Frequently Asked Questions for agencies

Ensuring your client code is not given to unauthorised users will help you control the usage and cost of interpreting services incurred by your agency.

The security of your client code is your responsibility so it is essential that you monitor who has access to use it within your organisation.

There are options available to associate ‘required information’ fields with your client code to help monitor who is using the account. Contact your Client Liaison account manager for more information.

To access TIS National’s interpreting services your agency needs to register an account with TIS National.

There are no administration fees for registering an account with TIS National. You will only be charged for individual interpreting services.

To register an account with TIS National by phone, contact a Client liaison and promotions account manager and provide:

• a contact name and phone number
• if possible, a secondary contact name
• your email address
• the name of your agency
• the phone number you would like our operators to call when a non-English speaker requests to speak to your agency
• an Australian mailing and postal address
• any required information you need recorded on individual job records.

You will also need to decide if your agency would like to accept calls to your agency initiated by your non-English speaking clients.

Once you have registered an account for your agency you will be provided with a TIS National client code.

Contact a Client Liaison account manager and we will search our system for a record of your account.

Government services should be available to everyone who is entitled to them and should be free of any form of discrimination irrespective of a person’s country of birth, language, culture, race or religion. If you are a government agency you have an obligation under the whole of government Access and Equity strategy to provide services that are accessible to clients with limited English skills by providing interpreters.

TIS National encourages private agencies to promote Access and Equity as it ensures non-English speaking clients have the same level of access to services as an English speaker would have. Where an agency does not accept interpreter-assisted calls requested by non-English speakers, the non-English speaker will most likely seek access to these services through an agency which does.

There are options available to associate ‘required information’ fields with your client code to help monitor who is using the account. Contact your Client liaison and promotions account manager for more information.

A ‘NES initiated’ call is a call where a non-English speaker (NES) calls TIS National directly and requests the assistance of an interpreter to speak with your agency.

If your agency accepts NES initiated calls, TIS National operators will connect the NES to your agency with an interpreter already on the line.

When TIS National receives a NES initiated call, our operator will phone your agency and introduce themselves. When your agency has agreed to accept the call the operator will connect you with the NES and interpreter and provide the job number before leaving the conversation.

A job number is a nine digit number TIS National will give you as a reference to each interpreting service.

Job numbers are automatically generated in our system when a new interpreting job has been created and is provided to you and to the interpreter. Write this number down as a record of the service in case you have any follow up enquiries about the service.

A TIS National client code is your agencies unique account number. Client codes are provided to agencies that register for TIS National services.

You will need to quote your client code each time you request a TIS National service, pay an invoice or update your account details. You can start accessing TIS National services once you have a TIS National client code.

Agencies use TIS National services in different ways. Agencies needs will vary depending on the type of interactions they have with non-English speakers in the community.

As part of our premium service offering we can record information on individual jobs each time services are accessed through TIS National. This can assist you to:

• maintain records of services
• identify who communications campaigns are reaching
• easily reconcile financial accounts.

Examples of required information could be:

• requesting that non-English speakers are connected to a specific phone number 
• capturing unique identifiers and other information to help identify your non-English speaking clients
• capturing unique identifiers to help you identify staff using the account.

Contact your Client Liaison account manager to discuss what required information options can be included on your account.

Currently more than half of all immediate telephone interpreting services are requested by non-English speaking clients.

TIS National’s resources and depth of experience makes it ideally placed to provide professional interpreting services for all Australians.

TIS National:

• provides phone interpreting services 24 hours, every day of the year 
• has over 40 years of experience in the industry
• helps your organisation provide equitable access to services to non-English speakers in the community
• provides the highest accredited interpreter available in the language requested.

TIS National is a leader in the interpreting industry and uses contracted interpreters who:

• are insured for professional indemnity, public liability and workers compensation
• have been cleared through providing a National Police History Check/National Police Certificate (NPC)
• are bound by the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics.

No. For interpreters in indigenous languages please refer to the Kimberley Interpreting Service (KIS).

The easiest way to update your personal details is through TIS Online. From the ‘My profile’ page you can update your name, position, contact phone number/s and email address.

Account administrators can also update your agency’s information in TIS Online from the ‘Agency account’ page, including your agency’s main account contact person, address information and communication preferences.

Alternatively, please contact our Client Liaison team to update your details.

TIS National commits to answer calls to the contact centre within 30 seconds 90 per cent of the time.

If you request an on-site interpreter, TIS National commits to responding to your request within 3 working days 85 per cent of the time.

If you have a hearing impaired client, contact the National Relay Service and ask them to call TIS National for a language interpreter.

Yes, as a Government service you have an obligation under the Whole of Government Access and Equity strategy to provide services that are accessible to clients with limited English skills by providing interpreting services. 

At the time of registration, authorisation is provided to TIS National to charge your agency for the costs of using interpreters. This includes all attempts to contact your agency; unanswered calls and those that go to voicemail. 

There are options available to associate ‘required information’ fields with your client code to help monitor who is using the account. Contact the Client Liaison Team for more information.

TIS National encourages private agencies to promote Access and Equity as it ensures clients with limited English skills have the same level of access to services as an English speaker would have.

At the time of registration, authorisation is provided to TIS National to charge your organisation for the costs of using interpreters. This includes all attempts to contact your organisation; unanswered calls and those that go to voicemail.

To make changes to your account settings, log into TIS Online and from the ‘Agency account’ page scroll down to the ‘Communications’ section and edit the question ‘Will you accept calls initiated by the non-English speaker?’

There are also options available to associate ‘required information’ fields with your client code to help monitor who is using the account. Contact the Client Liaison Team for more information.

Payment can be made by cheque, money order, credit card or electronic funds transfer.

Bank cheques, personal cheques and money orders can be mailed to:

TIS National

GPO Box 241

MELBOURNE VIC 3001

Credit card details can be provided by:

• email to tis.finance@homeaffairs.gov.au
• over the phone by calling 1300 304 604 during business hours 9am-5pm EST.

Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) can be made to the following account:                                                                                                                                           

Home Affairs Official Departmental Receipts and Payments - TIS Account

TIS National

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

ACT Government Banking Centre

BSB Number: 062987

Account Number: 10016108

You can call TIS National for the cost of a local call throughout Australia. Charges for calls from mobile phones may attract a higher rate depending on the mobile service provider you use.

Service charges vary according to the type of service provided. Interpreting costs will generally be charged to the agency.

For current service charges refer to the schedule of service charges.

TIS National clients are charged by invoice on the first day of each month for all transactions processed during the previous month.

For example, an invoice with an issue date of 1 April 2013 will include an itemised list of services billed during March 2013. Any overdue items will also be listed on the invoice.

To request an invoice from a previous month to be reissued contact the TIS National Finance administration team.

Medical practitioners (defined as general practitioners, nurse practitioners and approved medical specialists) are eligible for the Free Interpreting Service and access to the Medical Practitioner Priority Line when providing services that are:

• Medicare-rebateable 
• delivered in private practice, and
• provided to non-English speakers who are eligible for Medicare. 

