpretation or terminology in two languages, at least one of them being of the two official languages
- a university degree in a related discipline such as languages, linguistics, philology and courses in linguistic transfer along with two years of experience as a full-time translator working in two languages, at least one of them being of the two official languages
or:
- five years of experience as a full-time translator working in two languages, at least one of them being an official language.
Obtaining formal education in translation is currently the best means through which one can enter the translation and interpreting industry; however, terminologists are usually required to hold a Master’s degree in terminology.
According to ATIA (the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta), translation firms reported that 26% of their professionals have a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in translation, another 26% have a BA in another field, 14% have a Masters degree in translation and another 14% have a Masters in another field. 72% of professionals employed as in-house translators have a BA or Masters degree in translation.
Training institutions play an important role in Canada’s translation industry. Universities are the main ones that provide training in translation, terminology and interpreting, and are mostly located in the Québec-Montreal-Ottawa corridor; in fact, ATIA reports that more than 87% of students enrolled in a translation program in Canada study within that area. In terms of community interpreting, the post-secondary (post-high-school) institutions that offer training in it, such as Vancouver Community College, are rare.
There are generally six types of training and degrees offered at the post-secondary, graduate and post-graduate levels:
Professional Recognition
In New Brunswick, Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia, the official titles of certified translator, certified conference interpreter, certified court interpreter and certified terminologist can only be awarded by CTINB (Corporation of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of New Brunswick), ATIO (Association of Tranlators and Interpreters of Ontario), OTTIAQ (Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues, et interprètes agrées du Québec) and STIBC (Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia).
Translators, interpreters and terminologists are often required to have CTTIC (Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council) certification, as well as membership in a provincial or territorial association of translators, interpreters and terminologists.
In order to acquire CTTIC certification, one must pass an exam, which is organized in conjunction with CTTIC member bodies that serve at the province or territory level. Certification is not done by the CTTIC itself, but by a Board of Certification that reports to it. This board exercises general control over certification, including the setting of standards. The exams are for translators, conference interpreters, court interpreters and terminologists, and they all include an Ethics component.
As it is not the CTTIC that awards certification, applications for certification are referred to the applicant’s province or territory. Once an applicant becomes a certified member, he/she is recognized as such by all CTTIC member bodies. Certification can be awarded on dossier, or by examination.
On Dossier Certification
To obtain this, the applicant must fit one of the following profiles:
- BA in translation
Six month mentorship program
25,000 words translated, 5000 of which are reviewed by a mentor
- BA in translation
220,000 words translated or minimum two years of full-time practical experience
Samples of work (10 X 500 words = 5000 words) reviewed by the Certification Board
- 550,000 words translated or minimum five years full-time practical experience
Samples of work (10 X 500 words = 5000 words) reviewed by the Certification Board
Certification by Examination
To obtain this, the applicant must fit one of the following profiles:
- BA in translation
110,000 words translated or minimum one year of full-time practical experience
CTTIC exam
- 440,000 words translated or minimum four years of full-time practical experience
CTTIC exam
The translation exam is held every year in various cities across the country, and is corrected by national correction centres for official language examinations. Applicants must register to take it (this generally occurs around early fall, i.e. late September, October).
Conference Interpretation
The exam for certified conference interpreter is administered by the CTTIC. Applicants must be professional interpreters who have worked for at least 200 days under the conditions of regular practice or have equivalent qualifications.
Court Interpretation
The court interpretation exam was developed by the STIBC and OTTIAQ and was adopted by the CTTIC in 1993. Its components include language proficiency, legal terminology and procedures, consecutive interpreting and a mock trial.
Terminology
The terminologists’ exam involves theory and practice in terminology. Applicants must be able to take on relatively difficult terminology tasks and conduct terminology-based research in a specialized field.
Associations
The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council, or the CTTIC, is generally recognized as the national body that represents professional translators, interpreters and terminologists, because it sets, maintains and promotes standards in translation, interpreting and terminology at the national level. Founded in 1970 by ATIO, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario, and OTTIAQ, and the Ordre des Traducteurs, Terminologues et Interprètes du Québec, it is the successor of the STIC, the Society of Translators and Interpreters of Canada.
As professional organizations are under the jurisdiction of either the province or territory, the CTTIC only admits provincial and territorial bodies as members (such as ATIO and OTTIAQ), who in turn represent the individual professionals in their respective province or territory. Since 1972, it has been joined by the following organizations:
-the Corporation of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of New Brunswick (CTINB)
-the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA)
-the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Manitoba (ATIM)
-the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Saskatchewan (ATIS)
-the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC)
-the Interpreters/Translators Society of the Northwest Territories (ITSNWT)
-the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Nova Scotia (ATINS)
-the Society of Interpreters and Translators of Yukon (SITY)
-the Nunavut Interpreters/Translators Association
-the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (AVLIC)
*As ATIO and OTTIAQ founded the CTTIC, they are members as well.
