Explore occupational profile

Version:
OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
Search the OaSIS

51114.04 – Sign language Interpreters

Sign language interpreters use sign language to translate spoken language and vice versa during meetings, conversations, television programs or in other instances.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Sign language interpreter
  • Visual language interpreter

Core competencies

  • Oral Communication: Active Listening to fully understand and process spoken content while discerning nuances, intent and cultural context in order to convey meaning accurately in sign language
  • Social Perceptiveness to observe, understand and respond to subtle nonverbal cues, emotions and reactions of clients, adjusting interpretations to align with the interpersonal dynamics and cultural context of interactions
  • Speech Recognition to accurately transform spoken language in real time, recognize various dialects and accents, and effectively interpret contextual nuances in order to translate into and from sign language
  • Selective Attention to focus on the speaker’s message while filtering out surrounding distractions, accurately processing verbal and nonverbal cues, and managing simultaneous interpreting and comprehension
  • Attention to Detail to capture subtle nuances in both verbal and non-verbal communication, ensuring precise translation of complex concepts and cultural cues while adapting to fast-paced conversational changes
  • Knowledge in Languages to understand nuances of languages and terminology to accurately translate oral communications to sign language while maintaining the content, context and style of the message as much as possible

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Translate sign language to a spoken language and vice versa either simultaneously or consecutively.

Additional information

  • Sign language interpreters work in French and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) or in English and American Sign Language (ASL).

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

5 – Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

51 – Professional occupations in art and culture

Sub-major group

511 – Professional occupations in art and culture

Minor group

5111 – Writing, translating and related communications professionals

Unit group

51114 – Translators, terminologists and interpreters

Occupational profile

51114.04 – Sign language Interpreters

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.