Multilingual interpretation market

The Global Multilingual Interpretation Market is estimated valued at US$ 18.25 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 27.26 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2023 to 2030. Multilingual interpretation refers to oral translation services that allow people speaking different languages to communicate effectively. It is used in various settings like hospitals, courtrooms, conferences, business meetings, etc. to bridge language barriers. The key advantages of professional interpretation services include accurate communication, compliance with regulations, improved productivity, and user experience. The market growth is driven by factors such as globalization, immigration, international trade, and regulations mandating the use of interpreters.

The Global Multilingual Interpretation Market is segmented by service type, end-use industry, language type, and region. By service type, the market is segmented into over the phone interpretation, video remote interpretation, on-site interpretation, and others like transcription and translation services.

Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Regional Insights

• North America is expected to be the second-largest market for multilingual interpretation during the forecast period, accounting for over 28% of the market share in 2022. The growth of the market in North America is attributed to high immigration rates, the presence of major providers, and strict regulations regarding language services in healthcare and legal settings.
• Europe is expected to be the largest market for multilingual interpretation during the forecast period, accounting for over 35% of the market share in 2022. The growth of the market in Europe is attributed to the rising number of immigrants, refugees, and multilingual population.
• Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market for multilingual interpretation, growing with a CAGR of over 21% during the forecast period. The growth of the market in Asia Pacific is attributed to the growing patient population, medical tourism, and increasing international business and trade.

Figure 1. Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Share (%), by Region, 2022

Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Analyst’s Viewpoint:

The Global Multilingual Interpretation Market looks very promising over the next five years. The increased globalization of businesses and rise in cross-border operations will be a key growth driver. As companies expand into new international markets or acquire foreign firms, the need for effective language translation will continue to grow significantly. The market will also be supported by rising global tourism and international education exchanges.

However, the high initial investment costs required for setting up interpretation facilities may limit growth prospects for smaller players. Finding and retaining skilled interpreters proficient in multiple languages also remains a challenge. North America currently dominates the market but Europe is also a major regional market owing to the diverse range of languages spoken across the continent. The Asia Pacific region is expected to see the fastest expansion supported by economic development in nations like China, India, and Japan.

New technologies around machine translation and AI/VR-enabled interpreting solutions offer huge opportunities for disruption. Voice over IP and video remote interpreting services are growing in popularity and could weaken the competitive positions of traditional on-site interpreting agencies if adoption accelerates. Emerging market entrants from developing nations like Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa may disrupt mature Western markets by offering services at lower costs.

Overall, with rising worldwide interconnectivity and mobility, multilingual communication capabilities will only grow in strategic importance for international businesses.

Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Drivers:

• Increasing globalization and international trade: The growth in globalization and expansion of businesses across borders has led to a greater need for multilingual interpretation services. Companies are expanding their operations in foreign countries and interacting with partners, customers, and other stakeholders who speak different languages. They require accurate interpretation services to ensure seamless communication and avoid miscommunications in crucial conversations. Global trade between countries has also surged significantly. For instance, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the global merchandise trade volume grew by 23% in 2021 supported by strong demand and economic recovery. This has created the need for language services like multilingual interpretation to enable trade transactions and business dealings across borders.
• Rising immigration and movement of people across countries: There has been rising immigration across the globe over the past few decades due to reasons such as better economic opportunities, wars, political turmoil, natural disasters, etc. The influx of immigrants speaking different native languages has necessitated interpretation services in public and private sector organizations of the host countries. Multilingual interpretation has become crucial in settings like hospitals, courtrooms, government offices, and more to facilitate communication for immigrants.
• Regulations mandating language access in public services: Governments across various countries have recognized language barriers as an obstacle to accessing public services. They have implemented regulations and policies around providing interpretation services in healthcare facilities, legal systems, administrative offices, and more. For instance, Title VI of the US Civil Rights Act mandates that federally funded organizations must provide interpretation services to non-English speakers. The EU Council directive requires healthcare staff to offer interpretation services to any EU patient who needs it.
• Technological advancements: The integration of advanced technologies like AI, machine learning, and big data has enhanced the speed, accuracy, scale, and capabilities of interpretation services. AI-based interpretation apps provide quick access to qualified interpreters globally. Remote simultaneous interpretation platforms powered by AI offer accurate translations of meetings and conferences. Interpreters today can also utilize software tools to optimize their workflows and gain insights. Such technological enhancements have made multilingual interpretation services more robust, efficient, and scalable. This has expanded their applications across sectors.

Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Opportunities:

• High potential of emerging economies: Developing countries across Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa have a massive underpenetrated market for multilingual interpretation services. These countries are characterized by large diverse immigrant populations, rising medical tourism, growing call center and BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry, etc. which necessitates professional language services. Local governments are also strengthening their regulations around patient rights and language access. For instance, in 2020, Thailand introduced stricter policies for the language rights of ethnic groups within its borders. Players operating in interpretation services have ample opportunities to expand in these emerging economies.
• Surging virtual events and remote work culture: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of virtual communication and remote work globally across all industries. There is an exponential rise in virtual meetings, video conferencing, webinars, online events, etc. This has created a huge opportunity for providers of remote simultaneous interpretation services, which facilitate interactions between people in different locations and languages. The work-from-home policies have also increased the demand for over-the-phone interpretation services. Multilingual virtual assistants integrated with AI also have new use cases owing to remote workflows.
• Rising healthcare expenditure and accessibility: Government initiatives are focused on enhancing accessibility and quality of care. This growth in healthcare services globally has led to a surge in non-English speaking patients needing interpretation services for doctor consultations, admin processes, understanding medical procedures, and more. It has created a major opportunity for healthcare interpretation service providers.
• Scope in media, entertainment, and education sectors: The global media, entertainment, and education sectors are thriving rapidly supported by technological advances and rising spending power. There is a huge demand for multilingual content worldwide including films, web series, music, eLearning courses, etc. This has opened multiple opportunities for interpretation service providers to enable dubbing, subtitling, and the localization of content into various languages helping expand global reach. Similarly, the eLearning and digital education segments also rely heavily on language services for translating learning material to serve an international student base.

Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Trends:

• Adoption of advanced technologies and automation: Multilingual interpretation service providers are increasingly adopting the latest technologies like AI, ML, and automation to enhance capabilities and boost efficiency. AI enables faster linguist onboarding and matches highly qualified interpreters to assignments based on their skills and subject expertise. It also powers remote simultaneous interpretation platforms. ML is used for real-time speech analytics to aid interpreters. Automated workflows using PM tech ensure seamless management of assignments. Chatbots help provide basic interpretation support in multiple languages. Such adoption of technology is a key trend shaping the market.
• Growing demand for integrated solutions: There is a rising demand from enterprises and public sector organizations for comprehensive language service offerings from a single vendor that include interpretation, translation, localization, consulting, etc. Providers are increasingly offering integrated omnichannel solutions ranging from over-the-phone and video interpretation to onsite services and tech tools for interpreters. This helps organizations streamline their approach to meeting multilingual needs. Integrated solutions also enable easy monitoring, reporting, and tracking for better management and compliance.
• Focus on ensuring data privacy and security: Stringent data privacy laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) have raised the focus on data security within language services. Interpretation involves dealing with a lot of sensitive client information that needs robust protection. Service providers are deploying measures like encrypted data transfers, anonymization of transcripts, restricted staff access, and regular security audits. They are highlighting their security capabilities to assure clients and gain a competitive edge. Adhering to global regulations around consumer data and privacy continues to gain importance.
• Rising demand for language diversity: Traditionally major languages like Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic accounted for most interpretation services. However, rising globalization is creating significant demand for services in niche, regional, and less common languages. The influx of immigrants from different parts of the world has added to linguistic diversity across countries. Interpreters for languages like Haitian Creole, Pashto, Hmong, Kurdish, Oromo, etc. are gaining increased relevance. Providers who can offer a highly diverse language pool in addition to major languages have an edge in the market.

Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Restraints:

• Shortage of qualified linguists and interpreters: The interpretation market is facing an acute shortage of well-trained, certified, language-skilled professionals. Complex assignments require interpreters with specialized vocabulary knowledge in areas like healthcare, law, etc. which can only come through rigorous training and years of experience. However, educational institutes lag in offering extensive interpreter training programs designed as per industry requirements. This has led to a large demand-supply gap of qualified linguists globally, affecting service capabilities.
• Lack of control over quality of services: The interpretation business relies heavily on a distributed network of independent freelance interpreters who work remotely. Providers struggle to have stringent end-to-end control over the quality of services delivered by freelancers working from home offices/studios. Any issues like unprofessional conduct, inaccuracies, delays, etc. on the freelancer’s end can affect client experiences. This risk is magnified in the case of new freelancers. Lack of quality control has an adverse impact on brand reputation.
• Budget constraints of buyers: While organizations acknowledge the benefits of professional interpretation services, they can be expensive budget-wise, especially for smaller businesses. Onsite services charge hourly fees in addition to assignment fees. SMEs and some public sector organizations with budget limitations find the rates unaffordable for daily requirements. This restricts the adoption of these services only for absolute necessities rather than as an organizational best practice.

Counterbalance: To counter the shortage of skilled interpreters, a multifaceted approach is needed. Educational institutions and industry stakeholders must collaborate to develop comprehensive, industry-aligned training programs. Additionally, technology can bridge the gap by offering real-time language translation tools that aid interpreters. Building a diverse pool of interpreters, including bilingual professionals with subject-matter expertise, can address specific field requirements. Encouraging young talents to enter the interpretation profession and providing mentorship programs can help close the supply-demand gap. With a combined effort from education, technology, and mentorship, the interpretation market can enhance its service capabilities and better meet the growing demand for qualified language professionals.

Recent Developments

New product launches

• On September 20, 2022, KUDO, an cloud-based platform for running multilingual meetings and event, launched its Interpreter Marketplace, the world’s first platform-agnostic marketplace for finding, booking, and paying professional language interpreters
• On December 16, 2021, Interprefy, a Switzerland based company, launched multilingual video campaign to raise awareness about meeting sound quality

Acquisition and partnerships

• On June 28, 2022, Zuddl, a unified event platform company with a presence in India, U.S., and the UAE, partnered with Interprefy to offer clients real-time language translation at multilingual events
• On April 5, 2022, Translators without Borders (TWB), part of CLEAR Global, announced that Semantix and TransPerfect are supporting the nonprofit with a joint Sapphire sponsorship. Semantix and TransPerfect provide multilingual language technology and services worldwide.
• On June 13, 2023, LAT Multilingual, a translation and multicultural communications agency, announced a new partnership with Asign, a reputed Canada-based sign language interpreting company. The collaboration allows LAT Multilingual to broaden its language services by adding American Sign Language and Langue des signes Quebecoise to videos, webinars, conferences, and meetings.

Figure 2. Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Share (%), by End-Use Industry 2022

Top Companies in the Global Multilingual Interpretation Market

• Lionbridge
• TransPerfect
• SDL plc
• LanguageLine Solutions
• Telelanguage
• Straker Translations
• GlobaLexicon
• Day Translations
• GLOBO Language Solutions
• Language Services Associates (LSA)
• Language Connect
• CSOFT International
• WordExpress Corporation
• The Geo Group Corporation
• Vocalink Global

Definition: The Global Multilingual Interpretation Market refers to the industry providing oral translation and interpretation services to facilitate communication between two or more parties speaking different languages. It includes over the phone, video remote and on-site interpretation services offered in healthcare, legal, education, business, government and other settings. With globalization and rising immigration, demand for eliminating language barriers is driving growth of companies providing multilingual interpretation via human interpreters and technology solutions. The market is poised to grow significantly in coming years with increasing globalization, cross-border mobility, international trade and regulations mandating language access in many countries.

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Global Multilingual Interpretation Market Segmentation:

• By Service Type:
• • Over the Phone Interpretation
  • Video Remote Interpretation
  • On-site Interpretation
  • Others (Transcription and Translation)
• By End-use industry:
• • Healthcare
  • Legal
  • Education
  • Government
  • Others
• By Language Type:
• • Spanish
  • Mandarin
  • Arabic
  • French
  • German
  • Others
• By Region
• • North America
  • Europe
  • Asia Pacific
  • Latin America
  • Middle East & Africa