Although membership and certification is not always mandatory, it is more required in some areas in Canada than in others. For example, many employers in Québec demand that their employees be members OTTIAQ.
There are other associations of translators and interpreters:
Literary Translators’ Association of Canada/Association des traducteurs et traductrices littéraires du Canada
Founded in 1975, the goal of this association is to promote literary translation, and to raise public awareness of the quality of translation.
AILIA (Association de l’industrie de la langue Language Industry Association)
AILIA aims to promote competitiveness within Canada’s language industry at the national and international level by means of advocacy, accreditation and information sharing.
The Translation Bureau
Founded in 1934, this association provides translation, interpreting and terminology services for the federal government of Canada. It also standardizes terminology within the federal government.
Income and Rates
Translation
According to the survey conducted by the University of Ottawa, in 1999, translation firms in Canada were charging an average of $0.19 and $0.26 ($0.22 and $0.30 AUD) per word for English-French and French-translations, with the most extreme rates being as low as $0.10 ($0.11 AUD) and as high as $0.50 ($0.57 AUD) per word. For translations that involve a non-official language, average rates were $0.22 to $0.30 ($0.25 to $0.34 AUD) per word and were as high as $0.45 ($0.51 AUD) per word depending on how common the language. Free-lancers earn, on average, $0.14 to $0.18 ($0.16 to $0.21 AUD) per word for official-language translations.
In terms of full-time in-house translators, in 1995, those working for companies were earning an average of $61,000 ($69,000 AUD) annually and those working for the government were earning an average of $51,000 ($57,915 AUD). Those working for agencies earned an average of $38,000 - $45,000 depending on the size of the firm, and freelancers’ income ranged from $25,000 - $61,000 ($28,007.50 - $68,333.70 AUD).
Interpreting
Most interpreters are not on salary, and are paid per job (as mentioned previously, many cannot earn their livelihood only by interpreting, and must take on translation tasks as well). The rates for simultaneous interpreting for the official languages range from $425 to $562 ($486.10 to $642.80 AUD) per day, and for consecutive interpreting, $288 to $461 ($329.50 to $527.35 AUD) per day. These rates are considered to be the lowest in the world.
How to Find a Job
Demand for the services of translators, interpreters and terminologists comes from the government (federal and provincial), translation agencies, corporations, international organizations, the media, and individuals; and in terms of entering the job market and finding a job, two good places to start would be by searching the Internet and by networking.
One can network by contacting firms and agencies (a list of them will follow), and by becoming a member of his/her local provincial association.
The Internet is a useful tool for one looking to work as a salaried in-house translator, interpreter, or terminologist, or for finding a free-lance job. There are websites that are translation-specific, and there are others that are more of a general job search engine.
The following websites are job search engines that are translation-specific:
http://www.translatorscafe.com
http://www.transquotation.com/
http://www.translatorsbase.com/projects.asp?url_entry=TranslationJobs2&gclid=CJGu17XHh4gCFSUmYAodiDWp9w
These websites can be advantageous because the jobs offered are not just in Canada, but from around the world, thus allowing one to make international contacts. On the other hand, practically all of the jobs offered on these websites are free-lance work, and competition for them is fierce as they are highly demanded by many translators all over the world.
If one is more interested in finding employment within a translation agency or in an organisation (such as the government or within the private sector) as an in-house salaried translator, interpreter or terminologist, it would be of more use to consult more general job search engines, or better yet, to consult the organisations directly and/or form personal contacts.
General Canadian job search engines are quite useful in terms of finding employment as a salaried in-house translator, as companies very often use them to post positions. Some of the more popular websites are:
http://www.monster.ca
This site is constantly updated, and is rather user-friendly. One simply needs to click on the ‘Find Jobs’ tab, and type ‘translation,’ ‘interpreting’ or ‘terminology’ in the keyword field. One can even specify the desired location (i.e. province or city). Another advantage of this website is that it is often visited by head-hunters; one can post his/her CV by clicking on the ‘Post My Resume’ tab, and if it appeals to an employer, he/she may end up getting recruited!
http://www.jobsvolution.ca
This website is as easy to use as www.monster.ca, and it does offer the option of posting one’s CV; however, when doing the same translation ‘keyword’ search, fewer jobs are offered.
http://www.eluta.ca
This website does not have the post resume option, but when typing ‘translation’ in the keyword field on the home page, as opposed to www.jobsvolution.ca, many jobs are offered.
