On the most part, New Zealand government agencies do not hire interpreters or translators directly. However, you can contact the various translation and interpreting agencies that provide these services to government.
Below you can find details about becoming a translator for the Department of Internal Affairs Translation Service, the details of different interpreting agencies who provide language support to the New Zealand Public Service, and the requirements for becoming an interpreter for courts and tribunals.
Becoming a translator
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) are the New Zealand government’s professional translation service. They provide translation and other language services including quality assessment, typesetting, transcription and cultural advice to businesses, central and local government and private individuals.
If you are interested in becoming a translator or translation reviser for DIA, you can contact them and request an application form by emailing translate@dia.govt.nz. Please note there is a testing process that you will need to undertake.
Other translation agencies across New Zealand also provide language services to government. You may wish to contact other providers directly to join their list of translators.
Find out more about the Department of Internal Affairs Translation Service
Becoming an interpreter
People providing interpreting services to New Zealand government agencies need to be NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) credentialed or Working Towards NAATI (WTN).
The purpose of introducing these standards has been to improve the quality and consistency of the interpreting services provided to people who need to use interpreters so they can interact safely and effectively with New Zealand government agencies.
Most government agencies do not hire interpreters directly, rather they work with a range of interpreting agencies who provide these services.
Telephone and video interpreting services are currently provided by Connecting Now. Face-to-face interpreting services are provided by several agencies. You can find the list of agencies who provide interpreting services to government agencies on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) website.
If you meet the criteria to provide interpreting services to government agencies, you can contact each of these interpreting agencies directly to see how you can join their teams of interpreters.
Find the list of face-to-face interpreting providers to government agencies
Find out more about NAATI certification
Interpreting for courts and tribunals
Interpreting in courts and tribunals is a specialist skill. To be eligible to deliver interpreting services in New Zealand courts or tribunals you must:
- be a New Zealand citizen or hold a permanent resident visa, or an appropriate working visa
- be proficient speaking English (including commonly used medical and legal terminology)
- hold, or be working towards an appropriate interpreting credential or credentials, as set out in qualification or certification requirements