NZSTI Working Conditions Report

Voices from the Field: Working Conditions of Interpreters in New Zealand is now available to download.

Funded by NZSTI, this report documents the lived experiences of interpreters across Aotearoa, drawing on independent testimonies collected between 2023 and 2025. It highlights key issues affecting the profession, including pay, working conditions, regulation, professional recognition, service quality, and client access to safe and effective language services.

This report provides an important evidence base for NZSTI’s ongoing advocacy for fairer conditions, stronger recognition, and better support for interpreters in New Zealand, and is a valuable resource for practitioners, language service providers, government agencies, policy stakeholders, educators, students, and anyone interested in language access and the future of interpreting in Aotearoa.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr Carolina Cannard, who led this project and whose years of advocacy and data collection made this report possible. We also thank Dr Thanos Kyritsis for authoring and independently analysing the report, and the interpreters who generously shared their experiences to help bring these important issues to light.