If looking to find employment within the government, the Public Service Commission of Canada website is a useful tool, because it lists all the government jobs that are available and open to the public. Job searches can be done either by province, or by clicking on ‘Search’ and typing a more specific category, such as ‘translation’ or ‘interpreting.’
http://www.jobs-emplois.gc.ca/menu/home_e.htm
The following is a non-exhaustive list of Canada’s translation and interpreting firms and agencies; most of the websites have a ‘careers’, ‘career opportunities’ or ‘contact us’ link, allowing one to see if there are any jobs available and/or to communicate with them, whether electronically or in person.
Methodology
All the information provided in this report was found on the Internet. Conducting research in this manner proved to be rather advantageous; not only was plenty of information readily available, including similar reports done by other institutions, but more often than not, websites provided links or at the very least leads (such as the names of associations and agencies among others) to other sources of information.
Using only the Internet, however, did have its drawbacks. The information found was sometimes inaccurate, not updated, or not available at all. An example of inaccurate information was when verifying the translation firms and agencies listed on the translator’s café website, it turned out that many of them were simply CV postings of freelance translators and interpreters. As for out of date or unavailable information, the best example would be when searching for the translation and interpreting pay rates. It was very rare that an establishment (such as a firm, a corporation or a government organization) would advertise the cost of a translation task, and when searching for translation-related job postings, it was uncommon for the pay to be mentioned. In fact, the best information found regarding pay rates was on the survey conducted by the University of Ottawa in 1999.
Conclusion
Based on the information collected, Canada, specifically British Columbia, and the Montreal-Windsor corridor, seems to be a good place for those seeking work in the translation industry.
After all, the country does consist of two official languages, English and French, and with the growth of globalization and the international market, the demand for other languages, such as Spanish and Japanese, is increasing.
In terms of translators’ competence, thanks to the CTTIC and its member bodies, coupled with the fact that universities provide official training programs and degrees and play an active role in the development of the industry, standards have been set for translators, and one must display a certain degree of proficiency before being officially recognized as a professional.
Regarding embarking on a career in translation in Canada, there are jobs available (as previously mentioned, mostly within the Montreal-Windsor area and in British Columbia); one can work for the government, for a corporation, in a firm or agency, or for oneself as a freelancer. Furthermore, there are useful tools, especially on the Internet, that can be used to find them. One has the option of applying for jobs online, of networking by contacting the various associations, firms or agencies (whether it be electronically or in person), or simply posting one’s CV on one of the main Canadian online job search engines.
The job outlook for the interpreting industry does not seem as bright as that of translation. Interpreting services are not in high demand; as a result, the rates of pay are rather low, and many interpreters have to work as translators as well so as to earn a livelihood. This, however, may have changed, because the information found on the interpreting industry is from 1999, and it was also mentioned that with globalization, the interpreting services are becoming more and more required, especially in the non-official languages. Moreover, the need for community interpreters is increasing to the extent that educational institutions, such as the university in Vancouver, are offering certificates in it.
In terms of improving this report, there is no doubt that further research needs to be done. First of all, most of the information gathered and presented is about translation; more inquiries need to be made into the interpreting and terminology industry. Moreover, vis-à-vis the research in general, different sources need to be consulted. As previously mentioned, the only source of information used for this report was the Internet. Although an appreciable amount of data was found, a lot of it, especially the rates of pay and information on the interpreting industry, is not up to date. It would have most definitely been useful to conduct a survey, and contact various professionals who work within Canada’s language industry; this, unfortunately, proved to be a rather difficult task as this report was done outside of Canada, and at the time, there were no contacts with any of the professionals within the industry. However, it would most definitely be very interesting to establish communication with them, as it would allow for one to gather the most current information on the market.
Reference List
The following websites were consulted:
http://working.canada.com/montreal/resources/JuliaRiscaldino/index.html
Currency converter
www.rbcroyalbank.com/rbc:rw3alo71a8uaa9igahu/cgi-bin/travel/fxconvert.pl
ATIA (Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta)
http://www.atia.ab.ca/career.htm
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/groups/5125.shtml
Industry Canada Survey
http://strategis.gc.ca/epic/internet/inlain-inla.nsf/en/h_qs00040e.html
CTTIC (Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council)
http://www.cttic.org/e_certif.htm
Literary Translators’ Association of Canada
http://www.attlc-ltac.org/
The Translation Bureau
http://www.translationbureau.gc.ca
Ordre des traducteurs, terminologies et interprètes agrées du Québec
http://www.ottiaq.org/
Translators’ café
http://www.translatorscafe.com
Job Search Engines
http://www.translatorscafe.com
http://www.transquotation.com/
http://www.translatorsbase.com/projects.asp?url_entry=TranslationJobs2&gclid=CJGu17XHh4gCFSUmYAodiDWp9w
http://www.jobsvolution.ca/
http://www.monster.ca/
http://www.eluta.ca/
http://www.jobs-emplois.gc.ca/menu/home_e.htm
Riscaldino, Julia. Montreal Gazette. 28 October 2006.