Translation Services in Toronto for Immigration, Education, Life, Business, and Government

A certified translation is an official translation created by a qualified translator and often verified by a seal or signature, ensuring its acceptance by government agencies, courts, universities, and employers.

In certain instances, a translation must be finalized and officially endorsed by a certified Canadian translator who is affiliated with a provincial association, including ATIO, OTTIAQ, or STIBC. Although the majority of government offices do not require this more stringent form of certification, specific licensing organizations or boards do.

In certain organizations, a translation may be certified by a representative of a translation agency, provided on the agency’s letterhead, including the required contact information.

An additional option is to have the translations certified by a Canadian Commissioner for Taking Oaths (Commissioner for Taking Affidavits), who can authenticate the translator’s signature on their affidavit (a written oath affirming the completeness and accuracy of the translation).

A notarized translation is another category that is typically necessary for use beyond Canada. Some embassies and consulates require that a Canadian Notary Public notarize translations. This supplementary measure ensures legal acknowledgment internationally and verifies that the translation has undergone appropriate validation.

Lastly, there are non-certified translations, frequently selected by business clients who do not require official documentation. The translations are executed by experienced linguists, though they lack formal certification, rendering them appropriate for websites, marketing materials, or internal use.

We are equipped to provide support in both scenarios.

A standard certified translation may not be enough when documents need to be used in other countries. Many foreign organizations, such as embassies, consulates, and government offices, require that translations be notarized or have an apostille added to them.

In Canada, a Notary Public must officially approve a notarized translation to verify its authenticity. In these cases, the notarized translation proves that a qualified person did the work and that the certification is legally valid.

An apostille serves as a method of legalization, which has been streamlined in Canada following its accession to the Hague Apostille Convention in 2024. This system allows for the authentication of Canadian documents through a unified process, ensuring their validity across all member states of the Hague Apostille Convention.

Check this page for details.

For countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, the process may still require full consular legalization, which involves the document passing through multiple offices, including the consulate or embassy of the target country.

Machine translation employs sophisticated software to handle extensive amounts of text efficiently. This approach is effective for internal applications or when rapid results are essential, with the output subsequently subject to review by a human translator to guarantee quality.

In contrast, human translation is performed solely by a skilled human linguist. Our agency employs native-speaking translators who possess extensive full-time translating experience, delivering what we refer to as the “Gold Standard” service. The translations are conducted entirely by hand, guaranteeing precise, fluent, and error-free outcomes that capture not only the words but also the intended meaning and tone of the original document.

For clients seeking exceptional precision, our “VIP” service package offers a manual translation by one expert, followed by an additional review and refinement by a senior translator.

The decision between machine-assisted and fully human translation is contingent upon the intended purpose of the document. For optimal speed and efficiency in internal communication, machine translation with light post-editing (MTPE) could be an adequate solution. However, for external distribution, official documents, or sensitive content, human translation is crucial.

All of these have a part in the language sector, yet they provide fundamentally distinct services:

• Transcription or subtitling entails the process of converting spoken language from audio or video into written text, with the option to translate and embed subtitles directly into the video.
• Translation involves the process of converting written text from one language to another.
• Interpretation typically refers to live, spoken translation that occurs in real time.
• Localization involves the adaptation of content, such as websites, marketing materials, or applications, to align with the target language as well as the cultural norms, legal requirements, and audience expectations of a specific region. This includes adjustments to tone, idioms, date formats, and imagery.

Yes. Adaptations for Canada should align with the specific language norms of the region.

We provide translations tailored to Quebec French, ensuring alignment with regional language standards and cultural context, rather than European French.

Our method for cultural accuracy guarantees that English usage is tailored to the Canadian context in accordance with the Canadian English Style Guide, similarly to our approach with French.

Certainly.

We offer specialized assistance for businesses in Quebec aiming to adhere to the Charter of the French Language. This encompasses assistance with:

• Registration with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).
• Formation of a Francization Committee.
• Meeting employee threshold deadlines (25+, 100+ employees) to secure a francization certificate.

Our assistance ensures that your business remains compliant with Quebec laws, helping you avoid significant fines.