Prism Linguistics provides certified Kurdish translation and Kurdish interpreters across Canada, for IRCC files and refugee claims at the IRB, Canadian legal matters, and hospital and clinic visits. Kurdish is not a single written standard, so getting the variety right comes first. Many Kurdish speakers in Canada arrived as protected persons, and records often come in the language of the state rather than in Kurdish.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
Interpreter matching is critical, because a Kurmanji speaker and a Sorani speaker often cannot follow each other. Kurmanji is the northern variety common among Kurds from Turkey and Syria, while Sorani is the central variety used more in Iraq and Iran, so at booking we ask the variety and the speaker's country, since a Kurmanji speaker from Turkey and one from Syria may also differ in some vocabulary.
Interpreters work in IRB refugee hearings and IRCC interviews, Canadian court and tribunal settings, hospital and clinic appointments covered by PHIPA and PIPEDA, settlement and school meetings, and trauma-sensitive sessions where careful, neutral interpreting matters. Attendance is on site in the major centres and by telephone or video for appointments anywhere in Canada.
Common settings include legal and court interpreting, medical and hospital interpreting, IRCC and Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) interviews, and police and enforcement work. See all on-site interpreting options or start a free quote.
The northern variety, Kurmanji, is usually written in a Latin alphabet, while the central variety, Sorani, uses an Arabic-based script, so a translator confirms the script before starting. Because many official records were issued in the language of the state rather than in Kurdish, we often work from Turkish, Syrian Arabic or Iraqi paperwork alongside any Kurdish papers.
We translate identity and family registration records, the nufus and civil status papers from Turkey, Syrian civil registry extracts, birth and marriage certificates, school and residence records, and court or police documents, together with the sworn declarations that support a claim. Each translation is issued by a certified translator or carries a sworn affidavit of accuracy, and where a record is incomplete we translate only what appears on the page. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Kurdish translation, our full Kurdish translation services, or general document translation. Every translation moves through our TEP workflow — translation, editing and proofreading by separate linguists — with free revisions.
An interpreter attends in person for hearings, medical appointments and meetings. On-site interpreting
Same-day, often within minutes, for calls, intake and urgent situations. Phone interpreting
Telehealth, remote hearings and sign language, anywhere in Canada. Video interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting for events and multilingual meetings. Conference interpreting
Legal consultations, settlement services and private appointments. Private interpreting
ASL and LSQ interpreting for accessible appointments and events. Sign language
We arrange Kurdish interpreters in cities across every province and territory — on site in the major centres and by telephone or video everywhere else:
Need documents translated locally? We provide certified Kurdish translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Kurdish is the language of one of the world's largest stateless ethnic groups, with around 30 million speakers distributed across southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, and northern Syria. It is not a single uniform language - Kurmanji and Sorani are the two main written forms, with significant differences in script and vocabulary. When a Canadian client asks for "Kurdish translation" the first question we ask is which variant the source document is in. Most of our Kurdish work is refugee-protection documentation for IRB hearings tied to ongoing conflict in the region, plus family-court and healthcare translation for the established Kurdish-Canadian communities in Toronto and Vancouver.
Kurmanji is the northern variety common among Kurds from Turkey and Syria; Sorani is the central variety used more in Iraq and Iran. Tell us the speaker's variety and country and we match the right interpreter, since the two are often not mutually understood.
Yes. Many Kurdish speakers hold records issued in the state language. We translate Turkish, Syrian Arabic or Iraqi documents alongside any Kurdish papers.
Yes. We provide interpreters for refugee hearings and related appointments on site in the main centres and by telephone or video nationwide.
Tell us the language, the setting and the date through our quote form or by phone. We return a written quote with the exact price and turnaround, usually within 60 minutes during business hours, before you commit.
Tell us the setting, the city and the date, and we will confirm a qualified Kurdish interpreter and a firm price.