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Volume I
Section 1.1: Remote Interpreting in the Time of COVID-19

Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact. Remote interpreters have paid a high
emotional toll. They have also offered invaluable support to their clients since the beginning of
the pandemic.

Longer-term impacts of the pandemic on interpreters
Interpreters are dedicated, caring professionals. If the COVID-19 pandemic has brought anything
positive to the lives of interpreters, it has shed light on the fact that we are all global citizens. We
will continue to support one another as the world moves forward.

But what are the costs to individual interpreters? The publisher conducted an informal survey of
a small number of remote interpreters in March 2022, asking the question: “How has COVID-19
affected you and your work life?”

The responses were a mix of negative and positive, with many citing financial loss and lower wages
on remote platforms, mental and emotional strain, feeling burned out and experiencing vicarious
trauma and burnout. On the positive side, interpreters shared feeling useful and valuing the ability
to work from home, learn new skills and expand into new areas of the interpreting profession.

You can see from what the interpreters quoted below have to say that many experienced both
negative and positive impacts during the pandemic.

• The pandemic highlighted weaknesses and strengths, forced us to pause and value the
normally invisible things.
• [It] extended and widened our interpreting capabilities as we transitioned to a new advanced
level of interpreting (virtual/phone).
• The rate was way too low for remote interpreter in China. I am really regret to choose this
career. I couldn’t find nice employment because I live in a small town in southwest China.
The biggest issue is the exploitation. Chinese agent tend to behave really bad in term of
salary exploitation. I have to change my career despite of a hard turn.
• The pandemic has affected the usual lifestyle of the whole world in different ways. During the
pandemic, I was an essential worker, doing much more, a lot of pressure, big responsibility
to take care of others, and risking my own health at the same time, for my regular income,
no incentives at all. So the pandemic was not bad at all for me because my duty helped
with my family expenses covered.
On the other hand, the pandemic gave me an opportunity to find myself more productive
and catch new challenges. Something new was born in me! And right now I am doing my
last training and taking the final test in order to get my accreditation. In other words, the
pandemic brought me an opportunity to continue my education.

• I’ve been stuck in front of my computer for literally two years and I’m worn out!
• It has changed the entire scope of my position. I now manage a language service provider
and fill another role as interpreting is now overseas call centers instead of trained in-
person interpreters. I feel like my [onsite] position is becoming obsolete.
• I discovered lots of fantastic online resources and took the plunge and transitioned to RSI.

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