How to become a member: Your path to certification
As a member of OTTIAQ, you have a recognized title that attests to your expertise and your commitment to upholding the highest professional standards.
Enhance your credibility with clients, employers, and the public by applying for certification today.
Steps in the certification process
You can apply for certification entirely online.
1. Choose the profession for which you wish to become certified.
Check the documents you need to provide based on your situation and the designation you wish to obtain.
2. Gather all the required documents.
Make sure you provide all the documents required for your application. Only completed applications will be processed.
You’ll find the list in the “Documents required for each type of application” section.
3. Pay the application fee and submit your application online.
You’ll need to log in to the portal to pay the application fee and submit your application online.
4. Your application will be reviewed by OTTIAQ and the Certification Committee.
Processing times vary from one week (recognized degree) to four months (equivalencies). Applications are reviewed by the Committee in the order in which they’re received. You’ll be notified by email as soon as a decision is made.
5. Take the course on ethics, professional conduct, and professional practice.
If your application is accepted, you’ll receive a notice inviting you to take the course on ethics, professional conduct, and professional practice, which is required for all new members. The course is available online and provides a brief overview of OTTIAQ, its code of ethics and regulations, and Quebec’s system for regulated professions.
6. Fill out your membership roll registration form and pay your membership dues.
Once you have been approved and have completed the training on ethics, professional conduct and professional practice, you must register on the membership roll and pay your membership dues.
If you become a member during the course of the year, your membership dues will be prorated based on the number of months remaining until March 31, the date on which OTTIAQ’s fiscal year ends.
Here are a page summarizing OTTIAQ dues, including taxes, with and without professional liability insurance:
Documents required for each type of application
You’ll need to provide different documents depending on the type of certification you’re applying for and whether or not you hold a recognized degree.
Translation
Check whether your degree is on the list of OTTIAQ-recognized degrees. If it isn’t, you’ll need to apply for degree or training equivalency.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s) including the date your degree was awarded
- Statutory declaration
OTTIAQ must evaluate your degree to see if it can be considered equivalent to a Quebec degree.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s)
- Photocopy of course descriptions
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
Before applying for translation certification, we recommend that you take a look at our self-assessment tool for internationally educated professionals who wish to obtain OTTIAQ’s Certified Translator designation.
It will help you assess whether your degree or training meets the OTTIAQ requirements.
Self-assessment tool (in French only)
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Comparative evaluation of your university degree(s) by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI)
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s)
- Photocopy of course descriptions
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
If you don’t have a recognized Quebec degree or a translation degree considered equivalent to a Quebec degree, you’ll need to apply for training equivalency.
If you gained your experience outside Canada, we recommend that you take a look at our self-assessment tool for internationally educated professionals who wish to obtain OTTIAQ’s Certified Translator designation.
Self-assessment tool (in French only)
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Curriculum vitae
- Proof of years of experience
- Ten recent work samples of 500 words each (does not apply to revisers, managers, teachers and lecturers)
- Job descriptions (applies only to revisers, managers, teachers and lecturers)
- Description of courses given (applies only to teachers and lecturers)
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s), if applicable
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s), if a diploma is provided
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Summary of submitted dissertation or thesis or relevant publications, if applicable
- Proof and description of paid or unpaid internships, if applicable
- Certification application questionnaire
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
Terminology
Check whether your degree is on the list of OTTIAQ-recognized degrees. If it isn’t, you’ll need to apply for degree or training equivalency.
Note: Your degree must include at least two courses (six credits) in terminology.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s) including the date your degree was awarded
- Statutory declaration
OTTIAQ must evaluate your degree to see if it can be considered equivalent to a Quebec degree.
Note: Your degree must include at least two courses (6 credits) in terminology.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- If your degree was issued in another country, a comparative evaluation of your university degree(s) by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI)
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s)
- Photocopy of course descriptions
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
If you don’t have a recognized Quebec degree or a translation degree considered equivalent to a Quebec degree, you’ll need to apply for training equivalency.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Curriculum vitae
- Proof of years of experience
- Fifteen terminology records or work samples of your choice (does not apply to revisers, managers, teachers and lecturers)
- Job descriptions (applies only to revisers, managers, teachers and lecturers)
- Description of courses given (applies only to teachers and lecturers)
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s)
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Summary of submitted dissertation or thesis or relevant publications, if applicable
- Proof and description of paid or unpaid internships, if applicable
- Certification application questionnaire
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
Interpreting
Check whether your degree is on the list of OTTIAQ-recognized degrees. If it isn’t, you’ll need to apply for degree or training equivalency.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s) including the date your degree was awarded
- Statutory declaration
OTTIAQ must evaluate your degree to see if it can be considered equivalent to a Quebec degree.
