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Department of Linguistics

T&I Labour Market in Mexico

By Aiza Cuevas

Executive Summary

The purpose of this research is to find out about the situation of the profession of translators and interpreters in Mexico. Through different sources, internet, questionnaires and personal calls to different associations, some general results were drawn. The profession is still developing; it is not regulated by a specific organization but for a few where translators and interpreters usually join depending on their location. There are free-lancers and in-house jobs although it looks that the ones that are better paid are the ones that are free-lancers. It is in general a very relaxing working environment since most of the translators and interpreters are free-lancers. The process to get a job as a translator or as an interpreter follows the same path as in other countries, as free-lancer you need to advertise your self in different ways to attract clients and as an in-house you need to locate transnational companies which are the ones demanding this type of services. In Mexico there is a wide range of educational backgrounds for this profession and since the profession is not regulated by any institution, anybody with language skills can be a translator interpreter without an educational degree. Most translators hold a bachelor degree either in languages or specifically in translation and interpreting. There are no fixed rates but all professionals try to maintain certain range in the prices, some prices are suggested for some educational institutions. The factors that may determine a higher income depend on the skills of the translator, reputation, language direction, certifications they hold and mostly connections to get jobs. The outlook for this profession seems positive. For freelancers the opportunities of jobs are more varied and flexible since they can work in any place with the aid of internet. For in-house translators and interpreters the jobs are located in the biggest cities where demand for these services exists. Also there are available jobs in the cities close to the US border where there are many manufacturing companies. There are many things to be done to improve and give more structure to this profession. Some of the existing organizations are working on that and day by day the profession is gaining more public recognition. Although there were some limitations in gathering information for this research, a general overview of the profession of translators and interpreters in Mexico was achieved.

Introduction

The profession of translators and interpreters in Mexico is relatively young. However we can say that back in 1516 when the Spaniards arrived to Mexico, the Malinche, a mixed race girl, was the first translator-interpreter who helped in the communication between Aztecs and Spaniards.

Mexico is the first Spanish speaking country located next to the United States and due to this fact we might say it is a privileged place for translators and interpreters. However this could also be seen as a disadvantage since there are many persons who "know" the languages as bilinguals and are ready to perform translations without having a good and formal knowledge of the languages.

The only official language in Mexico is Spanish. There are approximately 100 million inhabitants in Mexican territory from which approximately over 6 million people who speak native dialects. The rest of the population speaks Spanish with the exception of certain small towns where American immigrants live.

In this context, many bilingual persons are hired to perform translations because they charge less than professional translators but this results in poor quality translations and clients end up hiring professional translators to re-do the jobs. This situation is one of the main reasons why the profession of translators and interpreters in Mexico has been underestimated in past years.

The aim of this research is to get to know the current situation of the profession of translators and interpreters in Mexico and understand how this profession is structured in terms of current conditions, trends and expected growth. The categories that will be presented in this report are the following: Working conditions, employment, associations, qualifications, earnings and finally a job outlook. The majority of translators are free-lancers but since there is nothing monitoring the profession, it is very difficult to get statistics.

Methodology

The methodology followed to carry out this research and gather information from different sources of information is the following. First, a questionnaire was prepared to be sent to different professionals in the field of interpretation and translation. The purpose for this was to get first hand information from current active professionals and try to understand better the situation of this profession in Mexico. Another source of information was the internet. The information obtained from the questionnaires helped to get useful information that was available in the internet but that was not easily accessible through the internet search tools. Through this source, some educational institutions, organizations and accreditations details that were important for this research were found.

Findings and Results

Working Conditions

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm#conditions

  1. Free-lancers: usually this environment is very relaxed. Translators organize their time and usually work from home or set up an office. They choose their assignments and can perform translations in different fields such us legal, medical, education, etc. Depending on the qualifications they have and the advertisement of their services they can have constant incomes. It is also up to the translator and interpreter to keep their skills updated and to have certain accreditations to gain more jobs.
  2. In house: translators can work for a company as full time employee. Since there are many bilingual persons available companies often underestimate the services of an in-house translator and rates are relatively low in comparison to freelance rates, unless the skills required are very specific and hard to get. Translators usually work in an office and perform translations according to the field of the company who hired them. The payment offered by companies depend on the languages they are requiring, if it is for example Spanish-English translation this is not as well paid as other less accessible languages.
  3. Translation agencies. Translators working for a translation agency have also more permanent work. They can be working in an office or on-line from home. Young translators who have just started in the profession usually start working in these places to gain experience. There are some Mexican agencies but in the majority of agencies requiring the services of Mexican translators are American.

