A certified translation is priced by the page and paid for by the file. The page price is easy to compare. The file total is where people get caught: an affidavit nobody mentioned, a "page" defined differently from one quote to the next, a courier fee that appears at checkout.
IRCC adds a cost that never shows up on an invoice. Its translation instructions say it "reserves the right to request a retranslation by a different translator" and "is not responsible for any translation fees." A cheap translation that fails IRCC's rule gets paid for twice, and the second payment comes with lost weeks.
Below: what Official Translations charges, how pages are counted, what common Canadian files add up to, and what to ask any provider before you pay.
How is certified translation priced in Canada?
Canadian providers use three models. None is better in itself; what matters is the total for your documents.
- Per page. A page is a block of words in the original, not a sheet of paper. Usual for personal documents, since most certificates fit on one page.
- Per word. Common for long or technical material such as contracts, judgments and medical files. Precise, but you need a word count to compare quotes.
- Per document. A flat fee per certificate. Simple for one certificate, hard to compare when a file mixes a one-line stamp with a ten-page court decision.
Official Translations prices by the page: CA$39.95 for up to 300 source words, with the complete translation and the signed Certificate of Accuracy included. Extras include the sworn affidavit, an apostille at CA$199 per document (see apostille explained), printed copies shipped by courier on request, and rush on request. Upload your documents on the order page to see the total before you pay.
What counts as a page?
A page is up to 300 words of the source document. Every word the translator has to render counts, including names, dates and numbers, so the count follows the text, not the paper.
| Document (example) | Words in the original | Pages | Translation price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | 150 | 1 | CA$39.95 |
| Two-sided marriage certificate | 260 | 1 | CA$39.95 |
| Employment reference letter | 650 | 3 | CA$119.85 |
| Bank statement, two dense sheets | 1,100 | 4 | CA$159.80 |
| Three-year transcript | 1,400 | 5 | CA$199.75 |
Short civil certificates are usually one page. Statements, transcripts and court decisions are where counts climb, so upload them for an exact figure.
How much does a certified translation for IRCC cost?
Budget CA$64.90 for a typical one-page certificate: CA$39.95 for the translation and CA$24.95 for the translator's sworn affidavit.
IRCC skips the affidavit only for a certified translator in its sense: "a member in good standing of a professional translation association in Canada or abroad," with a seal or stamp showing the membership number. In Canada that means a provincial or territorial body such as ATIO, OTTIAQ or STIBC, and citizenship applications recognize only those Canadian bodies. Anyone else's translation must come with "an affidavit swearing to the accuracy of the translation and the language proficiency of the translator."
Official Translations is not a member of any Canadian translators' association, so its IRCC route is the second one: a complete certified translation plus the translator's affidavit, sworn before a notary. The affidavit is priced per document, so a three-page reference letter needs one affidavit, not three. See the IRCC translation requirements guide for the full rule and certified vs sworn affidavit for how the routes differ.
What do common Canadian files cost in total?
Worked examples at the prices above. They are illustrations, not quotes: your total depends on your own word counts.
| File | What gets translated (example) | Translation | Affidavits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One certificate for IRCC | Birth certificate, 1 page | CA$39.95 | CA$24.95 | CA$64.90 |
| Spousal sponsorship | Marriage certificate, partner's birth certificate, police certificate, divorce certificate from a previous marriage: 4 documents of 1 page | CA$159.80 | CA$99.80 | CA$259.60 |
| Express Entry | Marriage certificate, police certificate and bank letter (1 page each), two reference letters (2 pages each): 5 documents, 7 pages | CA$279.65 | CA$124.75 | CA$404.40 |
| Study permit | Transcript (2 pages), diploma (1 page), parent's bank statement (3 pages): 3 documents, 6 pages | CA$239.70 | CA$74.85 | CA$314.55 |
| University admission | Transcript (3 pages) and diploma (1 page) | CA$159.80 | Only if the school asks | CA$159.80 |
The spousal sponsorship and Express Entry guides list which documents those files actually need.
When can you skip the affidavit?
Only when the body receiving the translation does not require one:
- Courts. Ontario's Courts of Justice Act requires a translation "certified by affidavit of the translator" for court filings not in English (s. 125(2)(b)), and the Federal Courts Rules require "an affidavit attesting to the accuracy of the translation" (rule 68).
- The Immigration and Refugee Board. Its Refugee Protection Division wants "a declaration signed by the translator" with the translator's name, the language and dialect, and a statement that the translation is accurate.
- Assessors and universities. They set their own rules. WES requires "official word-for-word translations" and takes them as uploads in the applicant's WES account.
- Bodies with their own translator rules. ICBC in British Columbia requires an "ICBC-approved translator", and NNAS wants translations by a certified translator, mailed to it directly by the translator. No other translation replaces those.
Which savings end up costing more?
Translating your own documents, or asking a relative. IRCC bars applicants, their family members (parents and spouses through to first cousins) and their representatives or consultants, even when they are lawyers, notaries or translators.
Leaving the affidavit off an IRCC translation. Without a certified translator's stamp or an affidavit, the translation fails IRCC's rule and the application can be returned as incomplete. With an Express Entry invitation that "is valid for 60 days only", that costs far more than CA$24.95.
Translating only the parts that seem to matter. IRCC is blunt: "All stamps and seals that are not in English or French must also be translated."
Translating a different copy from the one you submit. The translation must match the original or the certified copy you send, and with a certified copy "the translator must stamp both the certified copy and the translation."
Paying for translations you do not need. "Documents that are already in English or French do not have to be translated," IRCC says, even if the application is in the other official language.
Checklist: questions to ask before you pay
Questions people ask
How much does a certified translation cost in Canada?
At Official Translations it is CA$39.95 per page of up to 300 source words, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy. IRCC files add the sworn affidavit at CA$24.95 per document, and an apostille for use abroad is CA$199 per document. Other providers price per word or per document, so compare totals for your actual documents.
Is the IRCC affidavit charged per page or per document?
Per document. A one-page birth certificate and a four-page reference letter each need one affidavit at CA$24.95. IRCC requires it whenever the translator is not a member of a professional translation association whose stamp shows a membership number, and for citizenship only Canadian provincial or territorial associations count.
How much does it cost to translate a birth certificate for IRCC?
Birth certificates are usually under 300 words, so the usual total is CA$64.90: CA$39.95 for the translation and CA$24.95 for the sworn affidavit. A long-form certificate with many annotations can run to two pages.
Do I have to pay to translate documents that are already in French?
No. IRCC states that documents already in English or French do not have to be translated, even if the rest of the application is in the other official language. Stamps and seals in other languages on those documents still need translating.
Can I save money by translating my own documents?
Not for IRCC. Applicants, their family members and their representatives or consultants may not translate documents for the application, whatever their language skills. If IRCC doubts a translation it can demand a retranslation by a different translator, at your cost.
How much does an apostille on a translation cost?
CA$199 per document, for foreign authorities that require it. Under Canadian law foreign public documents need no authentication before use in Canada, Global Affairs Canada notes, though some institutions still ask. Global Affairs Canada's own authentication service is free, while the five provinces that issue apostilles for their own documents may charge fees.
How long does a certified translation take at these prices?
Most one-page documents are delivered as a signed PDF by email within 24 hours, and longer documents take 1 to 3 business days, at the same per-page price. Rush is available on request. The turnaround guide explains what makes a file faster or slower.