Note: The Master of Conference Interpreting degrees from the University of Ottawa and York University are considered equivalent to a Quebec degree.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- If your degree was issued in another country, a comparative evaluation of your university degree(s) by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI)
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s)
- Photocopy of course descriptions
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
If you don’t have a recognized Quebec degree or an interpreting degree considered equivalent to a Quebec degree, you’ll need to apply for training equivalency.
Required documents (documents in italics are available on the portal):
- Curriculum vitae
- Proof of years of experience
- Proof of the number of sessions interpreted or days interpreted (does not apply to revisers, managers, teachers and lecturers)
- Job descriptions (applies only to revisers, managers, teachers and lecturers)
- Photocopy of your university diploma(s)
- Photocopy of your university transcript(s)
- Photocopy of your secondary or post-secondary diploma, if applicable
- Summary of submitted dissertation or thesis or relevant publications, if applicable
- Proof and description of paid or unpaid internships, if applicable
- Letters of support (sponsorship) for conference interpreters
- Certification application questionnaire
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
Members certified by another Canadian association
If you’re already certified as a translator, terminologist or interpreter and are a current a member of a Canadian association of certified translators, terminologists and interpreters, you can become a member of OTTIAQ by applying for certification by affiliation or by way of a legal authorization to practise, depending on the association of which you are a member.
Required documents (all available on the portal):
- Certification by affiliation or by way of a legal authorization to practise form
- Confirmation of certification method form (Appendix A)
- Mutual certification recognition form (Appendix B)
- Disciplinary decisions and court rulings form
- Statutory declaration
Knowledge of the French language:
Pursuant to Section 35 of the Charter of the French Language, candidates must have appropriate knowledge of French to be granted an OTTIAQ designation. Refer to the section on the French exam for more information.
Membership dues are discounted for ATIO and STIBC members.
If you have any questions, please contact the Certification Officer at 514-845-4411, ext. 1225 or by email to mnurka@ottiaq.org
Start the certification process online!
If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact the Certification Officer at 514-845-4411, ext. 1225 or by email at mnurka@ottiaq.org
Applying for recertification
If you were previously certified by OTTIAQ but cancelled your membership or were struck off the roll, you can apply for recertification.
All you have to do is fill out the recertification application form. Submit your completed form and then pay the application fees ($180 + tax) here.
If it has been more than five years since you were last registered with OTTIAQ, you must attach your updated CV. The OTTIAQ Board of Directors will review your application and may require you to successfully complete an internship or refresher course if it is deemed necessary for the protection of the public.
If you haven’t already done so, you will be required to complete the OTTIAQ course on ethics, professional conduct, and professional practice no later than six months after your application is accepted.
If your application is accepted, you’ll need to fill out the membership roll registration form and pay your (prorated) membership dues for the current year. You’ll have one year to register on the roll. If you haven’t registered after one year, you’ll have to submit a new recertification application.
Please see our recertification policy (in French only) for more details.
If you have any questions, please contact us by email to lgodin@ottiaq.org or by phone at 514-845-4411, ext. 1223.
Competency Framework
OTTIAQ members are subject to various checks and assessments, whether for certification, during inspections, or as part of a mentorship program. To help them prepare for such evaluations, OTTIAQ has prepared a Competency Framework, a tool designed to provide objective and comprehensive information about the skills required to work as a translator, interpreter or terminologist in Quebec.
What you can do if your application was denied
After examining your file, the Certification Committee may decide that your application doesn’t meet the criteria for OTTIAQ membership.
If you feel that the decision is unjustified, you can:
You can submit an appeal regarding the assessment of your qualifications. If you have reason to believe that the Certification Committee’s assessment failed to do you justice, you may file a request for review with the Appeals Committee within 60 days of receiving the denial notice.
You must send a written request to the Appeals Committee Secretary bassogba@ottiaq.org stating the reasons for your appeal, along with a copy of any supporting documents. It takes approximately six weeks for appeals to be reviewed.
The Commissioner for Admission to Professions works for the Office des professions du Québec. They examine all complaints related to admission to professions and make recommendations that they deem useful to the professional order concerned.
Please see the “Mandat” page (in French only) on the Office des professions du Québec website for more information on the Commissioner’s duties and powers.
Reasons to file a complaint with the Commissioner
Individuals who wish to obtain a title from a professional order and who are dissatisfied with the way that order is handling their application or with the actions of any other person in the admission process can file a complaint with the Commissioner.
Alternatively, anyone who observes a problem during an application process can report it to the Commissioner. No complaint needs to be filed, and all such reports remain confidential. The Commissioner may conduct an investigation at the appropriate time as part of the admissions process verification procedure.