Translation and Interpretation Services NAICS 541930

May 6, 2025 - Translation Services Provided By US Homeland Security Department Cancelled

• The Trump administration will no longer provide translation services for individuals or businesses calling the Homeland Security Department on questions related to their employment status or benefits, according to a memorandum obtained by Government Executive. US Citizenship and Immigration Services will cancel a contract that provides that translation capacity, the memo stated. The contract termination, according to one employee affected by the change, will impact those who call with questions regarding programs such as E-Verify, which tracks individuals’ employment status, and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, which federal, state and local entities, as well as other licensing agencies, use to determine individuals’ immigration status and their eligibility for benefits. Individuals, companies or agencies who call USCIS to inquire about discrepancies in work authorization papers, for example, will no longer have translation services available. The lack of translation services may lead to more people being improperly denied benefits or jobs, according to experts contacted by the Government Executive news service.
• The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in real-time interpretation is a recent phenomenon that presents opportunities and challenges for translation and interpretation services, according to customer experience technology firm CX Today. Multilingual support traditionally involved either human interpreters or automated systems that often failed to meet the speed and accuracy required in a high-pressure customer service environment but the rise of AI-driven live interpretation enables understanding and translation of customer speech in real time. AI-driven interpretation also reduces the time needed for back-and-forth communication and removes the risk of misunderstandings that can arise from human translators, according to CX Today.

• Netflix is working to improve the quality of dubbing and translation to widen the cross-border appeal of foreign-language programs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Netflix has focused on South Korean programs after the success of Squid Game, the streamer’s most widely-viewed show ever. Using South Korea as a test case, Netflix has employed hundreds of voice actors worldwide and is training them in Korean cultural nuance and traditions to offer more authentic and appealing dubs. The firm aims to leverage the cross-cultural appeal of South Korean reality shows, such as physical competitions, dating programs, and game shows, as they tend to cost much less than scripted programming. Netflix content is available in over 30 languages, and non-English offerings account for a third of its viewing.
• Translation and interpretation service industry employment decreased slightly and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first month of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Translation and interpretation service industry sales are forecast to increase at a 0.31% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.