Interpreting and translation services
Interpreting and translation provision ensures that immigrants are able to use Finnish services on an equal footing with native Finns and is intended primarily for use in the initial stage of entry into Finland. The aim is for immigrants to learn sufficient Finnish or Swedish as soon as possible to allow them to cope independently with their day-to-day affairs. There are eight regional community interpreter centres in various parts of Finland, maintained by the local authorities. Their services are designed to help immigrants in their dealings with Finnish authorities. Municipalities that have made an agreement on the reception of refugees can apply to the central government for financial compensation for interpreting and translation services provided to help new refugees. (Government Decision 512/1999, as amended 196/2002 and 664/2004.) The application is made to the Employment and Economic Development Centre to which the municipality belongs. Community interpreters are usually consecutive interpreters (i.e. they do not interpret simultaneously while the customer is speaking). Interpreting takes place either on the spot or through remote interpreting via telephone or video, which saves on both travel costs and travel time. Almost all community interpreter centres and asylum seekers reception centres, and some employment offices, have suitable video equipment. The linguistic equality of immigrants is promoted by the fact that the various authorities produce and translate brochures and forms on their services and what these services basically comprise in the main immigrant languages, and also hire employees who speak the native tongues concerned. Contact information for community interpreter centres  Back  Print page |