Nursing and practice support staff who are working with a private medical practitioner registered with TIS National can also access the service using the same client code.
Doctors who meet the above criteria can apply for access to the Free Interpreting Service and the Medical Practitioner Priority Line by completing the Register agency form.

The Free Interpreting Service aims to provide equitable access to key services that are not government funded, for people with limited or no English language proficiency.

The following groups can access the Free Interpreting Service to provide services to anyone in Australia who are eligible for Medicare:

• Medical practitioners: Private medical practitioners are defined as general practitioners, nurse practitioners and approved medical specialists. Private medical practitioners are eligible to access the Free Interpreting Service when delivering Medicare rebateable services in private practice. Practice support staff working with a private medical practitioner registered with TIS National can also access the service using the same client code.
  For a list of approved Medical Specialists see: Medical Board of Australia - Medical Specialties and Specialty Fields.
• Pharmacies: to provide community pharmacy services and for programs delivered under the Community Pharmacy Agreement.
• Non-government organisations: when providing casework and emergency services, where the organisation does not receive substantial government funding to provide these services. Note: Organisations receiving substantial government funding are not eligible for the Free Interpreting Service. Organisations delivering government funded services should discuss access to interpreters with their government funding body.    
• Real estate agencies: to discuss any private residential property matter.
• Local government authorities: to communicate about most local government services.
• Trade unions: to assist workers to access support and advice.
• Parliamentarians: for constituency purposes.

View more information about the Free Interpreting Service.

Use the eligibility calculator to find out if you are eligible for the Free Interpreting Service.

No. You should ensure your agency includes costs for interpreting services in your application for funding.

‘Initiated by’ is a reference used by TIS National which refers to the individual that requested the interpreting service.

If the invoice states ‘initiated by Agency’, the interpreting service was requested by an agency staff member using your agencies client code.

If the invoice states ‘initiated by NES’, the interpreting service was requested by a non-English speaker requesting to contact the agency.

‘NES’ is a reference used by TIS National for ‘non-English speaker’.

The Medical Practitioner and Pharmacy Priority Line is a free phone interpreting service which helps medical practitioners and pharmacists quickly connect to an interpreter to communicate with their non-English speaking patients.

The Priority Line is available to eligible medical practitioners and pharmacists 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Contact the Free Interpreting Service team on 1300 575 847 for more information about this service.

TIS National’s Australian Business Number (ABN) is 33 380 054 835.

All invoices must be paid by the 28^th day of the month. For example, payment for an invoice with an issue date of 1 April 2013 is due by 28 April 2013.

Email is TIS National’s preferred method for receiving remittances however you may also send remittances by mail. Please ensure that you have clearly indicated which invoice is being paid on the remittance.

Email: tis.finance@homeaffairs.gov.au

Postal Address:   TIS National

GPO Box 241

MELBOURNE VIC 3001

For any questions relating to your TIS National invoice contact the TIS National Finance administration team between 9 am and 5 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

TIS National will issue a refund by cheque for any credit which is the result of an overpayment, duplicate payment or payment made in error. An email detailing the refund will be sent in advance of the cheque.

If you have any questions about a cheque you have received from TIS National contact the TIS National Finance administration team.

Pre-booked telephone and on-site services are requested in advance and scheduled for a specific period of time. If the actual interpreting time of the appointment runs longer than the scheduled time, the agency will be charged for the extra time.

Charges for extra time will appear on your invoice as a separate line item with ‘A1’ at the end of the job or invoice number.

For example, if an on-site interpreter is booked for 90 minutes but the actual session lasts for 120 minutes, the charge will be split into two items on your invoice. The first item will be for the time that was booked (90 minutes), and the second item will be for the additional time (30 minutes).

Yes. Contact your Client Liaison account manager to request a service usage report.

If your agency is interested in having a representative from TIS National conduct a presentation at your organisation, you can submit a request to your Client Liaison account manager who will let you know if it will be possible and if there are any associated costs.

Contact your Client Liaison account manager for more information.

TIS National provides a range of promotional materials with useful information about our services.

A range of promotional materials can be viewed, saved or printed directly from the promotional materials catalogue.

Some promotional materials can also be ordered in hard copy using the Promotional materials request form.

Many organisations that use our services choose to recommend our interpreting service to their clients. You can advise your clients of the service by including our logo and phone number:

• in information packs and booklets

• on bills and account statements

• in community directories

• in letters you send to your clients

• on promotional materials and websites.

Before advertising TIS National to your clients, it is important to ensure that your organisation is registered for the service.

Contact a Client Liaison account manager for assistance promoting TIS National.

TIS National is the language service provider in the Department of Home Affairs. The Global Feedback Unit (GFU) is the central point for receiving all departmental feedback, including services provided by TIS National. 

In TIS National, we value feedback from our clients, as it helps us to improve our work and enhances the quality of interpreting services that we deliver to government, business and communities, through the provision of credentialed, cost-effective and secure language services. 

TIS National clients with limited or no English language skills can submit feedback about TIS National services online or via telephone. To give feedback online, please access the Department’s Compliments, complaints and suggestions. If you require an interpreter, please call TIS National on 131 450 and tell the operator you would like to give feedback about TIS National. Our operators will document your feedback and refer it to the relevant team in TIS National for action.

If you cannot contact TIS National it may be because we are experiencing an outage. If this happens, please refer to the Alerts section of our website for details.

If TIS National experiences an outage our immediate telephone operators can work on a manual system. Operating on the manual system can be a time consuming process and you may not be provided with a job number at the time of the call.

No. If you have moved to a new agency ask your manager at your new agency if they use TIS National services.

If your new agency uses TIS National services you should find out:

• what client code they would like you to use 

• what (if any) information you may need to provide to TIS National when requesting services.

If your new agency is not registered with TIS National but would like to use our services, contact a Client Liaison account manager for advice on the most appropriate service solutions for the organisation.

TIS National has a dedicated team of Client Liaison account managers who are available to help you and your organisation communicate with your non-English speaking clients.

Account managers are specialists in providing assistance to a wide range of client groups including:

• commonwealth and state government agencies

• private sector businesses

• hospitals

• medical practitioners in private practice

• community sector organisations

• utility companies

• police and courts

• local government

• schools and universities

• emergency services

Account managers can provide information and advice about the most suitable service solutions for your organisation.

Account managers can:

• help you select the most suitable service options for your requirements

• understand your clients’ needs

• guide you on how provide feedback to TIS National

• assist you to conduct an information session

• provide advice on promoting TIS National services

• provide access to promotional materials

• provide service usage reports

Contact your Client Liaison account manager for more information.

If you are having difficulty finding an available interpreter in your requested language, we encourage you to call during our off-peak times.  During off-peak times high demand languages are more likely to be available.

TIS National’s peak demand times are between 10 am and 5 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), Monday to Thursday. During these times you may experience difficulty accessing an interpreter in the language required.

Calling between 8 am to 10 am (AEST), Monday to Thursday and any time on Friday may improve your chances of finding an available interpreter in the language required.

Alternatively you can pre-book a phone interpreter to ensure an interpreter will be available.

