Interpreting for asylum seekers : what needs to change?

Abstract

Immigration is a worldwide phenomenon. When immigrants first started arriving in Malta, Italy and Greece among other countries, it became evident that the first obstacle which needed to be overcome was the language barrier. For this reason, the dominant feature of the literature concerning the current research will be the analysis of issues related to language barriers and the major focus of interpreting as the potential solution to overcome these barriers. Following this analysis, the study will seek to describe the application process which asylum seekers need to undergo wherein particular attention will be drawn to the asylum procedure at first instance. Different phases of the application procedure will be observed. This research will also explore the challenges and limitations which the caseworkers, the interpreters and the migrants have to encounter. All this will lead to questions like: what is the role of interpreters during the application process? Is there the need for interpreters in this process? What difference does their presence make during the interviews asylum seekers undergo? This research aims to collect objective data on the relevance of interpreters, when migrants are applying for their asylum, through observation and interviews, which data will be collected in collaboration with NGOs, namely JRS (Jesuits Refugee Service Malta), AWAS (Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers) and the Office of the Refugee Commissioner (RefCom). As a result of the analysis of data collated, the current study will put forward suggestions and recommendations aiming to reduce the challenges on all who are involved in the process.