Career opportunities for interpreters

The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) is currently recruiting interpreters to meet the ongoing growth in demand for interpreting services in Australia.

Please note, we are currently receiving a large number of interpreter applications. You will be contacted by TIS National when your application is being processed.

Requirements for becoming a TIS National interpreter

We will give preference to applicants who have transitioned to the new NAATI Certification model. We encourage interpreters to have certification from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) at the Certified interpreter level where available.

To be eligible to become a TIS National interpreter you must:


    • be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen residing in Australia
    • be 18 years of age or older
    • have the required qualifications for the language you wish to interpret in
    • provide a certified copy of a National Police History Check/National Police Certificate (NPC) dated within the past 12  months
    • provide a current employment Working with Children Check from your state or territory of residence, where required  (Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and South Australia)
    • provide certified copies of 100 points of identification documentation

Recruitment priorities+Expand content

Current High Priority

TIS National is willing to consider applications from Nil credentialed interpreters in the following languages:

Akan
Anuak
Kurmanji
Pwo Eastern Karen
Sango
Tibetan
Zo

TIS National will consider applications from interpreters who hold a NAATI Certified Provisional credential or higher in the following languages:

Greek
Italian
Spanish
Swahili

Recruitment priorities at the Certified Interpreter level (or higher)

TIS National will consider recruiting interpreters in any language if they hold a NAATI Certified Interpreter credential (or higher).

Recruitment priorities at the Certified Provisional Interpreter level (or higher)

TIS National gives priority to recruiting interpreters in the following languages if they hold a NAATI Certified Provisional Interpreter credential (or higher):

 Albanian
 Amharic
 Armenian
 Assyrian
 Bengali
 Danish
 Dari
 Dinka
 Filipino (alt Tagalog)
 German
 Greek
 Hebrew
 Indonesian
 Italian
 Japanese
 Khmer
 Kurmanji
 Lao
 Macedonian
 Myanmar Language (alt Burmese)
 Nepali
 Norwegian
 Oromo 
 Pashto
 Polish
 Portuguese
 Rohingya
 Russian
 Samoan
 Sinhalese
 Somali
 Spanish 
 Tamil
 Thai
 Tibetan
 Urdu

Recruitment priorities for languages to support emerging communities

In languages where NAATI certification is not available, we prefer applicants with a NAATI Recognised Practising Interpreter credential.

TIS National would be keen to speak with individuals who have an interest in working as an interpreter and have good language skills in English and one or more of the following languages:

 

Afar
Afrikaans
Akan (alt Twi/Fanti)
Ambele
Anyuak

Bari
Bislama
Cameroon Pidgin

Cook Islands Maori (alt Rarotongan) 

Hakha Chin
Ewe

Falam Chin
Fijian

Fiji Hindi
Fulfulde (alt Fulani)

Fuqing

Hakka Chinese

Harari

Hindustani
Hmong
Hokkien (Chinese)

Jingpho
Juba Arabic (alt Sudanese Creole Arabic)
Kayah (alt Karenni)
Kiribati (alt Gilbertese)
Kirundi (alt Rundi/Urundi)

Kissi
Konyaka Maninka (Mandingo)

Krio
Kunama 

Kurmanji
Liberian English

Lingala
Loma

Madi
Maori

Mara Chin

Matu Chin
Mon

Mongolian

Nuer
Pijin (alt Solomons Pidgin)

Pwo Eastern Karen
Sango
Saho
Samoan
Shona
Susu

Tedim Chin

Telugu

Teochew

Tetun

Tibetan

Tigre
Tok Pisin
Tongan

Zo

State-based recruitment priorities+Expand content

Australian Capital Territory

Arabic
Bosnian
Croatian
Dinka
Filipino (alt Tagalog)
French
German
Hindi
Hungarian
Italian
Kayah (alt Karenni)
Khmer
Kinyarwanda
Korean
Krio
Lao
Macedonian
Russian
S’gaw Karen
Spanish
Thai
Urdu
Vietnamese

New South Wales

Akan (alt Twi/Fanti)
Armenian
Assyrian
Bahdini
Bosnian
Croatian
Dinka
Fijian
Fiji Hindi
Filipino
Greek
Hakka Chinese
Hindi
Indonesian
Italian
Khmer
Kirundi
Kurmanji
Lao
Macedonian
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Mongolian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Sango
Serbian
Somali
Spanish
Swahili
Teo Chew
Tetun
Tibetan
Tigrinya
Tongan
Urdu

Northern Territory

Greek
Mandarin
Tamil
Thai
Swahili

Queensland

Afar
Amharic
Arabic
Cantonese
Dinka
Filipino (alt Tagalog)
French
German
Greek
Hmong
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Kayah
Korean
Kunama
Kurmanji
Mandarin
Nepali
Oromo
Portuguese
Punjabi
Pwo Eastern Karen
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Serbian
S’gaw Karen
Somali
Tamil
Thai
Tigrinya
Turkish
Vietnamese
Zo

South Australia

Cantonese
Dinka
Falam Chin
Filipino
Greek
Hakka Chin
Hazaragi
Hindi
Italian
Kinyarwanda
Kirundi
Kurmanji
Lao
Malay
Matu Chin
Nepali
Pashto
Punjabi
Rohingya
Sango
Southern Kurdish
Spanish
Tamil
Thai
Tigrinya
Turkish
Urdu
Zo

Tasmania

Cantonese
Dari
Hazaragi
Mandarin
Nepali
Oromo
Tigrinya
Thai
Vietnamese

Victoria

Aceh
Albanian
Assyrian
Bosnian
Cantonese
Croatian
Dinka
Falam Chin
Filipino (alt Tagalog)
Greek
Hakka Chinese
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Khmer
Korean
Macedonian
Mara Chin
Mizo Chin
Myanmar Language (alt Burmese)
Maltese
Nepali
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Pwo Eastern Karen
Rohingya
Romanian
Russian
S’gaw Karen
Samoan
Sango
Southern Kurdish (alt Feyli)
Spanish
Thai
Tibetan
Ukranian
Urdu
Zo

Western Australia

Arabic
Cantonese
Dinka
Greek
Hakka Chin
Hindi
Indonesia
Italian
Khmer
Korean
Kurmanji
Myanmar Language (alt Burmese)
Oromo
Pashto
Punjabi
Pwo Eastern Karen
S’gaw Karen
Somali
Spanish
Swahili
Thai
Tigrinya

 

Apply to become a TIS National interpreter

If you are interested in becoming an interpreter with TIS National and meet the criteria, complete the interpreter application form and submit with the following documentation:

  • a certified copy of any NAATI credentials you hold 

  • a copy of your National Police History Check/National Police Certificate (NPC). Your NPC must not be more than 12 months old. If your NPC is from Australian Federal Police or State Police, you will need to provide a certified copy. Click here for more information

  • a certified copy of an employment Working with Children Check from your state or territory of residence. Click here for more information

  • certified copies of 100 points of identification documentation. 

  • a certified copy of proof of your Australian citizenship or permanent residency, or New Zealand citizenship

  • your resume

  • details of any interpreting experience you have including reference letters.