If you have lost or misplaced your TIS National client code contact a Client liaison account manager.

If TIS National does not offer interpreting services in the language you need please let us know by providing feedback. You can provide feedback using the Feedback form.

At present, Telehealth video interpreting bookings will initially be offered to interpreters within 100km of your physical address. If there are no available interpreters within this radius, TIS National will aim to identify and allocate an interpreter outside this radius where possible. In the event an interpreter cannot be allocated, your booking may be cancelled and you will receive an email notification.

You can amend a Telehealth video interpreting booking during and after the booking. If the link to the meeting you provided is encountering issues, you can update the booking information in TIS Online for the interpreter to access.

Please ensure the nominated contact person is available should the interpreter need to call or is experiencing technical issues.

No. Once you create a Telehealth booking, you cannot change it to a standard on-site job. Neither can you change a standard on-site booking to a Telehealth booking.

If you need to create a new booking, cancel the existing booking and create a new booking.

Yes. You can add multiple booking agents to a TIS Online account. 

Contact the Free Interpreting Service team, if you have a fee free account.

Contact Client Liaison team for all other accounts, including allied health professionals. 

To create an account is as simple as completing TIS National's client registration form.

Once you have registered an account for your agency, we will provide a TIS National client code for access to our services.

General account enquiries

Please contact the Free Interpreting Service team if you have a fee free account.

For all other accounts, including allied health professionals, please contact Client Liaison team. 

Existing on-site or Telehealth video interpreting bookings

Contact the Channel Support Team.

You can manage your bookings viaTIS Online to cancel and amend start and finish times. If you need to cancel or change the start and finish times of a booking that is due to start within 24 hours, please contact our Channel Support Team.

TIS National is the language service provider in the Department of Home Affairs. The Global Feedback Unit (GFU) is the central point for receiving all departmental feedback, including services provided by TIS National. 

In TIS National, we value feedback from our clients, as it helps us to improve our work and enhances the quality of interpreting services that we deliver to government, business and communities, through the provision of credentialed, cost-effective and secure language services. 

TIS National clients with limited or no English language skills can submit feedback about TIS National services online or via telephone. To give feedback online, please access the Department’s Compliments, complaints and suggestions. If you require an interpreter, please call TIS National on 131 450 and tell the operator you would like to give feedback about TIS National. Our operators will document your feedback and refer it to the relevant team in TIS National for action.

We will email to you TIS Online login credentials upon account creation. If you have forgotten or lost your login credentials, please contact TIS National with your client code.

Contact the Free Interpreting Service team, if you have a fee free account.

Contact Client Liaison team for all other accounts, including allied health professionals. 

General practitioners, medical specialists, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals can book an interpreter by logging into their account on TIS Online.

You will need to complete the booking form and provide:

• details of video conferencing platform to use, such as Skype, Zoom,WebEx or healthdirect Video Call
• access codes or credentials to join the video conference
• hyperlink for the interpreter to join the video session, and
• contact name and phone number for interpreter should they encounter any issues. 

You will receive an email confirmation when you submit your request, and when TIS National assigns an interpreter.

Further instructions are available in Telehealth Video Interpreting Guide for Agencies in TIS Online.

Telehealth allows medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals to book interpreters remotely to facilitate access to video consultations for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD). This new service allows medical professionals to continue serving their CALD patients in the current climate of social distancing and restricted movement of people.

Telehealth video interpreting is categorised as a similar and alternative option to on-site interpreting. For fee-paying clients, the costs will be the same as the current on-site charge rates.

Estimate what a booking will cost using our cost calculator.

Should you require a quote for a booking, please contact the Client Liaison team.

The minimum booking time for a Telehealth video interpreting service is 90 minutes. However, you are not obligated to use the full 90 minutes and can release the interpreter when the Telehealth consultation is complete.

Wherever possible, TIS National encourages the scheduling of same language patients in back-to-back Telehealth sessions to maximise the use of the 90-minute interpreter booking. Please list the names of all patients in the booking form, or indicate the number of patients where patient names are confidential. 

TIS National is continually working towards improving its services and may reduce the minimum booking time for Telehealth video interpreting sessions at a later date.

TIS Online allows you to request an interpreter in any language TIS National provides interpreting services in, including on-site and Telehealth video interpreting services.

You can see the full list of languages available through TIS National when you create a new booking request in TIS Online.

Agency clients can use most third-party video conferencing platforms. TIS National recommends the use of video conferencing platforms that will not incur usage charges to the interpreter.

These platforms may include: Skype, Zoom, WebEx or healthdirect Video Call. 

Any video conference platform related costs incurred by TIS National may be charged back to the agency.

Our Telehealth video interpreting service is currently available to :

• general practitioners
• medical specialists
• nurse practitioners, and 
• allied health professionals.

Medical practitioners and allied health professionals are responsible for organising and managing the meeting set up and invitations. This includes the selection of the video conferencing platform, set-up of access codes, and acquiring/supplying hyperlinks.

TIS National is not able to provide any technical support to resolve connectivity or third party platform issues.

Medical practitioners and allied health professionals are responsible for resolving connectivity and technical issues related to their Telehealth video interpreting session. During the booking process, TIS National will ask you to provide the name and phone number of someone the interpreter can call should they encounter any technical issues. 

This is a new service offering and TIS National is initially rolling out Telehealth video interpreting service to a restricted group of health services practitioners. TIS National will advise clients when the service is available for wider use.

Connectivity issues may occur from time to time. If your booking is significantly interrupted, TIS National will review the nature and extent of each booking on a case by case basis.

Please contact the Free Interpreting Service team if you have a fee free account.

For all other accounts, including allied health professionals, please contact the Client Accounts team.

No, TIS National does not provide conference interpreting services.

TIS National endeavours to develop services in line with feedback received from our clients. To provide TIS National with feedback about services you require which are not currently available complete our online feedback form to let us know.

TIS National does not provide a commercial document translation service. If you need to complete a commercial translation, you can search for a credentialed translator through the National Accreditation Authority for Translating and Interpreting (NAATI) website.

The Department of Home Affairs provides a free translating service for people settling permanently in Australia. Permanent residents and select temporary or provisional visa holders are able to have up to ten eligible documents translated, into English, within the first two years of their eligible visa grant date.

From 1 July 2017, applications for the Free Translation Service are made online at translating.homeaffairs.gov.au. Clients need to provide evidence of their eligibility for this service when applying. More information about the Free Translating Service is available at translating.homeaffairs.gov.au.

TIS National is one of the largest and leading language service provider in Australia offering interpreting services in over 150 languages. We continually appoint new interpreters with the highest NAATI credentials, wherever possible, to our panel of over 2500 interpreters. This helps to meet ongoing demand for interpreting services, particularly in languages used by new and emerging communities settling in Australia. 

TIS National aims to have a language list which is consistent with NAATI’s language names wherever possible. We also use Ethnologue: Languages of the World as our primary reference source for information on world languages. Ethnologue is a comprehensive reference publication that catalogues all known living languages. It draws on the expertise of hundreds of linguists and researchers from around the world. It is revised regularly to maintain the most accurate, relevant and up-to-date information and statistics on all world languages. 

