About the role

Punjabi (also spelled Panjabi) is widely spoken in South Asian communities across the UK. The people you interpret for may come from Indian Punjab, where Punjabi is written in Gurmukhi, and Pakistani Punjab, where it is written in Shahmukhi. Interpreters should handle Majhi-based standard Punjabi and recognise Doabi, Malwai and Pothwari features, since many older clients use regional speech.

Common assignments include GP and hospital appointments, mental health reviews, adult social care, police interviews and county court cases. Translation work ranges from patient leaflets to legal statements and family documents.

What you will do

Interpret for older clients in health and social care settings, checking understanding of medical terms with care.
Translate documents in Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi, as requested, and flag when a client needs the other script.
Follow professional standards of accuracy, impartiality and confidentiality on every assignment.
Prepare for each booking by reviewing the brief and researching specialist terminology in advance.
Check every translation against the source before delivery and meet agreed deadlines.
Take on transcription and translation of Punjabi recordings for legal, research and media clients, if this work interests you.

What we are looking for

Full professional fluency in both Punjabi and English.
Relevant qualifications such as the DPSI, DPI or a translation degree, or equivalent professional experience; CIOL, ITI or NRPSI membership is welcome.
Ability to read and write Punjabi in Gurmukhi, Shahmukhi or both (please state which).
Willingness to undergo a DBS check, which is required for some assignments, such as those involving children or vulnerable adults.
For on-site work in the UK, the right to work in the UK.
Reliable internet access and suitable equipment (computer or phone with headset) for video and telephone work.

What we offer

Freelance flexibility, accepting work when it suits you.
Remote and on-site assignments.
Fair pay that reflects your skills and time.
Support from our operations team.
Assignments across sectors, including healthcare, legal and public services.

Punjabi work with SILA Linguists®

SILA Linguists® is a language services company providing interpreting, translation and transcription across the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond, in more than 350 languages and dialects. As a Punjabi linguist with us, you can take on the full range of work we offer in Punjabi:

Punjabi interpreting of every type: face-to-face, telephone (OPI) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, video (VRI) through the SILA Linguists® app or the client's platform, consecutive, simultaneous, conference and remote simultaneous (RSI), community and escort interpreting.
Punjabi translation of documents into and out of English, from letters, medical reports and school records to contracts, research and websites.
Certified Punjabi translation with a signed statement of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as courts, the Home Office, universities and employers.
Punjabi transcription of audio and video recordings, with time stamps, translation of the transcript and subtitling.

Our vetted, trained and qualified linguists work in legal, police and court settings, immigration and asylum matters, NHS and private healthcare, social care, schools and universities, charities and business. Every assignment is covered by confidentiality agreements and UK GDPR.

Questions

Do I need to read both Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi?

No. Tell us which scripts you read and write. Interpreters who work in both are useful for translation, but spoken interpreting assignments do not depend on script.

Can I work remotely?

Yes. Many assignments are delivered by video or telephone, and on-site work in the UK is also available.

Apply for this role

Freelance Punjabi Interpreter and Translator