IRCC translation requirements in 2026
What the official rule says
Translations cannot be done by the applicant, a family member or the applicant's representative or consultant. If the translator is not certified by a Canadian provincial or territorial association, the translation must come with an affidavit sworn by the translator before a person authorized to administer oaths in the country where the translator lives.
Official source: IRCC: What is an affidavit for a translation? · IRCC: What language should my supporting documents be in?
Official text last verified 2026-10-01
A compliant translation must include
- The translator is not the applicant, a family member, or the applicant's representative or consultant
- The translator is certified by a Canadian provincial or territorial translators' association; or
- If not, the translation comes with an affidavit sworn by the translator before a person authorized to administer oaths in the country where the translator lives
Does a Smartlink Translation translation meet it?
Partly: we provide the translation and translator's declaration, but a declaration is not an affidavit — the sworn affidavit has to be arranged separately.
Every Smartlink Translation order includes the same five-part delivery kit: a submission-ready translation (.docx + .pdf, laid out like the original), a signed translator's certification under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), our PSB-registered bilingual translation seal (seal code 11011210314198), a project quality report scored on the MQM translation-quality framework (six dimensions per file), and free revisions for 24 months — with an itemized quote within 3 minutes of upload.
Common reasons a translation is questioned or returned
FAQ
Can I submit a translation from a company in China to IRCC?
The translation itself can be used, but translators at Chinese companies are usually not certified by a Canadian provincial or territorial association, so a sworn affidavit by the translator must be added.
Does a company seal replace the affidavit?
No. For translators who are not Canadian-certified, IRCC asks for a sworn affidavit; a company seal or translator's declaration does not replace it.
Get an itemized quote for your documents
One transparent price includes the translation, translator's declaration and bilingual seal — the quote you see is the final price.