TIS National recognises that language matters can be complex and occasionally opinions differ, even among experts and native speakers. This is particularly relevant when determining which language names to use in our language list. The TIS National Language Listing policy sets out the criteria we consider when naming languages in our language list. This ensures there is clear and consistent identification of languages. 

Where NAATI offers credentials in a language, TIS National will generally adopt the language name used by NAATI. Where NAATI has not awarded credentials in a language, TIS National will generally adopt the language name stated by Ethnologue. In cases where an Australian Government policy mandates a specific language name, TIS National will adopt this name in our Language List. 

TIS National may also choose to add alternative names to the primary name. This assists TIS National contact centre staff and agency clients in selecting the language needed for clients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Factors we may consider include:

• how widespread use of an alternative name is (i.e. is it in regular common usage in the community and understood across most or all of the geographic area where the language is spoken)
• the official naming conventions within the country(s) where the language is spoken.

TIS National may also add references (such as macrolanguage, region, country of origin or language from which a dialect stems) to a language name to assist in identifying the language.

ATIS is an automated voice-prompted immediate phone interpreting service. ATIS is a service for agency clients to access an interpreter in high demand languages without assistance from a TIS National operator.

ATIS uses voice recognition technology to identify the language requested, and automatically connect you with an interpreter in that language. ATIS allows you to avoid lengthy call wait times you may experience when calling the contact centre for an immediate phone interpreter.

ATIS provides immediate phone interpreting services in over 50 high demand languages:

ATIS users receive a discount of up to 10 per cent off TIS National’s immediate phone interpreter charges, so using the service is an excellent opportunity for clients to reduce interpreting costs. See Phone interpreting for more information.

Illegal Maritime Arrival (IMA) interpreting involves interpreters attending immigration detention facilities and regional processing centres on request from the Department of Home Affairs, to provide interpreting services to assist with the IMA response.

Immediate phone interpreting is available for agency clients and non-English speakers who need to use an interpreter immediately over the phone.

The immediate phone interpreting service can be accessed by agency and non-English speaking clients who need to use an interpreter immediately over the phone with the assistance of a contact centre operator by calling 131 450. Agency clients can also access an interpreter immediately over the phone by using ATIS.

Our on-site interpreting service is available for agency clients to book an interpreter to attend an appointment face-to-face.

When using a phone interpreter would not be suitable, TIS National can arrange for an interpreter to visit your location. On-site interpreting services can be arranged for any location in Australia (subject to interpreter availability).

You can easily request and manage all of your on-site interpreter bookings through TIS Online. Using TIS Online allows us to secure an interpreter for your request in the shortest possible time frame.  All agencies registered with a TIS National account are automatically registered to use TIS Online. Find out more about TIS Online or visit the TIS Online login page to get started.

The pre-booked phone interpreting service is available for agency clients to book a phone interpreter in advance of an appointment.

Please submit pre-booked phone interpreting requests at least 48 hours prior to the time and date you require the interpreter.

Failure to provide at least 48 hours' notice for pre-booked phone interpreting requests may result in TIS National being unable to service your request.

Pre-booking your phone interpreter will ensure any special requirements can be catered for and that the best available interpreter can be secured for the time you nominate. Pre-booking an interpreter is recommended when the assignment may be complex, requires specialist knowledge or the availability of interpreters in a particular language is limited.

Pre-booking allows time for background or briefing material to be provided and examined by the interpreter, so the actual interpreting time is used in the most efficient manner. In many cases, using a pre-booked phone interpreter has proven to be an effective and less expensive alternative to providing an on-site interpreter. To request a pre-booked phone interpreter fill out the interpreter booking form. 

TIS National provides access to the following interpreting services:

• Immediate phone interpreting

• Automated Telephone Interpreting Service (ATIS)

• Pre-booked phone interpreting

• On-site interpreting

• Illegal Maritime Arrival (IMA) interpreting

Yes. TIS Online allows you to easily cancel your bookings up until the scheduled completion time. If we are unable to fill a booking or you cancel a Standard On-site booking (less than 6.5 hours) more than 24 hours before the scheduled start time, you will not be charged for the booking. A Full Day On-site assignment (6.5 hours or more) must be cancelled more than 48 hours than the scheduled start time to avoid cancellation charges.

Further information about cancellations and what constitutes sufficient notice can be found in the TIS National cancellation policy.

Yes. You can make changes to your bookings in TIS Online up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time of the booking.

If you change the name of the non-English speaker or the interpreter instructions, the booking will be updated immediately.

No. TIS Online does not record financial information. TIS National invoices are issued by email using our eBilling system.

Currently only standard on-site interpreting jobs can be managed through TIS Online.

Yes. You can view all bookings for your agency in TIS Online.

Yes. Once a job has been completed, you can finalise the booking with TIS National through TIS Online. If you haven’t finalised a job in TIS Online within 7 days after the booking took place, it will be escalated to a TIS National staff member to resolve.

Yes. TIS Online automatically notifies you by email (and SMS if you’ve nominated a mobile contact number) when an interpreter has been assigned to one of your bookings.

TIS Online will also notify you immediately if the interpreter can no longer attend the appointment or we assign a new interpreter to the booking.

Yes. TIS Online works on most internet-enabled mobile devices, so you can manage your jobs wherever and whenever it’s most convenient for you. We recommend that you regularly update the software on your mobile device to make sure TIS Online works most effectively.

New booking requests are automatically posted out to all interpreters who meet the job requirements, to self-nominate for the job. Job requirements include:

• the language they interpret in

• their National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) credential level

• their location

• their availability

• other criteria you have requested, such as gender.

You can contact the Channel Support team if you need assistance using TIS Online. The team is available during standard business hours. For urgent enquiries outside of these hours, please call the TIS National contact centre on 131 450.

TIS National is the language service provider in the Department of Home Affairs. The Global Feedback Unit (GFU) is the central point for receiving all departmental feedback, including services provided by TIS National. 

In TIS National, we value feedback from our clients, as it helps us to improve our work and enhances the quality of interpreting services that we deliver to government, business and communities, through the provision of credentialed, cost-effective and secure language services. 

TIS National clients with limited or no English language skills can submit feedback about TIS National services online or via telephone. To give feedback online, please access the Department’s Compliments, complaints and suggestions. If you require an interpreter, please call TIS National on 131 450 and tell the operator you would like to give feedback about TIS National. Our operators will document your feedback and refer it to the relevant team in TIS National for action.

You can make requests up to 90 days in advance of an appointment.

As jobs requested in TIS Online are automatically posted out to all interpreters who meet the job requirements rather than manually calling individual interpreters, the time it takes to allocate an interpreter to your request should reduce significantly when you use TIS Online.

The lead time to find an interpreter for your booking will vary for each job, however we anticipate most booking requests will be accepted by an interpreter within a day, if not within a matter of hours.

Services requested through TIS Online attract the same rates as our standard on-site interpreting charges. View our service charges.

In some instances, TIS National can provide a single client code for a medical practice. Please call TIS National to discuss your medical practice’s needs on 1300 575 847.

