Interpreters at a Refugee Hearing: What You're Entitled To

If you're not comfortable testifying in English or French, a qualified interpreter is available to help you communicate fully and accurately at your refugee hearing. Interpretation isn't a courtesy — it's part of what makes the hearing fair, since a decision about your safety shouldn't turn on whether you can express yourself in a second or third language.

Knowing what you're entitled to, and how to speak up if something goes wrong, can matter as much as the substance of your claim.

Your Right to Interpretation

You're entitled to interpretation at every stage where it's needed to understand and participate in the process — not just during oral testimony, but also, where relevant, in understanding what's happening around you at the hearing. This applies regardless of whether English or French is a second, third, or fourth language for you.

Requesting the Right Language and Dialect

• Identify your specific language and dialect as precisely as possible when asked — regional dialects within the same language can differ enough to cause real misunderstandings
• If you have a preference related to safety or comfort (for example, wanting an interpreter unconnected to your home community), raise it as early as possible
• Confirm before the hearing starts that the interpreter arranged actually speaks your dialect, not just a related language

Interpretation Beyond the Hearing Itself

Language support isn't limited to the day of your hearing. If you're working with a lawyer, clear communication during preparation matters just as much, since the account you build together needs to accurately reflect what actually happened to you. Ask your lawyer or their office how they handle interpretation for meetings, document review, and preparation sessions, so nothing important is lost in translation before you even get to the hearing room.

Before, During, and After the Hearing

1. Before the hearing — request your language and dialect when you file, and flag any concerns with scheduling staff well ahead of the date
2. At the start of the hearing — confirm with the presiding member that you and the interpreter understand each other clearly
3. During the hearing — speak up immediately if something is being translated incorrectly or you don't understand a question
4. After the hearing — if a serious interpretation problem happened and wasn't resolved on the record, tell your lawyer right away, since it may be relevant to an appeal

Written Documents and Interpretation Are Different Things

Interpretation at your hearing is about spoken communication in real time. Written documents you submit in a foreign language are a separate matter and generally need a proper written translation rather than being explained verbally through an interpreter during the hearing. Confusing the two can leave gaps in your evidentiary record, so plan for both well before your hearing date.

Common Interpretation Problems

• [ ] The interpreter speaks a related but different dialect
• [ ] Words or phrases are summarized rather than translated in full
• [ ] The interpreter appears to be adding their own explanation instead of translating exactly what was said
• [ ] You and the interpreter have difficulty understanding each other's accent or vocabulary
• [ ] The pace of interpretation causes you to lose track of the question being asked

If Something Goes Wrong

Raise it on the record, in the moment, rather than waiting. You can ask the presiding member to pause, clarify a translation, or address whether a different interpreter is needed. A problem that's noted clearly during the hearing is far easier to rely on later than one raised for the first time after a negative decision.

Frequently asked questions