As for interpreters they can work as:

  1. Conference interpreters (Free-lancers or agencies). This is the way most interpreters in Mexico work. Many companies require interpreting services since there are many multinational companies from the US that bring speakers from the US to talk about policies or to train people in Mexico. Interpreters need to go to different places where their services are required.                                                                 
  2. The services of community interpreters are not highly demanded. The existing minority groups usually receive help from family members who speak Spanish. Basically, all persons working in institutions speak at least some English pertaining to their jobs so American immigrant communities don't need the services of interpreters often because they can communicate with the persons that speak English. Court Interpreters are seldom used and people working for the Supreme Court or certified translators perform as interpreters when is necessary. The system is different, there are no public hearings, all there is, is paperwork processes followed by lawyers.
  3. In-house interpreter. There are some companies that have in-house interpreters but are very scarce. Most persons working for companies that have interaction with the USA speak English having no need to use an interpreter.

Employment, how to get a job.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm#emply

Translators and interpreters as freelancers need to advertise themselves in associations, consulates, schools, universities, newspapers, yellow pages and it is good to have a website describing your services in order to find jobs. The more advertisements you have the better because that is the only way to get to clients.

If you want to work as in-house translator in a company you have to look for job offers through HR companies, websites of job searching and send your curriculum Vitae. You can also send your resume directly to the companies that you are interested in working.

To work for a translation agency the translator or interpreter needs to submit his or her resume to the agency they want to apply to and then the agency according to the profile of translators or interpreters they need, select the persons they want to work for them. It is good to contact them directly by phone or if they are in the city you contact them in person.

In terms of getting into an agreement with a client as a free-lance translator or interpreter there are no special contracts that specify the rights of the translator or interpreter. Usually in free lance jobs the translator or interpreter look on the assignment, evaluate it and give a quotation to the client. If the quotation is accepted by the client then the translator/interpreter gives a receipt to the client with the quotation and sometimes they require 50% of the total cost as a down payment so they can start workingon the assignment. The other 50% is paid once the assignment is finished. As a free lancer you are free to create a contract that you can give to your client.

As an in-house translator/interpreter, the contract is provided by the company where the rights, benefits and rates for the job are specified. All terms and conditions should be in compliance with the Federal Law of Labor in Mexico. There are also confidentiality agreements for working as an in-house translator.

The advantages of working as an in-house translator or interpreter:

  1. Permanent benefits as a permanent employee.
  2. Permanent salary.
  3. Support of having the company name behind you.

Disadvantages of working as an in-house translator or interpreter:

  1. Lower hourly rate.
  2. You don't get to choose assignments of your interest.
  3. You don't have control over your time.

The advantages of working as a free-lance translator or interpreter:

  1. you are your own boss
  2. control over your time
  3. higher income if well advertised and good skills
  4. Selection of works of your interest

Disadvantages of working as a free-lance translator or interpreter:

  1. There is no permanent salary or benefits.
  2. 100% Responsibility.

4.3 Associations and authorities

The profession of translators and interpreters is not regulated by a specific institution or association. However, there are some associations in Mexico which have as an objective to help professional translators and interpreters to keep updated in different fields and to promote the profession. As a translator/interpreter you can become a member by proving that you are a professional translator through a degree or certificate from a university or other educational institution or by proving it with your experience and previous work done in certain fields. It is also necessary to pay a fee to become a member of some of these organizations and to be part of their translator/interpreters directory.

Current Organizations:

ATIMAC: Founded in 1983 (Association of Translators and interpreters from Monterrey). This association promotes the profession of translators and interpreters and it includes students, professional translators/ interpreters and persons related to the profession. It basically works as a forum for people related to the profession. Here you can subscribe free of charge and be part of their directory proving your status as a professional translator.