Yes. If the interpreter does not attend the appointment, you can submit a dispute of the booking easily in TIS Online. These will be escalated to a TIS National staff member to follow up.

TIS Online allows you to log into your personal account to:

• make new on-site interpreter bookings

• view and update your existing on-site interpreter bookings

• finalise or dispute completed on-site interpreter bookings

• update your details and invite other staff in your organisation to use the account

• receive notifications by email and SMS as the status of your bookings change.

TIS Online sends you notifications when:

• your account is updated

• you create a new booking request

• an interpreter has been assigned to a booking

• an interpreter assigned to a booking can no longer attend

• a booking has been changed

• a booking is cancelled

• a booking is ready to be finalised

• a booking is varied or disputed.

You can create a new on-site interpreter booking request on TIS Online any time up until 24 hours before the appointment start time. If you need to request an on-site interpreter with less than 24 hours’ notice before the appointment start time, please contact the Channel Support team.

If it reaches 48 hours before the scheduled start time of your booking and no interpreters have accepted your booking, TIS National treats the request as an urgent job and starts manually calling interpreters to fill the booking. If no available interpreter can be found, you will receive a notification when the booking is cancelled.

TIS Online is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, so you can use it whenever it’s convenient for you.

Yes. TIS Online always offers bookings to the highest credentialed interpreters first. Your booking will only be offered to lower credentialed interpreters when no higher credentialed interpreters have accepted it after being available for six hours.

Yes. If you know in advance that you have more than one client you need to communicate with who speak the same language, you should submit a single booking request for the appointments.

When you send the request ensure you:

• list each non-English speaker on the request

• list in the special requirements field that the booking is for multiple appointments

• request the interpreter for enough time to cover the multiple appointments.

In an effort to create a streamlined and paperless booking process TIS National no longer accepts booking requests sent by fax.

On-site interpreter bookings must be requested through TIS Online.

Pre-booked phone interpreter requests must be submitted using our online interpreter booking form.

TIS National’s policy is to allocate work to interpreters on the basis of their:

• National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) credential level; and
• availability.

This ensures that clients receive the most qualified available interpreter. 

In some circumstances, limited additional factors such as those outlined below may be taken into account in determining allocation. However, the highest available credential level always remains a primary criterion.

Gender:

TIS National accepts that there are sometimes circumstances where an interpreter of a specific gender is required.  For example, this may be necessary for sensitive matters, especially those of a medical nature. To facilitate this, clients can indicate the gender of interpreter required (where this is important). TIS National will then allocate the highest credentialed available interpreter of that gender, wherever possible.

Working with Children’s Check:

Occasionally, clients may advise TIS National that they require an interpreter with a Working with Children’s Check (or equivalent). Such requests are made in order to comply with relevant legislation and TIS National will therefore give such requests priority when determining allocation. In these circumstances, allocation will be to the most highly credentialed available interpreter who holds the required Check.

Specific Interpreter Requests:

TIS National strongly encourages clients to avoid requesting specific interpreters where possible.

Such requests:

• limit TIS National’s ability to supply an interpreter, particularly for urgent requests (the specified interpreter may not be available when requested); and
• may not result in allocation of the most highly credentialed interpreter available for your appointment.

In exceptional circumstances, TIS National may agree to fulfil a client’s request for a specific interpreter.  However, the client must first clearly demonstrate what exceptional circumstances apply to warrant allocation outside of normal policy. 

Whilst such requests are assessed on a case by case basis, they are more likely to be considered favourably where a client can demonstrate that allocation of the nominated interpreter is:

• essential to maintaining the quality and continuity of care or service; and
• of clear benefit to the non-English speaking client.

Clients will be required to complete an acknowledgement of requirements for the provision of a specific interpreter form, including details of the exceptional circumstances which apply, before TIS National will consider a specific interpreter request.

Specific interpreter requests must generally be made at least three business days prior to the appointment date. Requests made less than three business days in advance will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and will generally result in an interpreter being allocated in accordance with standard TIS National interpreter allocation policy.

If a specific interpreter request is declined, the client will be offered the highest credentialed interpreter available at the time. Where a client chooses not to accept the interpreter allocated in this manner and decides to cancel the request, this must be done with sufficient notice, in accordance with TIS National’s Cancellation Policy in order to avoid charges. Cancellations must be made in TIS Online or in writing, as appropriate.

No other considerations are ordinarily taken into account when allocating assignments. 

TIS National:

• does not keep records on interpreters’ ethnicity, nationality, country of birth, religion or political affiliations and is unable to allocate interpreters based on these considerations
• will not provide a specific interpreter simply to meet the personal preferences of the client or non-English speaker (NES)
• will not agree to allocate a specific interpreter outside of the usual allocation policy where there is no evidence to substantiate a history or continuity of care or service.

Yes. The non-English speaker may feel more comfortable using an interpreter of a particular gender only. This could be due to: 

• a sensitive health issue

• domestic issues

• cultural differences

If you require an interpreter of a particular gender, please advise TIS National when you submit your booking request.

No. TIS National assigns work to interpreters on the basis of National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) credential (qualification) level and availability to ensure you receive the most qualified available interpreter. TIS National cannot assign work to an interpreter on the basis of cultural background or religion.

TIS National understands that clients will occasionally need to cancel a booking.

Required notice periods vary depending on the type of assignment, as set out in the TIS National cancellation policy.

TIS National agency clients operating in high-risk settings such as health, disability, aged care, or dedicated vaccination centres may have a requirement for an on-site interpreter who is vaccinated against COVID-19.

To request a COVID-19 vaccinated interpreter, agency clients must state this requirement in the Instructions for Interpreter field of the on-site booking request form in TIS Online.

This information should include:

• whether one or both COVID-19 vaccination doses are required
• whether evidence of COVID-19 vaccination is required
• what type of evidence (if required) the agency client will accept.

An interpreter is obliged to read these instructions and accept the assignment only if they meet these requirements.

Requests for the pre-booked phone service should be sent using the online interpreter booking form.

Please submit pre-booked phone interpreting requests at least 48 hours prior to the time and date you require the interpreter.

Failure to provide at least 48 hours' notice for pre-booked phone interpreting requests may result in TIS National being unable to service your request.

We endeavour to allocate an interpreter to your request within three days of receiving your request. Once an interpreter has been allocated to the assignment you will receive a booking confirmation by email including the appointment details. This confirmation includes the details you need to follow at the scheduled booking time to connect with your interpreter.

Bookings will only be accepted for appointments up to 90 days in advance of the date of request.

To use the automated, voice prompted, immediate phone interpreting service (ATIS), you need to have an account and access numbers (these are different to a TIS National client code). To request an ATIS account and access numbers, complete the ATIS application form or contact a Client Liaison account manager.

ATIS cannot create a conference call for you.  Check you are using a phone that has conferencing ability to call your non-English speaker or that the phone has a speaker if they are with you.

Call 1800 131 450 to connect to ATIS. You will be asked to say and confirm the language interpreter you need, before entering the preferred gender of your interpreter and your ATIS account and access numbers.

