Demand is expected to grow for more linguists and interpreters across the state with an influx of refugees seeking asylum and as the new state Office of Language Access works to enforce recent changes to New York's language policy.

New York state is home to more than 5.6 million people who speak about 800 different languages. About 2.5 million New Yorkers do not speak English proficiently, according to the state Office of General Services, which operates the Office of Language Access.

All 45 executive state agencies must provide interpretation services in any language and translate important forms into the 12 languages most commonly spoken besides English under changes made to New York's language policy late last year.

"We're really saying: Everyone has access to these services — you should feel like you belong," state Office of Language Access Executive Director Margarita Larios said Thursday. "...The aim here is not just language access. There's also wanting to make sure that there's a change in the understanding. This is not an extra luxury. It's something that is necessary for folks to be able to access the services from the state government."

The Office of Language Access was established in October to help agencies make the necessary cultural change and ensure they follow the updated law. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared an executive order in 2021 that expanded the number of languages that state departments must translate for their forms and documents. 

New Yorkers who speak other languages and have limited proficiency in English are typically immigrants or refugees and often struggle to access services from the state's 45 agencies and departments.

"If you don't speak English well, there's going to be an option for you," Larios said. "You can get a translation, you can get an interpreter and make sure that, you know, it's not difficult to get government services or benefits."

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, the first South Asian woman elected to a state office, represents a district in Queens that's about 72% immigrant.

She frequently hears from constituents who would benefit from grant applications, Department of Motor Vehicle forms and others translated into their native tongues.

"If the state Empire State Development suddenly translates its documents into the language of Punjabi, that would be a huge boost to Sikh small business owners in my district that will help them interact with government," Rajkumar said Thursday. "...[This office] gives immigrant communities access to government and gives them the guidance they need to navigate our government and to navigate our justice or educational system."

There's higher demand for the state Office of Language Access with an increased number of refugees coming to the state seeking asylum.

That could mean greater need in upstate communities as Hochul's proposed $1 billion in her executive budget for services to address the migrant crisis, including $5 million for resettlement in other areas.

"When it comes to recently arrived migrants and refugees, we want to make sure we're thoughtful about that approach," Larios said.

It's led to an increased demand for linguists in Pashto, Dari and Ukrainian to serve migrant and refugee populations, she added.

Linguistic groups upstate also speak various Latin American indigenous languages.

Any New Yorker who requests an interpreter or language assistance at a state department is denied or is not offered an interpreter can file a language access complaint form with the state Office of General Services about any of the 45 agencies. A person with a complaint about an interpreter's comments or how they behaved or if they were not given documents or information in a language they could understand is encouraged to report it to OGS.

Officials in the Office of Language Access are working to partner with more qualified linguists, remote interpretation services and for more resources to expand linguists and interpreters statewide. 

Rajkumar says she knows many talented New Yorkers who want to work in the field.

"There's a lot of enthusiasm in these immigrant communities," she said. "All we have to do is outreach and take the first step."