OMT: (Mexican Organization of translators) Founded in 1992. This organization also promotes the profession of translators and interpreters and it offers an accreditation exam that grants the ATA accreditation (American Translators Association). ATA is an American association with more than 20 years certifying the profession of translators and interpreters. OMT also is recognized internationally as it is part of the International federation of translators (FIT) and the Regional centre of North America (CRNA). There is a fee to subscribe to this association and you need to prove you are a professional translator/interpreter.

CMCI: Mexican Professional Association of Conference Interpreters. It was founded in 1982 as a not-for-profit association of professional interpreters. The purpose of this association is to promote the profession of interpreters in order to become a driving and enhancing force as well as to fight for public recognition of associates in the profession.

In a way the only profession that could be considered to be regulated in a certain way is the one of legal translators. To perform legal translations with validity in Mexico, a translator must be a sworn translator certified by the Supreme Court of Justice. If a translator doesn't have this accreditation, legal translations that are to be used in Mexican institutions are not valid. The requirements to get this accreditation are:

  1. To have a degree in the field of translation or a related field.  
  2. If there is no proof of a degree, then you need to prove that you have the knowledge related to the field and experience in it.
  3. Have at least five years of professional experience.
  4. Proof of good character.
  5. Must not have criminal record.

Other accreditations such as NAATI from Australia have validity in Mexico as part of a good resume of a translator/interpreter, and it is related to a greater chance or getting more jobs, but these accreditations are not recognized to perform legal translations.

Training and Qualifications

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm#training

The educational backgrounds of interpreters and translators vary. Most of  the translators and interpreters in Mexico have different backgrounds such as:

  • Bachelor degree in languages.
  • Bachelor degree in translation and interpreting with duration of 4 years and a half.
  • Masters in translation and interpreting.
  • Graduate diplomas in translation and interpreting.

Other translators and interpreters only have English or other language courses as a degree and perform these professions as part time or full time. It is possible to work as an interpreter or translator without having a degree. Good writing skills in both languages and precise and accurate speech as an interpreter are required. It is also possible to get the sworn translator accreditation if you prove that you have been performing the profession for a certain period of years and that you are capable of doing it in a professional way.

Among the educational institutions providing translation and interpreting related courses are:

  • Superior Institute of Translators and Interpreters (ISIT). Bachelor Degree in translation and interpreting. This is the only institution giving the bachelor degree in translation or interpretation. It is located in Mexico City and it has been educating professional translators and interpreters for over 30 years.
  • Technological Institute and Superior studies of Monterrey (ITESM). Postgrauate Certificate in translation and interpreting.
  • Autonomous University of Guadalajara (UAG). Masters of translation and interpreting.
  • Centre of Linguistic and Literary Studies from the Mexican College (CELL). Masters in translation and interpreting.
  • Autonomous University of Mexico. Bachelor degree of languages.

People studying a degree in translation and interpreting in Mexico usually specialize in a specific field. They also get the accreditation as sworn translators to perform legal translations with validity in Mexico. To meet with international standards they usually sit for an exam to get the ATA accreditation from the OMT, organization which has international presence.

Earnings

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm#earnings

Earnings for an in-house translator with a full time job vary depending on the company they work for and the language direction that is demanded. The average income can go from 8,000 MXN to 15,000 MXN which equals 1,000 AUD to 1,800 AUD per month.

As a freelancer there are no established rates but most translators try to maintain common fees as advised by some of the institutions mentioned earlier. Here is what the Superior Institute of Translators and Interpreters advise to charge for translations:

The rates are for every 250 words.

English -Spanish $22/26 AUD
Spanish-English $25/30 AUD
French- Spanish $30 AUD
Spanish - French $34 AUD
Italian- Spanish $47 AUD
Spanish -Italian $54 AUD
Portuguese- Spanish $50 AUD
Spanish -Portuguese $58 AUD

As an intepreter the average income is:

  • $2,500 pesos $320 AUD for a 4 hour assignment.
  • $1,000 pesos= $120 AUD for one hour of interpreting services.
  • $2,000 MXN= $240 AUD for a full day or for an assignment covering several days.