Once ATIS connects you with an interpreter you will be provided a job number. Write this number down as a record of the call in case you have any follow up enquiries.

If you experience issues during your ATIS interpreting session, press 0 on your keypad and you will be connected to a TIS National operator for assistance.

You can also view the ATIS help sheet for more information about using the service.

TIS National provides access to immediate phone interpreters 24 hours, every day of the year. Call the TIS National contact centre on 131 450 at any time of day or night to access an immediate phone interpreter.

When you call 131 450 for immediate phone interpreting the TIS National operator will ask you for the following information:

• language required

• your client code

• your agencies name and the section you work in

• your name and phone number

• the non-English speakers name and phone number

• any required information your agency has requested be recorded by TIS National (for example, an identification number or claim number)

To help our operators process your request as quickly as possible, please have this information ready to provide when requested.

On-site appointments are usually booked by the organisation that needs to communicate with their non-English speaking client.

You can easily request and manage all of your on-site interpreter bookings through TIS Online. Using TIS Online allows us to secure an interpreter for your request in the shortest possible time frame.  All agencies registered with a TIS National account are automatically registered to use TIS Online. Find out more about TIS Online or visit the TIS Online login page to get started.

A Full Day On-site assignment is any job scheduled for 6.5 hours or more. Assignments under 6.5 hours are Standard On-site assignments.

View types of on-site assignments.

If TIS National has not been able to find a phone interpreter for your request, the following tips and hints may help.

Credential level - On your original request you may have asked us to only consider interpreters with a Certified Interpreter/Professional level credential from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). It may be helpful to re-assess whether it is crucial that you only use an interpreter with this credential, as considering using a lower or nil-credentialed interpreter can significantly improve your chances of securing an interpreter. TIS National’s procedure when filling requests is to always allocate the highest credentialed available interpreter first. Also note, NAATI certification/accreditation is not available in all languages. We will be unable to fill your request in these languages if you have requested we only consider certified/accredited interpreters.

Other languages spoken by your client - Does your client speak more than one language other than English? If they do, it may improve your chances of securing an interpreter if you request an interpreter in another language they speak as it increases the pool of interpreters we can contact and the likelihood of an interpreter being available.

Have the information ready - Having all of the necessary information with you when you call TIS National for an immediate service assists our operators to source the required interpreter as quickly as possible, allowing them to answer as many calls from clients as possible each day. When you call 131 450, you can assist our operators by having the following information with you:

• your client code
• your agency's name and the section you work in
• the language required
• your name and contact phone number
• the non-English speaker's name (you can choose to keep this confidential)
• the non-English speaker's phone number (if you need us to call them)any required information your agency has requested be recorded by TIS National (for example, an identification number or claim number).

Off-peak times - High demand for interpreting services during peak times can affect the amount of time it takes for our clients to connect with an operator and be allocated an interpreter when using our immediate service. To avoid lengthy wait times and improve your chances of being connected with an available interpreter it may be helpful to call TIS National during our quieter times. If you have the ability to call during our off-peak times between 8 am and 10 am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) from Monday to Thursday and all day on Friday, you may have a better chance of finding an available interpreter.

ATIS - Using TIS National’s automated voice-prompted immediate phone interpreting service, ATIS, allows agency clients to access an interpreter in a range of high demand languages without assistance from a TIS National operator. ATIS automatically connects you with an interpreter in the requested language allowing you to avoid lengthy call wait times you may experience calling the contact centre for an immediate phone interpreter. Register for ATIS online or call our Client liaison and promotions account managers on 1300 655 820 for more information.

If TIS National has not been able to find an on-site interpreter for your request, the following tips and hints may help.

Credential level - On your original request you may have asked us to only consider interpreters with a Certified Interpreter/Professional level credential from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). It may be helpful to re-assess whether it is crucial that you only use an interpreter with this credential, as considering using a lower or nil-credentialed interpreter can significantly improve your chances of securing an interpreter. TIS National’s procedure when filling requests is to always allocate the highest credentialed available interpreter first. Also note, NAATI certification/accreditation is not available in all languages. We will be unable to fill your request in these languages if you have requested we only consider certified/accredited interpreters.

Other languages spoken by your client - Does your client speak more than one language other than English? If they do, it may improve your chances of securing an interpreter if you request an interpreter in another language they speak as it increases the pool of interpreters we can contact and the likelihood of an interpreter being available.

Send your request in advance – Sending your request approximately two weeks before the scheduled appointment time will generally give you the greatest chance of securing an interpreter. This will increase the pool of interpreters who are available to accept the assignment as they haven’t already made prior commitments. While TIS National can accept on-site booking requests up to 90 days in advance of an appointment, these requests can be difficult to fill as many of our interpreters will not be able to commit to a booking too far in advance. When TIS National receives an urgent job request (i.e. within three business day of the requested time) it will be processed within a 24 to 48 hour period. Booking requests for an interpreter for the same day the request is submitted are actioned immediately. However it’s important to note that in these cases the pool of interpreters available to accept the request will be somewhat limited, as it’s likely our interpreters will have already accepted other bookings at that time.

Schedule your appointments together - If you need an interpreter in a particular language for more than one of your clients, try to schedule your appointments with them on the same day. By scheduling the appointments together, you can book a single interpreter for a longer period of time and use them for multiple client appointments.

Provide an alternative date and time - When sending your booking request, if possible, provide an alternative date and time for your appointment. This will provide our booking team with another option to find you an available interpreter in the case no one is available at your preferred time.

Include accurate booking details - When completing your booking request it is important you include accurate booking details to ensure we can process and complete your booking as required.

Use a phone interpreter instead - If you have been notified that we can’t provide an on-site interpreter for your booking, consider if it would be possible to use a pre-booked or immediate phone interpreter. Using a phone interpreter allows us to draw from a pool of interpreters across Australia, rather than only considering interpreters based in your location. Using a phone interpreter also provides a greater level of privacy for your client, particularly when the only suitable on-site interpreter may be known personally to your client.

If you lose the connection with your client and/or interpreter during a phone service, you can be re-connected by calling 131 450 and quoting your job number.

You must call back within five minutes of being disconnected to continue with the same interpreter and job. Calls can only be reconnected within five minutes to ensure the interpreter is not disadvantaged by being unable to accept other work they may be offered.

You must provide the correct on-site address and include any specific instructions the interpreter needs to be aware of.

The site contact needs to be on time to meet the interpreter at the scheduled appointment time as the interpreter is not permitted to enter the premises without the agency site contact present.

A Service Delivery Form (SDF) is a written record that the interpreter attended an on-site assignment.

Our interpreters need the SDF signed to verify the start and end times of the appointment as agreed with the agency. This helps TIS National calculate what payment the interpreter is entitled to for the assignment.

It is important that you ensure the start and end times are recorded accurately on the SDF and it is signed at the end of appointment. If your appointment ran over time it is important to reflect this time on the SDF.

TIS National understands that clients will occasionally need to cancel a booking.

Required notice periods vary depending on the type of assignment, as set out in the TIS National cancellation policy.

