TIS National offers interpreting services in more than 150 languages. We regularly appoint new interpreters to our panel of over 2700 to meet ongoing demand and build capacity in languages spoken in new and emerging communities settling in Australia. 

As TIS National continuously recruits interpreters in new languages, the language list is updated as language services become available. 

Language credentials

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

TIS National adheres to the TIS National Allocation Policy when allocating an interpreter to your booking. You may wish to specify your preferred credential level when making your pre-booked phone, video remote or on-site interpreter bookings.

There are four main levels of interpreter credentials available through NAATI:

• Certified Interpreter (or higher)
• Certified Specialist Legal and Health
• Certified Provisional Interpreter
• Recognised Practising Interpreter

Some TIS National interpreters hold none of these credentials and are referred to as 'Nil-credentialed'. This is generally in languages where NAATI does not offer certification or recognised practising status. These interpreters undergo TIS National interview and reference checking processes to ensure their work is of a high standard.

TIS National allocates interpreters in order of the allocation preferences below:

• Certified Conference Interpreter 
  Suitable for settings that need consecutive or simultaneous interpreting. For example, international or high-level events, meetings or conferences. The interpreter is often required to use conference interpreting booths and equipment.
• Certified Interpreter 
  Suitable for formal proceedings and specialisations such as health, and legal. Also suitable for general conversations and interpreting non-specialist dialogues.
• Certified interpreter – Specialised Health
  Suitable for settings that need specialised health/medical terminology interpreting. Interpreters have highly extensive knowledge of the health domain, understanding of how culture and language interact and relevant code of ethics and professional standards in the health domain. ​
  
• Certified interpreter – Specialised Legal
  ​Suitable for settings that need specialised legal terminology interpreting. Interpreters have extensive knowledge of the legal domain. For example, have a sophisticated understanding of their role in legal settings as officers of the court i.e. sentencing remarks by a judge, expert witness statements or testimony, or presentation of legal arguments. 
  
• Certified Provisional Interpreter
  Suitable for general conversations and interpreting non-specialist dialogues.
• Recognised Practising Interpreter
  Granted in languages for which NAATI does not offer certification. This is usually emerging languages or languages with low community demand. Interpreters with this credential have recent and regular interpreting experience. They are required to complete regular professional development. Suitable for general conversations and interpreting non-specialist dialogues. In a small number of cases, this credential may be provided as an interim arrangement in established languages where interpreters have been trained but testing is not currently available.
• Nil credentialed
  Suitable for general conversations and interpreting non-specialist dialogues when no higher credentialed interpreters are available. 

Available languages

This list displays languages currently available through TIS National.

Language listing policy

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.