Which documents can you have translated?
The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) is where applicants build their file for residency programs. The documents you need depend on your background and on the programs you choose.
| Document | Our service |
|---|---|
| Medical Student Performance Record (MSPR) | MSPR translation from French to English, or English to French: evaluations, comments and details of your medical training. |
| Dean’s Letter | Translation of the letter issued by your faculty, following its layout. |
| Reference letters | Reference letter translation coordinated with your referee, to respect the CaRMS reference workflow. |
| Structured reference letters and applicant support forms | Translation of the fields, answers and comments of the form completed by your referee. |
| Medical diplomas and transcripts | Translation into English or French from Spanish, Arabic or another language: degree titles, grades, dates, seals and institutional notations. |
| CV, personal letter and other requested documents | Translation following the program’s instructions and length limits. |
You do not have to translate every document. Send us the requirements of the programs you are applying to, and we will focus on the documents your application actually needs.
Is your transcript already in French or English?
According to CaRMS, English and French programs both accept medical school transcripts written in English or French, so a French transcript does not need an English translation. A transcript in any other language must be translated, and CaRMS does not offer that service.
CaRMS translation service or an outside provider?
The CaRMS translation service is optional. It covers only MSPRs and reference documents, from English to French and French to English, for applicants who submit a bilingual application. Other document types and other language combinations are not included.
- You may choose your own translation provider. The only published restriction: the provider cannot be one of the providers CaRMS uses for its own service.
- CaRMS recommends a certified translator who can affix their official stamp to the translation.
- You coordinate the translation and make sure CaRMS receives the documents before the application deadline, ideally two business days in advance to allow for processing.
CaRMS translation service: eligible documentsOfficial procedure for an outside provider
Translation that follows CaRMS-approved terminology
We use the CaRMS bilingual terminology database to keep the terms in your MSPR, clinical evaluations and reference documents consistent. Its relevant equivalents guide the translation and are checked during revision, so the meaning of every assessment and training detail is preserved.
CaRMS built this database with the faculties of medicine in Quebec, the Fédération médicale étudiante du Québec (FMEQ) and the providers of its translation service. It draws on the Grand dictionnaire terminologique of the Office québécois de la langue française, the Translation Bureau’s terminology database and medical associations. CaRMS reviews it every year at the end of the match cycle.
View the CaRMS terminology database (PDF)How the terminology is built and reviewed
Certified or notarized translation: what to plan for
Asiatis has its certified translations signed by certified translators who belong to a provincial order or association of translators, including OTTIAQ in Quebec, ATIO in Ontario and STIBC in British Columbia, depending on the languages and the project.
- A certified translation carries the certified translator’s signature, seal, order and membership number.
- Deliverable: one PDF holding the translation and a copy of the source document, ready to upload or send.
- A notarized translation is a separate formality: when a program requires one, do not assume the translator’s seal is enough.
For example, the criteria published for Dalhousie University, which cover Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, require IMGs to provide a notarized translation of medical diplomas and transcripts that are not in English or French. The page notes that the criteria shown are still those of the 2026 match, pending the 2027 criteria.
Send us the link to your program’s requirements: we will confirm the translation we propose and any additional formality to plan for.
How your translation project works
1. Tell us about your documents and programs
Send us the source and target languages, the documents to translate, the programs you are applying to and your deadline. For a confidential reference, your referee can contact us directly.
2. Receive a quote with a firm delivery date
We assess the volume, legibility, languages and layout of your documents. The quote states the deliverables, the price and the delivery date. Mention any notarization requirement at this stage.
3. Translation and revision
We pay close attention to names, dates, grades, degree titles and clinical evaluations. The translation keeps the meaning of the source document, without converting grades or assigning an equivalency to your degree.
4. Delivery or transmission to CaRMS
Depending on the document and your status, we deliver the PDF to you or send it to CaRMS, as its procedure provides (table below).
How does the translation reach CaRMS?