TIS National immediate telephone services are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year by calling 131 450. The amount of time it takes to connect to a contact centre operator is generally shorter in the morning between the hours of 8 am and 10 am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), and all day on Fridays.

ATIS immediate telephone services are also available 24 hours a day, every day of the year by calling 1800 131 450.

Pre-booked telephone interpreting and on-site interpreting requests are monitored 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Most of our business support teams are available between 9 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday AEST (excluding public holidays). These teams include:

• Interpreter Liaison

• Client Liaison

• Free Interpreting Service

• Finance Administration

To contact any of the business support teams, visit our contact us page.

High demand for interpreting services can affect the availability of our interpreters. To avoid lengthy wait times and to improve your chance of being allocated an interpreter in our high demand languages it may be helpful to booking the service in advance.

Yes. There are occasions when TIS National may need to cancel a pre-booked telephone or on-site interpreting assignment as no interpreters are available. TIS National will notify the agency contact person listed on the booking request if this occurs.

You should only request a WWCC-cleared interpreter when you have assessed that the relevant legislation requires one. If you request a WWCC-cleared interpreter where this is no legal requirement for one, this may unnecessarily restrict TIS National’s ability to fulfil your request and may mean we are not able to supply you with an interpreter.

Where a client determines that legislation requires a WWCC-cleared interpreter for a particular job, you can indicate this requirement in the following way.

On-site interpreting jobs

1. When creating a new job in TIS Online, go to the ‘Additional requirements’ section.
2. Select ‘yes’ for ‘Do you have any other requirements for the job?’
3. Select ‘yes’ for ‘Does relevant legislation require the interpreter to hold an appropriate Working with Children Check (or equivalent)?’
4. Select the state/territory where the minor will be located at the time of the job.

TIS National will release such jobs to interpreters who hold the required WWCC (or equivalent) only.

Pre-booked phone interpreting jobs

1.  When creating a new job using the pre-booked phone interpreting form, go to the ‘Nature of appointment’ section.
2. Select ‘yes’ for ‘Do you have any other requirements for the job?’
3. Select ‘yes’ for ‘Does relevant legislation require the interpreter to hold an appropriate Working with Children Check (or equivalent)?’
4. Select the state/territory where the minor will be located at the time of the job.

TIS National will only allocate such jobs to interpreters who hold the required WWCC (or equivalent).

Immediate phone interpreting jobs

1. Call the TIS National Contact Centre on 131 450.
2. Advise the TIS National operator at the start of the call that a WWCC-cleared interpreter is required.
3. When asked by the operator, advise which state or territory the child is located in.
4. The operator will look for an interpreter who holds the required WWCC (or equivalent) and conference them into the call in the usual way. The operator will advise you if there are no interpreters available with the required WWCC. If this is the case, you may call back at a later time and try again.

Please note that TIS National operators are not able to allocate an interpreter who does not hold a WWCC if you have advised that a WWCC is a legal requirement for the job.

There is currently no facility to request a WWCC-cleared interpreter via the Automated Telephone Interpreting Service (ATIS). For WWCC jobs, you must call the TIS National Contact Centre on 131 450.

TIS National has worked hard to build a pool of WWCC-cleared interpreters. We have also introduced system enhancements which allow us to provide WWCC-cleared interpreters upon request, in order to ensure compliance with WWCC laws.

Clients can request a WWCC-cleared interpreter where they determine that one is required for a particular interpreting assignment.

In most circumstances, TIS National has no knowledge of whether a particular interpreting assignment may:

•  involve a child, and
• meet criteria under WWCC legislation which gives rise to the requirement for a WWCC-cleared interpreter.

Consequently, we rely on clients to inform us if a WWCC (or equivalent) is required for an assignment. 

When clients tell TIS National that a job requires a WWCC-cleared interpreter, we will provide one wherever possible.  If we do not have any WWCC-cleared interpreters available in the requested language at the requested time, we will not be able to fulfil the request and clients can try again at a later time.

TIS National is working hard to ensure as many of our interpreters as possible hold a WWCC (or equivalent). We hope to have broad coverage of WWCC-cleared interpreters across as many languages and jurisdictions as possible. However, occasionally we may not have a WWCC-cleared interpreter available in the requested language at the requested time and we may therefore not be able to fulfil all WWCC job requests.

Clients should give careful consideration to the requirement for a WWCC before requesting one. Requesting a WWCC where it is not legally required may unnecessarily restrict TIS National’s ability to fulfil your request and may mean we are not able to supply you with an interpreter. Clients are therefore encouraged not to request a WWCC unless they have assessed that it is a legal requirement for the job.

A WWCC (or its equivalent in different jurisdictions) provides a level of screening designed to protect children from possible harm perpetrated against them by workers.

Each state and territory has its own laws in relation to WWCCs and the requirements are different from state to state. In limited circumstances defined in the legislation, it is a legal requirement for workers to hold a valid WWCC before undertaking work with children.

Relevant laws in the ACT are different to other jurisdictions. The ACT legislation covers ‘vulnerable people’, which is defined more broadly than just children and specifically includes people accessing migrant, refugee and asylum seeker services (including services for people who have difficulty communicating in English). As a result, where non-English speakers (NES) access on-site interpreting services in the ACT, it is a legal requirement for the interpreter to hold the ACT equivalent of a WWCC (called a ‘Working with Vulnerable People Check’, or WWVPC).

TIS National systems will automatically allocate a WWVPC-cleared interpreter to all on-site jobs where the NES is located in the ACT. Clients will not need to take any action to identify this requirement – it will happen automatically.

Phone interpreting is not affected by this special arrangement, as the ACT legislation does not currently require a WWVPC for phone interpreting.

Yes. TIS National interpreters are insured for professional indemnity, public liability and workers compensation.

Clients must contact TIS National directly with any queries relating to its services. Clients must not request interpreters to provide their contact details to facilitate direct contact between the agency and interpreter. To ensure services are delivered in line with TIS National standards, clients must call TIS National on 131 450 for all interpreter job bookings, this also includes when a call disconnection takes place.

No. TIS National interpreters abide by the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics which states that interpreters should not accept gratuities or other benefits outside of their payment for their services.

No. A TIS National interpreter facilitates communication with a non-English speaking client and does not conduct interviews, give advice, complete forms for you or your client or provide their own personal opinion.

Interpreting can be very demanding, so you should provide interpreters with reasonable short breaks to get a drink, go to the bathroom, rest and refresh their focus. This is particularly important for complex or lengthy jobs, such as phone interpreting jobs of more than 60 minutes duration or on-site jobs longer than 90 minutes.

TIS National also strongly recommends that interpreters have a more substantial break (at least 30 minutes) after no more than five hours of interpreting wherever possible.

Our website provides some useful information about working with TIS National interpreters.

TIS National can also assist you to work effectively with interpreters by developing a presentation slideshow specific to your organisation. Contact a TIS National Client Liaison account manager for more information.

TIS National is committed to providing the highest quality interpreting service to our clients.

