NAATI

Updated on 24 Nov 2020

Description : 
NAATI is a company that is jointly owned by the nine governments of Australia. We are governed by a Board of Directors, who are appointed by the owners.

Our mission is to set and maintain high national standards in translating and interpreting that enable the existence of a pool of translators and interpreters who are responsive to the changing needs and demography of the Australian community.

NAATI services are available through any of our offices located across Australia.

NAATI certification can help people wishing to migrate to Australia to work as a translator or interpreter in three ways:

1. Through a skills assessment (generally open only to those who have been sponsored by an employer, or nominated by a state or territory government).
2. By allowing them to claim points for certain qualifications obtained overseas, or for skilled employment as a translator or interpreter, which may be used towards a points-based migration visa.
3. By allowing them to claim Credentialed Community Language (CCL) points, which may be used towards a points-based migration visa.

NAATI recommends that you thoroughly investigate which visa you’d like to apply for before you approach us.

Criteria

A skills assessment is where we assess your skills as “suitable” or “not suitable” for your nominated occupation (translator or interpreter) against the certification standards we have established.

This means that if you need to obtain a skills assessment, you will need to gain NAATI Certification either as a Certified Interpreter or Certified Translator.

Each successful assessment letter will have the expiry date of the assessment clearly indicated. Generally, NAATI skills assessments are valid for three years.

Using Your Skills Assessment For A Sponsored Visa 

The Australian Government’s skilled migration program is implemented through a partnership between government and industry. The Department of Home Affairs works with industry, represented by professional migration assessing authorities, to ensure that policies and procedures for assessing the skills of prospective migrants are appropriate, transparent and do not pose unreasonable barriers to migration.

In accordance with the Migration Regulations 1994, NAATI has been specified as the assessing authority for the occupations of Translator (ANZSCO Code 272413) and Interpreter (ANZSCO Code 272412).

Though the occupations of Translator and Interpreter are not currently on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), state or territory governments may nominate applicants whose skills as a translator or interpreter are needed in their particular region. 

You will need to contact the relevant state or territory body for more information: 

• VIC: liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au
• SA:  migration.sa.gov.au
• WA: migration.wa.gov.au
• QLD: migration.qld.gov.au
• TAS: migration.tas.gov.au
• NT:  migration.nt.gov.au
• ACT:  canberrayourfuture.com.au/portal/migrating/
• NSW: industry.nsw.gov.au/live-and-work-in-nsw

We cannot provide information or advice about visa requirements, so please make sure you understand the requirements of the particular visa for which you’re applying.

Overseas Qualifications & Skilled Employment

Once you have been awarded a successful skills assessment, you may apply to NAATI to provide an opinion as to:

1. The comparable Australian level qualification of an interpreting or translating qualification obtained at an overseas institution.
2. The demonstration of verifiable skilled employment as a translator or interpreter undertaken in the last ten years.

Claiming Points For Educational Qualifications

To claim points for a qualification obtained overseas, the qualification will need to be recognised as being of a standard equivalent to the relevant Australian level qualification. Individuals with a translating or interpreting qualification can choose to have this assessed by NAATI for:

• Doctorate Degree (generally worth 20 points)
• Bachelor or Masters Degree (generally worth 15 points)
• Australian diploma or trade qualification (generally worth 10 points)
• Other award or qualification recognised by NAATI (generally worth 10 points)

If requested by the applicant, NAATI will provide its opinion as part of the skills assessment as to the comparable Australian level qualification.

Claiming Points For Skilled Employment

Points may be awarded for employment in a skilled occupation, either in Australia or overseas. To claim points for skilled employment, the experience must be within the applicant’s nominated occupation (i.e. translator or interpreter).

Points may be awarded by demonstrating verifiable skilled employment history undertaken in Australia (in the last ten years), as follows:

• 5 points (1-3 years)
• 10 points (3-5 years)
• 15 points (5-8 years)
• 20 points (8-10 years)

For verifiable skilled employment undertaken overseas (in the last 10 years):

• 5 points (3-5 years)
• 10 points (5-8 years)
• 15 points (8-10 years)

Australian and overseas employment over the past ten years can be combined, however only a maximum of 20 points can be awarded.

For the purposes of awarding points, the Department of Home Affairs considers skilled employment will comprise at least 20 hours employment per week.

If requested by the applicant, NAATI will provide its opinion, as part of the skills assessment, on the skilled employment claims.

Guidelines

If NAATI is to make an assessment of your education qualification(s) and/or skilled employment you will need to:

1. Obtain or hold an appropriate non-expired NAATI Credential.
2. Complete Assessment of Educational Qualifications and Skilled Employment and attach your supporting documentation.
3. Submit your completed application to [e-mail].

Details about supporting documentation can be found on the application form.

Assessment Fee (per application)$480

Certification Test Fees:

Certified Conference Interpreter (each direction)	$880
Certified Specialist Interpreter – Knowledge Test	$165
Certified Specialist Interpreter – Interpreting Test	$187
Certified Interpreter	$880
Certified Provisional Interpreter	$550
Certified Advanced Translator (each direction)	$770
Certified Translator (each direction)	$550

FAQ

Contact Details:

Each NAATI office has different operating hours but you can always reach us at [e-mail].

For all general enquiries contact the National Office on [phone]

Use the map below to find you nearest NAATI office or contact our National Office with the form below.

NAATI NATIONAL OFFICE

16/2 King Street, Deakin ACT 2600
PO Box 223 Deakin West ACT 2600
Ph: [phone]
Office hours: 9:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday

NEW SOUTH WALES

Suite 3, Level 5, 280-282 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: [phone]
Office hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday - Friday

NORTHERN TERRITORY

NAATI currently manages NT testing and other operations from its National Office.
For NT enquiries, call 1300 557 470 or email [e-mail].

QUEENSLAND

Queensland Multicultural Centre,
Room 10, Level 2, 102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point QLD 4169
PO Box 8179 Woolloongabba Brisbane QLD 4102
Ph: [phone]
Office hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday - Friday

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Level 8, Shell House, 170 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000
PO Box 18 Rundle Mall SA 5000
Ph [phone]
Office Hours: 9:00am - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 4:00pm Monday to Friday

TASMANIA

Office closed until further notice
Ph: Please call the Victoria office on [phone]

VICTORIA

Level 10, 179 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: [phone]
Office hours: 9:00am - 4:00 pm Monday to Friday

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Unit 3, Level 2, 50 Oxford Close, West Leederville WA 6007
PO Box 1107 West Leederville WA 6007
Ph: [phone]
Office hours: 8:30am - 12:30pm Monday to Friday