The IRCC, which stands for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Canada, is a department of the Canadian government. This department handles issues relating to immigration to the country — its citizenship and refugee statuses. When applying for citizenship or entry into the country, this governmental department requests specific documents that sometimes require translation. But how can someone get an IRCC-certified translation?
When applying to visit or move to Canada, English or French translations of your documents are sometimes necessary. This requirement is important when people come from countries with different official languages. In most cases, documents like birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates, and others require certified translations. Due to its massive importance, this post covers everything about getting these certified translations.
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What Is a Certified Translation in Canada?
In Canada, certified translations come from certified translators with the required qualifications. Since Canada places so much importance on professionalism in translation, its certified translators must obtain the necessary skills and certifications. These translators must be members of the Canadian Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) before they can issue certified services.
So, certified translations in Canada generally come from this crop of translators. Besides emanating from certified translators, this type of translation also follows a specific format and a set of rules. For instance, certified translations must carry signatures and stamps from certified professional translators. These translations must also come along with the original documents to ease accessibility.
Regarding the translation of official documents, different countries usually have different requirements. So, while the United States has different prerequisites, allowing non-certified translators to create certified translations, Canada’s is more stringent. What is a certified translation in Canada is not the same in the US.
While certified translations in Canada must be complete, they also require the translation date and indications of the translator’s pedigree. These certifications strongly vet the translator’s certification and membership in a reputable association under the CTTIC. Canadian governmental agencies and institutions insist on certified translations for official, legal, and academic purposes. While independent translators can offer this service as long as they have the certifications, institutions highly recommend document translation companies. These companies and agencies usually possess more extensive resources to offer certified services that meet the requirements.
How Much Is Certified Translation in Canada?
Although various Canadian translation companies charge differently for their services, most value certified translations at around $30 per page. Of course, this figure still depends on the volume of your order, the documents, and the translator offering the service. Larger translation companies and reputable individuals may charge more due to their extensive experience and expertise.
For instance, QLPD Canada Translation Services offers single-page certified translations for $40. The company also offers multiple-page certified translations for $35 and $30. Companies like Canadian Translator provide this service for as high as $60.
While obtaining certified translations in Canada could be more costly than other countries, its strict requirements make it harder. Since the country’s governmental institutions implement stringent rules about who can offer this service, its provision becomes limited. In this case, obtaining certified translations online is not an entirely viable option.
Therefore, consider finding a nearby translation agency to work with if you need certified translation services for the IRCC. Although this alternative generally costs more, it helps you beat the requirements, boosting the chances of your application’s approval.
So, if you’re wondering, “How much is certified translation in Canada?” remember that it varies. When considering averages, certified translation services have different costs in different countries. However, this figure is not constant due to factors like the translator’s experience, certifications, immediate location, and other additional elements. That notwithstanding, people often wonder how much this service costs in different countries.
What You Need to Know About IRCC-Certified Translators
Unlike many other countries, Canada places so much importance on its translation apparatus. Because of this, it limits the people offering the service, keeping the experts and professionals in the game. The country also pays attention to who offers certified translation services for its governmental departments. As a result, people are often unclear about who an IRCC-certified translator is.
According to the IRCC, certified translators are those recognized by the Canadian Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters Council. Even here, these crop translators are members in good standing of the council in Canada or any other country. Most certified translators possess the needed qualifications and certifications, indicating their expertise and knowledge in the field.
Generally, IRCC-certified translators possess certifications that contain the seals and stamps of their professional translation bodies. These seals and stamps indicate their membership in those translation associations in Canada or abroad. The IRCC insists that individuals without accreditation or certification do not fit the definition of a certified translator.
This government department recognizes professionals from other countries. However, it insists that these professionals must show proof of their profiles as professional translators in stamps and signatures. That notwithstanding, the IRCC requests to translate these stamps if they are available in foreign languages.
IRCC Translation Requirements
When processing applications to the IRCC, it is necessary to translate foreign documents neither in English nor French. This is most applicable to people in other countries seeking entry into Canada.
However, you may be unaware of the current IRCC translation requirements that validate your application. Here are four requirements you must consider:
1. Certified Translations Are Mostly Compulsory
Certified translations are necessary for applications to the IRCC if your original documents are not in French or English. These certifications help the agency confirm that the translation came from a professional translator. Since these certifications typically carry statements of the translator’s qualifications, stamp, and signature, verifying is far easier.
You must also translate certification stamps if they aren’t in French or English. But unlike other countries, this Canadian agency does not accept self-translated documents or those from family and friends. It strictly requires documents from certified translators.
2. Translations for the IRCC Must Be Complete
Besides simply obtaining certified translations, they must also be complete. Despite the certified translator covering this element in the certification document, you must ensure that you’ve provided a word-for-word translation. This means that you must provide a mirrored English or French translation. Since the IRCC does not accept summarized translations or abstracts, find translators with the best results. While this may appear extreme, the agency compares these translations to understand the information on the original document.
3. Affidavits Must Accompany Non-Certified Translations
While certified translations are necessary in most instances, the IRCC also provides non-certified translations. In such cases, the agency recommends that you include an affidavit, swearing to the translation’s accuracy and the translator’s proficiency.
The translator must swear the affidavit before an authorized commissioner or a Notary public in their country of residence. This notary or the commissioner must also be proficient in French or English to administer this affidavit. In these situations, you must also translate the accompanying stamps and oaths if they are in other languages.
Although affidavits are sometimes effective placeholders for certifications, they do not always work. The IRCC rejects many documents that come with this document instead of the recommendation. Getting certified translations is essential, especially when not out of reach. Certification is crucial as long as you’re working on an official translation.
4. An IRCC-Certified Translation Must Come From the Original Copy
When preparing a certified translation for the IRCC, remember to use the original document or its photocopy. Using other versions of your documents, such as their transcriptions, could affect their quality, making them lose meaning. To verify this requirement, the department requests original documents alongside their translations.
Transcribed versions of documents do not always carry the required level of accuracy for legal, official, and immigration purposes. Overall, the requirements for IRCC translations are not significantly different from translations for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The major disparities lie in how they prioritize professionalism when translating such documents. But you can also use online certified translation services when residing in other countries. Besides using them for your IRCC translations, you can also employ them for other tasks.
Rapid Translate offers IRCC-certified translation services, helping people upgrade their global communication capabilities. Whether you are moving abroad, growing your business, or making international friends, you can use this service effectively. It helps break language fences, allowing people to travel the world. Make an order today to enjoy limitless communication!