TIS National ensures that interpreters are competent and qualified by:

• recruiting National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) interpreters where possible

• providing a thorough induction to interpreters

• providing resources to interpreters about applying the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics

• conducting a mystery shopping programme.

TIS National also maintains an active feedback register to record both positive and negative feedback and follow up issues when required. We strongly encourage you to provide feedback as it helps us identify issues we may not be aware of.

TIS National interpreters understand their responsibilities and perform under the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics so are required to keep the content of a an interpreting assignment confidential. Information received during an interpreting assignment can only be disclosed when mandated by law.

As a ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ under Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws, your agency has a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of interpreters providing services for you.

Interpreting can be very demanding, so you should provide interpreters with reasonable short breaks so that they can get a drink, go to the bathroom, rest and refresh their focus. This is particularly important for complex or lengthy jobs, such as phone interpreting jobs of more than 60 minutes duration or on-site jobs longer than 90 minutes. TIS National also strongly recommends that interpreters have a more substantial break (at least 30 minutes) after five hours of interpreting wherever possible. In addition to meeting duty of care obligations, adequate breaks also help ensure optimal interpreting outcomes for you and your non-English speaking clients.

TIS National recommends that you discuss arrangements for breaks with your interpreter at the start of each interpreting job. We also encourage you to include information on appropriate breaks for interpreters in any training you provide to your staff about working with interpreters.

There is no reduction in charges (or in interpreter payment) for any breaks you provide to an interpreter. Breaks are paid time. If you want to avoid paying for a break during a longer job, you may book two shorter jobs. However, TIS National cannot guarantee you will be allocated the same interpreter for both jobs. In addition, this often does not result in any cost savings because allowance for breaks has been built into our charging structure for longer jobs.

When our interpreters perform on-site interpreting for you, they are subject to the WHS policies and procedures of your workplace.

The best way to help minimise risks to interpreters is to factor them into your WHS planning, such as providing them with a WHS orientation when they arrive at the site.

Orientation for interpreters may cover topics such as:

• the nature of the operations of your business and the associated hazards and risks
• appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety
• processes for receiving information about incidents, hazards and risks in your workplace.

We inform our interpreters about their obligation to attend WHS orientations for on-site assignments when requested. If an incident occurs involving an interpreter while performing an on-site assignment in your workplace, please immediately telephone the TIS National Interpreter Liaison team on 1300 132 621 to inform us of the incident. We ask that you then follow this up with a written incident report, emailed to interpreters@homeaffairs.gov.au.

Some tips to help you use interpreters most effectively are:

• Allow time prior to the interview to brief the interpreter so they have an understanding of what the session entails.

• Be sure to have a private area organised where the session can take place.

• Arrange seating in a triangular form to allow for easy communication between the interpreter and the client.

• It is ideal to position yourself so that the non-English speaking client is directly facing you and the interpreter is sitting to the side.

• Introduce yourself and brief the interpreter on the main topics you will be discussing.

• Ensure the interpreter knows what type of telephone you are using and if they are on speaker phone.

• Always speak in the first person and speak directly to the non-English speaker.

• Allow the interpreter to clarify information if necessary.

• Use clear language and short sentences.

• Avoid using jargon, slang, idioms or proverbs.

• Include a pause after each sentence so that the call participants do not talk over each other or cut each other off.

• If it is a long job (more than 60 minutes for phone interpreting or more than 90 minutes for on-site interpreting), the interpreter may require occasional short breaks to get a drink, go to the bathroom, rest and refresh their focus.

• Clearly indicate the end of the conference call to everyone involved.

Credentials from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) are the only qualifications officially accepted for the interpreting profession in Australia.

There are three main levels of interpreter credentials available through NAATI.

Certified Interpreter/Professional Accreditation (or higher):

Suitable for specialisations such as health, legal and formal proceedings. 

Certified Provisional Interpreter/Para-professional Accreditation:

Suitable for general conversations and interpreting non-specialist dialogues. 

Recognised Practising Interpreter/Recognition:

Granted in emerging languages or languages with low community demand for which NAATI does not offer certification. Interpreters with this credential have recent and regular experience as an interpreter. Suitable for general conversations and interpreting non-specialist dialogues.

In a small number of cases Recognised Practicing Interpreter may also be provided as an interim arrangement in established languages where interpreters have been trained but testing is not currently available.

Some TIS National interpreters hold none of the credentials outlined above and are referred to as ‘Nil credentialed’. This generally occurs in very low demand languages where NAATI offers neither certification nor recognised practising status. These interpreters undergo TIS National interview and reference checking processes to ensure their work is of a high standard. For languages where certification/accreditation is not available, TIS National may be able to allocate a Recognised Practising or nil-credentialed interpreter. 

If your call is connected with an interpreter and your non-English speaking client does not answer the call, you can request that the interpreter leave a voicemail message.

Provide the interpreter with:

• non-English speaker’s name (if available)
• your name
• your organisation name.

The interpreter will then be able to leave a voicemail message.

For example:

Hello [insert non-English speaker’s name]

I am an interpreter calling from TIS National on behalf of [insert your name] from [insert your agency name].  Please contact TIS National on 131 450 and ask to be connected to an interpreter in [insert non-English speakers language] and to call [agency name]. 

TIS National interpreters can provide their name and personal identification number to agency clients. The interpreter can choose not to disclose their name to the agency client. In this case the client should address the interpreter as “interpreter”.

For on-site jobs the interpreter will need the agency client to sign a Service Delivery Form (SDF), which is their written proof that the job took place.

The role of the agency is to manage the interview and conduct a free flow of communication. It is important to firstly introduce yourself to the interpreter and brief the interpreter on the situation.

If you are using an on-site interpreter the correct seat positioning is essential to get the most out of your session is a triangular seating setting.

When using a phone interpreting service it is important to provide details of the phone you are using and also allow the interpreter to introduce themselves to the client. You should maintain eye contact with your non-English speaking client to show that they are the centre of your attention.

For longer or more complex jobs, it is the agency’s responsibility to provide reasonable breaks to the interpreter so they can rest and refresh their focus.

The interpreter’s role is to accurately convey the whole spoken message from one language to another while abiding by the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics.

The AUSIT Code of Ethics is intended to regulate the professional conduct of Australian interpreters and includes:

• professional conduct

• confidentiality

• competence

• impartiality

• accuracy

• clarity of role boundaries

• maintaining professional relationships

• professional development

• professional solidarity

The interpreter should arrive on time and stay for the duration of your booking, unless you require the session to finish early.

TIS National gives priority to interpreters who have National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) credentials, which provides a guarantee of interpreter skill and accuracy.

TIS National interpreters understand their responsibilities and perform under the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics. Our interpreters maintain professional behaviour and keep the content of a conversation confidential whilst abiding by their Code of Ethics. Our interpreters facilitate communication with the non-English speaking client and do not conduct interviews, give advice, complete forms or provide their own personal opinions.

Professional interpreters speak in the first person to ensure they accurately interpret what is being said. This avoids confusion and ensures that the message is being interpreted and understood correctly by all parties.

If you are unsure about what is being said or by who, ask the interpreter to clarify what was said.