Should we set the same rates for remote simultaneous interpreting as in presential interpreting? Thread poster: Toby Wakely
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Toby Wakely 
Spain
Local time: 15:13
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Shoud remote interpreting be charged at a higher the same or cheaper rate than presential interpreting?
I am an interpreter but am confused at the wide range of rates I have seen for online interpreting and I´m not sure what the standard would be for say English Spanish simultaneous interpreting.
Some clients may argue that as you do not need to travel you should be paid less although this argument seems to be flawed as travel and expenses should be invoiced separatel... See more Shoud remote interpreting be charged at a higher the same or cheaper rate than presential interpreting?
I am an interpreter but am confused at the wide range of rates I have seen for online interpreting and I´m not sure what the standard would be for say English Spanish simultaneous interpreting.
Some clients may argue that as you do not need to travel you should be paid less although this argument seems to be flawed as travel and expenses should be invoiced separately. I would argue we are saving clients money as we will not charge them for these extras.
Personally, I don´t think it should be cheaper as you have added difficulties such as connectivity problems, extra difficulty in communicating with your interpreting partner and having to rely on your own equipment.
I have seen rates from 30 euros per hour (incredibly low in my opinion) to 200 euros per hour. I imagine the standard would be from 50 to 100 euros per hour.
Well, I´d love to hear your thoughts. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 15:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
In my language pair, it’s often offered on a per minute basis, not by the hour.
It’s not only the equipment and travel. In traditional interpreting you also charge a cancellation rate, so if a client changes their mind last minute, you still get paid % of the total. None of this exists in online interpreting. Happened to me a couple of times, and I was paid over $1k for an event that didn’t happen.
IMO, it should be charged the same or higher, not lower. But the r... See more In my language pair, it’s often offered on a per minute basis, not by the hour.
It’s not only the equipment and travel. In traditional interpreting you also charge a cancellation rate, so if a client changes their mind last minute, you still get paid % of the total. None of this exists in online interpreting. Happened to me a couple of times, and I was paid over $1k for an event that didn’t happen.
IMO, it should be charged the same or higher, not lower. But the reality is much different.
On top of all this, interpreting for me also used to be a cultural, social and travel experience, none of which exists in online intepreting. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 09:13
Romanian to English
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| Please stop generalizing this false idea | Nov 1 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
In my language pair, it’s often offered on a per minute basis, not by the hour.
It’s not only the equipment and travel. In traditional interpreting you also charge a cancellation rate, so if a client changes their mind last minute, you still get paid % of the total. None of this exists in online interpreting. Happened to me a couple of times, and I was paid over $1k for an event that didn’t happen.
IMO, it should be charged the same or higher, not lower. But the reality is much different.
On top of all this, interpreting for me also used to be a cultural, social and travel experience, none of which exists in online intepreting.
Over 80% of my court interpreting is done remotely; absolute same conditions as in-person and we get paid full rate (2 hrs) if cancelled in less than 48 hours.
I assume that you got this idea of not getting paid pertains to in Europe, not valid in the US.
In the US, court interpreting varies depending of the language pair. 60-100/hour, minimum 2 or 3 hours is fair. Federal courts pay more, usually for 1/2 day or full day even if you work for 10 minutes.
Lee
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 15:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Liviu-Lee Roth wrote:
Lingua 5B wrote:
In my language pair, it’s often offered on a per minute basis, not by the hour.
It’s not only the equipment and travel. In traditional interpreting you also charge a cancellation rate, so if a client changes their mind last minute, you still get paid % of the total. None of this exists in online interpreting. Happened to me a couple of times, and I was paid over $1k for an event that didn’t happen.
IMO, it should be charged the same or higher, not lower. But the reality is much different.
On top of all this, interpreting for me also used to be a cultural, social and travel experience, none of which exists in online intepreting.
Over 80% of my court interpreting is done remotely; absolute same conditions as in-person and we get paid full rate (2 hrs) if cancelled in less than 48 hours.
I assume that you got this idea of not getting paid pertains to in Europe, not valid in the US.
In the US, court interpreting varies depending of the language pair. 60-100/hour, minimum 2 or 3 hours is fair. Federal courts pay more, usually for 1/2 day or full day even if you work for 10 minutes.
Lee
Of course I am talking from my own point of view, not yours. I am in Europe, so is Toby.
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IrinaN
United States
Local time: 08:13
English to Russian
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| Clarification please | Nov 1 |
Lingua 5B,
You keep blaming and shaming a per minute rate but what kind of interpretation are you referring to? Do you actually mean that in Europe, or your country specifically, the per minute rate can be offered for online meetings and conferences? To my knowledge, the only kind that pays that way is OPI (On-the-Phone Interpretation), which, by the way, is done in consecutive mode only.
Thank you in advance.
| | | | Toby Wakely
Spain
Local time: 15:13
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
So, your answers have been quite useful, thanks. At the moment I am refusing to lower my rates for remote work and I just had to send a quote to an agency for a 90-minute assignment.
| | | | Toby Wakely
Spain
Local time: 15:13
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Some startlingly low rates for some interpretation work | Nov 1 |
I´m digressing a little from my main point here, but I have seen some seemingly low rates offered for certain types of interpretation, specifically telephone interpreting, which often work out at about 20 euros per hour or less. Moreover, some agencies are paying this for medical interpreters who require specialised knowledge. I don´t know if this kind of interpreting is inferior in some way, but there is no way a conference interpreter would work for that.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 15:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Toby Wakely wrote:
I´m digressing a little from my main point here, but I have seen some seemingly low rates offered for certain types of interpretation, specifically telephone interpreting, which often work out at about 20 euros per hour or less. Moreover, some agencies are paying this for medical interpreters who require specialised knowledge. I don´t know if this kind of interpreting is inferior in some way, but there is no way a conference interpreter would work for that.
Yes, that’s all true, but watch it - somebody may accuse you of spreading false ideas and misinformation.
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