Like many immigration agencies across the globe, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires the use of certified translation services for paperwork originally created in another language. Below we’ll look at what you might need to translate, how to find a translation company and some basics on what certified translation is. As you navigate the complex Canadian immigration process, hopefully, some of these resources will make doing so feel a little less daunting.
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What Are IRCC Certified Translation Services?
Immigrating into a new country can be one of the most complicated processes you’ll ever undertake. The amount of paperwork the IRCC requires is impressive. The process gets more complex once you add paperwork in other languages into the mix.
According to the government of Canada’s website, any supporting documents that are not in English or French must be accompanied by an official translation of the original document or of a certified copy of the original document in English or French. The website lists that the translation must be, “of the original document or of the certified copy of the original document, certified by a certified translator… and included with the application.”
The Canadian immigration process allows that if you cannot access a certified translator you can substitute an affidavit. This affidavit document swears the accuracy of the translation and the language proficiency of the translator. The translator swears all this in front of a local country commissioner allowed to administer oaths. The affidavit cannot be done by applicants themselves or anyone in the family.
Can anyone certify a translation? The Canadian government is very clear on how to tell if a translator is certified. They want the translator to have a certification that can be confirmed with a seal or stamp that shows that the translator is a member of a professional translation association in Canada or abroad. Further, translation can’t be done by the applicants themselves, nor by members of the applicant’s family nor the applicant’s consultants or representatives.
If you do not follow these Canadian immigration process translation guidelines, the immigration application is returned as incomplete and you have to resubmit following the above translation guidelines.
How to Work with IRCC Certified Translation Services
How do I get a certified translation? You find a translation company that can complete certified translation services. Many, such as Tomedes, even specialize in working with immigration services around the globe. Companies like these can help you navigate the Canadian immigration process by translating the documents that go along with your application. The Canadian immigration process requires many types of documents that certified translation services can help deliver, like police certificates to prove you don’t have a criminal record, medical exam paperwork, proof of funds if you don’t yet have a job or job offer, educational credential assessments and language test results. All of these documents will need to be translated if they are in another language.
Working with a translation company might just be the least painful part of the immigration process. Doing so is very simple. You start by submitting your document to the translation company. Many translation companies simply have you upload the documents into a secure digital system these days. You also might provide personal contact information. You also select which languages you need translated. After that, you simply submit the order and wait for it to return. Some certified translation services even have a 24-hour turnaround time.
A convenient feature of Canadian immigration process translation is that it requires minimal input from you. There are types of translation where tone, figurative language and cultural sensitivity must be kept in mind, such as when translating a novel or marketing message. But with Canadian immigration process translation, the whole point is to keep the details of forms exactly the same between the original and translated versions. So, it’s an easy process of submitting and then waiting for the documents to come back. These often get delivered in email for digital copies and mail for hard copies.
Finding the Right IRCC Certified Translation Services
In 2019, Canada admitted over 341,000 permanent residents. Thankfully for those who needed linguistic support as part of the application process, certified translation isn’t all that hard to find.
That 2019 figure out Canada over its immigration level target by over 10,000 immigrants. With so many people immigrating to Canada, certified translation services are there to help.
To get started, search online for terms like certified translation services near me or IRCC certified translation. Some people also ask around their personal network for any recommendations. If someone can recommend a service, it might mean they have had a smooth experience getting their paperwork accepted as part of the Canadian immigration process using that service.
Once you find a translation company or list of companies, make sure the translators are certified or can provide the affidavit certifying the accuracy of the document and their competence.
