The same birth certificate translation can be uploaded to IRCC as a PDF, filed at a refugee hearing on numbered letter-size pages, and mailed to a nursing assessor by the translator. The words are identical each time. The format is not, and a wrong format can stall a perfect translation.
The receiving office decides. This guide sets out the formats a certified translation comes in, what each Canadian office asks for in its own rules, when an apostille is needed, and the format mistakes that cost time.
What formats can a certified translation come in?
Four, and most files need only the first one or two.
| Format | What you receive | Typical use | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signed PDF | Complete translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy, by email | WES, universities, employers and other online portals | Included: CA$39.95 per page |
| PDF with sworn affidavit | The same, with the translator's affidavit sworn before a notary | IRCC, unless the translator is an association member; courts | +CA$24.95 per document |
| Printed copies | A paper set shipped by courier on request | Paper applications and offices that want paper | On request |
| Apostilled translation | The certified translation with an apostille attached | Foreign authorities that require one | CA$199 per document |
Most one-page documents arrive as a signed PDF within 24 hours, and longer documents take 1 to 3 business days. Paper and apostilles add their own delivery time on top.
Does IRCC accept a PDF translation?
Yes, for online applications. You upload the signed PDF, the affidavit and a scan of the original as one file in the field for that document. IRCC's Help Centre is explicit: "You need to combine all your documents into 1 file," because if you upload several files to one field, "only 1 (the last one you upload) will be saved."
Watch the size. IRCC's limit is 4 MB per file in most accounts and 5 MB in the IRCC Portal, and it says that for some applications "the limit can be as low as 2 MB." Our guide to submitting documents covers formats and compression for each account.
When do you need a paper copy?
When the receiving office works on paper, or wants an original signature in its hands.
- IRCC paper applications. IRCC's Help Centre asks for the translation, an affidavit from the translator and "a certified photocopy of the original document." When a certified copy is submitted, IRCC's instructions add that "the translator must stamp both the certified copy and the translation."
- Refugee hearings. The IRB's Refugee Protection Division requires documents a party prepares to be typewritten, in type no smaller than 12 point, on letter-size paper, with every page numbered consecutively "as if they were one document." Translations need "a declaration signed by the translator," and copies must reach the Division and the other party "no later than 10 days before the date fixed for the hearing." Bring the originals: the rules require them at the start of the proceeding. Our refugee claims guide has the detail.
- Courts. Ontario courts want a translation "certified by affidavit of the translator," and the Federal Court "an affidavit attesting to the accuracy of the translation," filed under each court's own rules. See translations for courts and tribunals.
- Offices that take mail from the translator only. NNAS wants translations by a certified translator, with "the printed name and original signature of the translator," and "mailed to NNAS directly from the translator." Read its rule before ordering anywhere, and see our NNAS guide.
What is an apostilled translation, and when do you need one?
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates a public document for use in another member country of the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force in Canada on January 11, 2024. You need one for documents going out of Canada, when the foreign authority asks for it. IRCC's translation rules do not call for one, and Global Affairs Canada notes that "under Canadian law, you do not have to get foreign public documents authenticated before using them in Canada," although some institutions may still ask.
Two different apostilles get confused:
- An apostille on the translation. Official Translations offers it as an apostille service attached to the certified translation, at CA$199 per document.
- An apostille on your original Canadian document, such as a birth certificate issued in Canada. That comes from Global Affairs Canada, whose service is free, or from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec or Saskatchewan for documents issued there. Global Affairs Canada was recently processing requests received 25 business days earlier, plus mailing time, and only accepts documents "in paper format" with original signatures.
Some foreign authorities want both. Ask which, and check the destination is a member of the Convention; the apostille guide explains how.
Which format does each Canadian office want?
| Receiving office | Format it expects | Who sends it |
|---|---|---|
| IRCC, online | One PDF per document field: translation, affidavit, scan of the original; 4 or 5 MB limit | You, by upload |
| IRCC, paper | Translation and affidavit with a certified photocopy of the original | You, by mail |
| IRB Refugee Protection Division | Typed letter-size pages, numbered consecutively, with the translator's declaration | You or your counsel, 10 days before the hearing |
| Ontario courts, Federal Court | Translation with the translator's affidavit | You or your lawyer, under court rules |
| WES | Translations uploaded in your WES account; academic records sealed by the institution | You, and your institution |
| NNAS | Certified translator's translation with original signature | The translator, by mail |
| ICBC | Translation by an ICBC-approved translator, presented with the original | You, at a driver licensing office |
| Global Affairs Canada | Paper originals with original signatures for an apostille | You, by mail, courier or drop-off |
Two rows need a plain warning. ICBC requires an "ICBC-approved translator", and NNAS asks for a certified translator, a title Official Translations does not use in Canada. Check those rules before ordering: a translation from outside them does not meet the requirement, however accurate.
Which format mistakes cost the most time?
- One field, several files. Uploading the translation and the affidavit separately to the same IRCC field keeps only the last file.
- Translation without the original. IRCC wants the scan of the original or certified copy in the same upload.
- An apostille ordered for IRCC. It is not required for documents coming into Canada.
- Laminating the original. Global Affairs Canada cannot authenticate laminated or glued documents, which closes the apostille route for that paper.
- Paper ordered late for a hearing. Courier days count against the IRB's 10-day disclosure deadline.
Checklist: choosing the right format
Questions people ask
Will IRCC accept a PDF certified translation?
Yes, for online applications. Upload the signed PDF with the affidavit and a scan of the original as one file in the field for that document, within your account's size limit of 4 or 5 MB.
Is the sworn affidavit included in the PDF?
When you order the affidavit, it is delivered with the translation, so the whole package can be uploaded to IRCC. The affidavit costs CA$24.95 per document, however many pages the document has.
When do I need a printed copy of the translation?
When the receiving office works on paper or wants an original signature, as with IRCC paper applications, IRB hearings, some court filings and NNAS. Printed copies are shipped by courier on request, so allow for shipping time before any deadline.
Can a translation be sent directly to NNAS?
NNAS requires translations by a certified translator, mailed to it directly from the translator, with the translator's printed name and original signature. Translations can also come from an approved source agency or from NNAS itself for a fee. Check NNAS's current rule before ordering from anyone.
How much does an apostille on a translation cost?
Official Translations charges CA$199 per document for an apostille attached to the certified translation, for foreign authorities that require one. IRCC's translation rules do not call for one, and under Canadian law foreign public documents need no authentication for use in Canada.
Is an apostille on my translation the same as an apostille on my original document?
No. An apostille on the translation is attached to the certified translation. An apostille on your original Canadian document comes from Global Affairs Canada, free of charge, or from the province that issued the document, and some foreign authorities ask for both.
Do apostilles expire?
Global Affairs Canada says the apostilles and authentication certificates it issues do not expire. The authority receiving your documents may still apply its own rules on how recent a document must be, so check with it before ordering.
