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The NAATI Certification System for Signed Languages
NAATI is the national standards and certifying authority for interpreters and translators in Australia.
NAATI sets and maintains high national standards for the translating and interpreting sector, and it is the only organisation to issue credentials or certification to people who wish to work in this profession.
NAATI is a public, not-for-profit company that is jointly owned by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
Mission
Our mission is:
- to set and maintain high national standards for the translating and interpreting sector
- to enable the existence of an adequate supply of appropriately certified translating and interpreting professionals, responsive to the changing needs and demography of Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse society.
Achieving this mission will maximise people’s ability to engage and participate in Australian society.
Vision
A connected community without language barriers.
What is a translator or interpreter?
To translate or interpret means to accurately convey meaning of what is written, spoken or signed from one language into another. Translators and interpreters are highly skilled professionals, with a specific skill set learnt through formal training and experience.
Translators deal with the written word. They translate written content from one language to another.
Interpreters deal with spoken and signed language. In dialogic settings, they interpret what each participant says into the other’s language.
Certification of translators and interpreters
We uphold the standard expected of translators and interpreters through out Certification System. NAATI certifies people wishing to work as a translator or interpreter if they apply and meet certain prerequisite and testing requirements. NAATI certification is the industry standard for working as a translator or interpreter in Australia.
Our Certification System is unique. It is the only universal, national system in the world to certify practitioners in so many languages and credential types.
There are over 10,000 translators and interpreters holding more than 15,000 credentials in over 175 languages, including Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and signed languages.
NAATI offers various credentials to reflect the changing needs of our multicultural community: from Recognised Practising credentials for languages which have low demand for certification testing and languages of new and emerging communities where testing is not available, up to highly specialised credentials for more complex interpreting assignments requiring advanced interpreting skills or specialist knowledge.
NAATI offers specific support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Language interpreters through our Indigenous Interpreting Project funded by the Commonwealth Government.
To support the ongoing professionalism of the industry, any translator or interpreter wishing to maintain a NAATI credential after its three-year validity period must apply to NAATI to recertify with evidence of work practice and professional development.
Prerequisite requirements
Anyone wishing to gain a NAATI credential to work as a translator or interpreter must meet prerequisite requirements set by NAATI. There are several ways to meet these prerequisite requirements. The most streamlined way to demonstrate meeting all of the prerequisites is by completing a NAATI Endorsed Qualification. NAATI Endorsed Qualifications are tertiary translating and interpreting qualifications (diploma-level or higher) which have already been assessed by NAATI as teaching and assessing the skills and knowledge required by the translating and interpreting profession.
For full details on the prerequisites and how to meet them, or for more about Endorsed Qualifications, refer to our website.
The four key prerequisite requirements are:
Training requirements vary substantially from diploma up to specialised master’s degrees, depending on the level of certification. Refer to our website for information on the training required for each credential.
Demonstrating minimum English language proficiency required for the credential type.
Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of either the AUSIT or ASLITA Code of Ethics (whichever is relevant) to apply it to situations in professional practice, client interactions and other professional activities.
Note: NAATI offers the Ethical Competency test to applicants who have not met these prerequisites prior to applying to NAATI.
Demonstrating the knowledge and skill required by translators and interpreters to identify culturally specific information in the source language, appropriately reflect these in the target language and deal with clients in a culturally appropriate manner.
Note: NAATI offers the Intercultural Competency test to applicants who have not met these prerequisites prior to applying to NAATI.
Credential types
NAATI’s Certification System aims to reflect the changing needs of our multicultural community by offering credentials at different levels to people who wish to work as a translator or interpreter. The credentials are described below. For full details on the different credentials, refer to our website.
Auslan Translator certifications
What is Auslan translation?
Auslan translation is primarily conducted by deaf practitioners and means the translation of English source documents or videos into Auslan.
Auslan translations are presented in a video format. The video output may display an overlay of the source document content.
It is in growing demand in the community and meets the needs and preferences of diverse deaf audiences. The Recognised Practising Translator credential in Auslan was launched in 2023, with NAATI being one of the first organisations in the world to offer a credential in signed language translation.
What you need to know
- Work Practice Evidence: A letter detailing your recent and ongoing work, including types of translations (legal, health, community, government) and estimated word count, is all you need. No need to provide actual translations.
- Experience: No minimum years of experience required, but your work should be recent and ongoing.
- Training: You need at least some formal training in Auslan translation. NAATI recognises that training options in Auslan translations are currently limited, so relevant units from a Diploma of Interpreting as well as ad hoc translation training delivered by RTOs or relevant Deaf organisations may be accepted.
- Reference Letter: Provide a letter from a relevant organisation (e.g. ASLITA) or language service provider (e.g. Deaf Connect) confirming your proficiency in Auslan and English, and that you’ve been doing Auslan translation work.