The majority of interpreting assignments are for conference interpreting but interpreting services are also required for business meetings, exhibition visits, contract finalizations and also but lees often in court proceedings.
 The factors that may determine a variation in the rates and that could lead to a higher income and more jobs are:

  1. The languages translators/ interpreters speak, since rates vary depending on the language.
  2. Certifications they hold (sworn translators to perform legal translations/ATA certification with recognition in the US).
  3. Years of experience.
  4. Field of specialization.
  5. Relations in the field.

Job Outlook

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm#outlook

In recent years the idea of translation being only a hobby started to change to become a formal study that allows communication to be clearer, more accurate and effective. With the work of current associations and organizations promoting the profession of translators and interpreters, this profession is gaining more public recognition and economic stability.

The areas where in-house translators/interpreters are most demanded are in the cities where transnational companies are located and the industry is growing such as: Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. Also there is demand for in-house translators in the cities close to the border with USA such as Cd. Juarez, Tijuana and Nuevo Laredo where most manufacturing companies are located.

For freelance translators, the fields that are in most demand and are growing are specialized fields such us legal, literary and business. The Legal field has always been in demand and it is expected to continue growing.

In the interpretation field, interpreters that specialize in Medical, biological and business terms are in demand. Also for interpreters there are more possibilities of employment in big cities where their services are demanded by transnational companies.

Discussion and Analysis of Results

Even though the profession is not as well structured in different aspects as it is in other countries, there are some advantages for professionals working in Mexico. Working conditions are very similar as the ones in developed countries. There is flexibility to organize your work and be a self employed person. If the person has the required skills the possibility of having permanent jobs and the constant flow of assignments is high. The profession of translators and interpreters is well paid, working mainly as freelancers or as an in-house translator-interpreter for less common language directions. The most common language direction is Spanish-English and it is also the least well paid but still higher than in other developing countries.

However not everything is positive, there is a disadvantage in the aspect of the qualifications, because almost anyone who wants to perform translations and interpretations can do it. Since there is no national accreditation authority there is no monitoring system that could assist and asses the profession. This causes in-house translators working with the most common language direction which is English <-> Spanish, getting lower incomes than other language directions because there are many sub-qualified persons available and no assessing authority establishing standards. The job outlook is positive as long as the person has the demanded skills and needed qualifications.

Overall, the results reflect a profession needing active participation for its development and with a growing demand. For this reason, we can consider Mexico as a market with many opportunities for professional, well prepared translators and interpreters who could be able to develop their own careers as well as the profession.

Conclusion

Since the profession of translators and interpreters is not as structured as it is in other countries, this research faced different limitations. First of all, most of the information was not easily available. There is a need for monitoring organizations that could keep track of the profession to be able to provide statistics and useful information about the development of the profession, the perspectives, etc. Right now much of the information was obtained from active translators and interpreters but there is no formal organization that could provide specific data about the profession. Furthermore, some of the answers provided in the questionnaires were not explicit enough to be able to get more specific results. Also, since this is the first research done in Macquarie University about the labor market in Mexico, there was no background information available and this research started at the most basic level. There were not many Mexican translators and interpreters involved with the university that could have been involved in this research, and some of the professionals contacted never had time to answer back the questionnaires. For the same reason that this is a profession that is still developing in Mexico, a lot of information was not easily accessible in the internet making it more difficult to obtain valuable information.

Even though the profession of translators and interpreters in Mexico is gaining more and more stability every day, there is still a lot that needs to be done in order to have a better view of the profession and to be able to promote this profession in the rest of the world. This profession needs to be in the same position as it is in other countries in all aspects to obtain an international standard. To achieve this, it is necessary to integrate all current professionals performing as translators and interpreters in Mexico as well as team work among current organizations working to establish this profession on a more firm base.

This paper is the first phase of an investigation that needs to go deeper and go beyond the general overview provided in this paper. For future research it would be useful to start from this point and try to find out more details about the profession through the current associations. It would be helpful to try to work with the organizations and consolidate the information that they have available independently to come up with statistics nationwide.

References

Certification as a sworn translator:

Organizations:

Universities:

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