Written Reply by Minister for Law Mr Edwin Tong SC on Qualifications and Accreditation, Court Procedure Training and Quality Assessment for Freelance Interpreters Engaged by Singapore Courts

6 October 2026 Posted in Parliamentary speeches and responses

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan (Non-Constituency Member of Parliament)

Question
To ask the Minister for Law in respect of freelance interpreters engaged by the Courts for languages not covered in-house (a) what minimum qualifications, accreditation or language assessment are required before engagement; (b) what training in court procedure and interpreting ethics is provided; and (c) how their interpretation quality is assessed after engagement.

Written Answer by Minister Edwin Tong SC:

1. My response will address a related question raised by Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan which is scheduled for a subsequent sitting on or after 7 October 2026.

2. To assist parties in understanding and participating effectively in court proceedings, the courts provide in-house interpretation services for the official languages of Singapore. Where a language is not covered in-house, the courts may engage freelance interpreters.

3. The courts must first be satisfied of the applicant’s proficiency in English and the specified foreign or sign language (Specified Language). In general, the applicant must have studied English and the Specified Language as curriculum subjects and obtained consistently good grades in both subjects throughout his or her academic studies.

4. Where the applicant did not study English or the Specified Language as a curriculum subject, he or she must demonstrate proficiency, for example, through an interview conducted by an appointed court officer, and provide certification of good scores on language benchmarks such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) or the Academic module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Other factors which may be considered include prior experience in interpretation, testimonials, professional accreditations, memberships in recognised professional bodies, and familiarity with courtroom decorum and legal terminology.

5. Additionally, applicants must not have previously been disqualified from providing interpretation services to the courts.

6. Following engagement, freelance interpreters undergo a training programme that covers, among others, the applicable rules and regulations for foreign language interpreters, the Interpreters’ Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the role of freelance interpreters in court proceedings, and a step-by-step walkthrough of court processes. Freelance interpreters will also observe court proceedings involving other interpreters interpreting in the Specified Language, where possible.

7. Where a freelance interpreter is engaged for a mention, plea of guilt mention or trial, he or she will be invited to attend a pre-case briefing. During this briefing, a coordinator reviews the charge(s) with the freelance interpreter to familiarise him or her with the relevant court terminology and context of the case. On the day of the hearing, a coordinator is also assigned to provide on-site guidance and support to the freelance interpreter.

8. Presiding judges and court officers are informed in advance if the freelance interpreter assigned to the case is newly onboarded. During proceedings, judges can intervene if communication difficulties arise. Parties and counsel may also raise concerns with the interpretation. If need be, judges may direct re-interpretation, adjourn the hearing or replace the interpreter.

9. The quality of the interpretation provided by freelance interpreters may be assessed by the court’s in-house interpreters and through feedback from judges, court officers and embassy officials who may be observing the proceedings.

10. The total number of court events from 2021 to 2025 where freelance interpreters were engaged is set out in Table 1. The breakdown of the top five foreign languages requiring interpretation for each year is set out in Tables 2 to 6.

11. Between 2021 and 2025, the courts received two requests for a change of freelance interpreter. In both cases, the requests were made by embassies on behalf of their nationals at an early stage of the proceedings during mentions, and acceded to promptly. No re-interpretation or adjournment was required in either case, and there was no further feedback after the replacement interpreters were appointed.

Last updated on 6 October 2026