- Already Certified? If you have a Certified Provisional Deaf Interpreter or Recognised Practising Deaf Interpreter credential, you’re all set on the training and competency requirements.
Auslan Interpreter certifications
Auslan Certified Provisional Interpreters transfer non-complex, non-specialised messages from a source language into a target language that accurately reflects the meaning. Auslan Certified Provisional Interpreters are usually engaged in non-specialised community dialogue interpreting jobs.
NAATI’s Auslan Certified Provisional Interpreter test is an objective assessment of the skills and competencies needed to practice as an interpreter in Australia. It is the entry level generalist interpreting test.
The Certified Provisional Auslan Interpreter Test involves three tasks:
- Two simultaneous interpreting face-to-face dialogues.
- One simultaneous interpreting monologue into Auslan.
A Deaf Interpreter is skilled at transferring meaning between Auslan and/or written English and other signed languages and modes of visual communication.
Deaf Interpreters work with deaf clients who:
- Have sensory or cognitive disabilities;
- Have recently migrated to Australia and are more familiar with foreign sign languages;
- Are educationally or linguistically disadvantaged; or
- Have limited conventional Auslan.
Deaf Interpreters often work in tandem with (hearing) Auslan interpreters.
NAATI’s Certified Provisional Deaf Interpreter Test involves interpreting and sight translating between:
- Auslan and Non-Conventional Sign Language (NCSL)
- written English and NCSL
- written English and Auslan
The Certified Interpreter Test is a higher level generalist interpreting test. Certified Interpreters can work with complex but non-specialsied content in most situations.
The Certified Auslan Interpreter Test is delivered in person and involves five tasks. The tasks will involve different situations from different domains, including at least one from the health domain and one from the legal domain.
The tasks that will be assessed by NAATI include dialogue interpreting, sight translation of documents from written English into Auslan, and simultaneous interpreting monologues.
Auslan Certified Specialist Health Interpreters (CSHI) are experienced and accomplished interpreters who are experts in interpreting in the health domain. They have completed training and undertake continuous professional development in specialist health interpreting.
They are highly competent language users who understand specialised terminilogy and have extensive knowledge of the health domain. Auslan CSHIs have a sophisticated understanding of their role as members of a healthcare team. They have full and detailed knowledge and understanding of how culture and language interact, and the relevant codes of ethics and professional standards in the health domain.
While Auslan CSHIs may work in the same institutions as Auslan Certified Interpreters, they are competent to interpret complex, specialised, expert-to-expert communication in those institutions.
NAATI’s Auslan Certified Specialist Health Interpreter Test is an objective assessment of the skills and competencies needed to practice as a specialist interpreter in the health domain in Australia.
Auslan Certified Specialist Legal Interpreters (CSLI) are experienced and accomplished interpreters who are experts in interpreting in the legal domain. They have completed training and undertake continuous professional development in specialist legal interpreting.
They are highly competent language users, who understand specialised terminology and have extensive knowledge of the legal domain. Auslan CSLIs have a sophisticated understanding of their role in legal settings, for example as officers of the court. They have a full and detailed knowledge and understanding of how culture and language interact, and the relevant codes of ethics and professional standards in the legal domain.
While Auslan CSLIs may work in the same institutions as Auslan CIs, they are competent to interpret complex, highly specialised communication in those institutions. For example: sentencing remarks by a judge, expert witness statements or testimony, or presentation of legal arguments.
NAATI’s Auslan Certified Specialist Legal Interpreter Test is an objective assessment of the skills and competencies needed to practice as a specialist interpreter in the legal domain in Australia.
Auslan Certified Conference Interpreters (CCI) transfer highly complex, specialised messages from a source language into a target language. They interpret in situations such as speeches and presentations at international and national conferences, across a broad range of domains.
Auslan Certified Conference Interpreters typically hold a master’s degree or higher in conference interpreting (or a combination of extensive work practice and professional development) and a recommended minimum two years’ work experience as a conference interpreter in their language direction.
NAATI’s Auslan Certified Conference Interpreter Test is an objective assessment of the skills and competencies needed to practice as a conference interpreter, handling complex interpreting in international settings.
What is Deafblind interpreting?
When interpreting for a Deafblind person, an interpreter needs to convey visual information in addition to spoken or signed information. Visual information may include environmental descriptions, facial expressions and reactions.
Deafblind interpreting uses a range of communication techniques, such as:
- tactile sign language
- close range signing
- visual frame signing
- finger spelling
- social haptic communication
Many Deafblind Australians use a modified form of Auslan, including adapted fingerspelling.
What you need
- Certification: Hold a NAATI credential in Auslan or Deaf interpreting.
- Training: Provide evidence of completing the Monash Deafblind Interpreting Course. You can do this by submitting your transcript.