The workflow depends on the document and on your status. For a translation by an outside provider, CaRMS sets out the following steps:
| Document | Transmission set out by CaRMS |
|---|---|
| MSPR of a Canadian medical graduate (CMG) | The provider emails the translated MSPR (PDF) to documents@carms.ca, with your name and CaRMS ID. CaRMS uploads it to your account. |
| MSPR of an international medical graduate (IMG) | The provider emails you the PDF; you upload it to your CaRMS Online account from the Document Tracking page. Your application must be set to bilingual to create the placeholder. |
| Reference letter or applicant support form | The provider emails the translation (PDF) to documents@carms.ca, with your name, CaRMS ID and the document ID number. |
| Structured reference letter | Your referee completes it online, downloads a copy and sends it to the provider; the translation (PDF) then goes to documents@carms.ca with the same details. |
| Diploma, transcript or other document | You upload the document and its translation yourself to your CaRMS Online account. |
All documents are submitted as PDFs, with a 5 MB limit per file (2 MB for the photo, as a JPEG). CaRMS does not accept hard copies or mailed documents.
Official procedure for an outside providerDocument submission and format
Confidential references: coordinate with your referee
A reference letter follows its own workflow: CaRMS does not coordinate external translations. Before ordering, agree with your referee that they will send the document to the provider, and include our contact details in your reference request.
For the English and French versions of the same reference, CaRMS asks you to create two reference requests in your account, one per language. Then send us the identifiers needed to submit the translation.
Why choose Asiatis for your residency application?
- CaRMS terminology respected. The relevant equivalents from the approved database are applied and checked during revision.
- A verifiable translation. Certified translations show the certified translator’s name, membership number, signature and seal.
- Every language in your file. Your MSPR and references between French and English, and your diplomas and transcripts from many other languages, with a single contact.
- Remote support. From Montreal, we work with applicants across Canada, including those preparing their file from abroad.
- Confidential handling. Your documents are never used to train an artificial-intelligence model.
Asiatis is an independent translation provider with no affiliation to CaRMS. The decision to accept a document rests with CaRMS and the receiving programs.
CaRMS translation: frequently asked questions
Why use an outside provider rather than the CaRMS translation service?
The CaRMS translation service is optional: you can choose an outside provider and follow the transmission procedure CaRMS sets out. At Asiatis, you receive a custom quote within 1 business hour, and we apply the same CaRMS-approved terminology. We also translate the documents and languages the CaRMS service does not handle, such as diplomas and transcripts.
My diplomas are in Spanish (or Arabic…): can you translate them for CaRMS?
Yes. Asiatis translates diplomas, transcripts and other documents written in Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian or many other languages into English or French: request a quote. CaRMS does not translate these documents. Check whether your target program requires a notarized translation, as the criteria published for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island do.
Can I choose Asiatis instead of the CaRMS translation service?
Yes. The CaRMS service is optional: you may choose an outside provider, as long as it is not one of the providers CaRMS uses for its own service, and follow the matching transmission procedure.
Do you follow the CaRMS-approved terminology?
Yes. We use the bilingual terminology database published by CaRMS and apply its relevant equivalents to your documents. Their use is checked during revision, in context.
Does the certified translator have to be based in the province I am applying to?
The general CaRMS instructions set no such restriction: they recommend a certified translator who can affix their official stamp. Check your program’s own requirements, however, including any certification or notarization formality.
Does CaRMS translate documents in every language?
No. Its service covers only MSPRs and reference documents, between French and English, for bilingual applications. For other documents or languages, ask us for a quote.
Do I need an English translation of my French transcript?
No. According to CaRMS, English and French programs both accept medical school transcripts written in English or French.
What format does CaRMS accept?
Documents are submitted as PDFs, with a 5 MB limit per file. CaRMS does not accept hard copies or mailed documents.
How much does a CaRMS translation cost, and how long does it take?
Price and turnaround depend on the volume, languages, layout and formalities required. Send us the documents and your deadline for a custom quote. For a confidential reference, arrange its transmission with your referee first.
When should I plan for delivery?
Before your application deadline. CaRMS recommends that external translations reach it ideally two business days before that deadline, to allow for processing.
Request your CaRMS translation quote
To prepare your quote, tell us:
- the documents to translate and their number of pages;
- the source and target languages;
- the programs and provinces you are applying to;
- your application deadline;
- any certification, notarization or direct-transmission instructions.
For documents you hold, send complete, legible scans, including the back of each page, seals and annotations. For a confidential reference, ask your referee to contact us.
You can also email web@asiatis.ca or call 438 801-4050.
Official CaRMS resources
- Using a translation service outside of CaRMS
- CaRMS translation service and eligible documents
- Medical school transcript translation
- Document submission and format
- How the approved terminology is built and reviewed
- Bilingual terminology database (PDF)
- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI criteria
CaRMS requirements checked on October 5, 2026. Check the instructions for your match cycle and for the programs you are applying to.