Sign Language Interpreter Rates in Belgium: LSFB and VGT

Belgium has two official sign languages: LSFB(French-speaking Belgian Sign Language) and VGT(Flemish Sign Language). These two languages are mutually unintelligible, as distinct from each other as spoken French and Dutch. Understanding this duality is essential for any organisation - company, hospital, law firm, administration - that wishes to guarantee accessibility for its deaf and hard-of-hearing interlocutors. This guide presents the rates of the Belgian market, the legal framework and the practical points to watch.

LSFB and VGT: two languages, two communities, two markets

LSFB is used by the French-speaking deaf community of Belgium (Brussels, Wallonia). It was officially recognised by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in 2003. VGT is the sign language of Flanders, recognised as a regional language by the Flemish Parliament since 2006. Although the two communities coexist on Belgian territory, their sign languages have practically no interoperability. An LSFB interpreter cannot cover a VGT mission, and vice versa. This reality must be clearly specified when requesting an interpreter.

The certification bodies also differ depending on the community. On the French-speaking side, the FFSB (French-speaking Federation of the Deaf of Belgium) and Surdimobilare the reference structures for the certification of LSFB interpreters. In Flanders, the VGT certification framework is managed by Fevlado (Federation of Flemish Deaf Organisations). These certifications attest to a minimum competence in sign language, professional ethics and interpreting techniques.

Legal framework: rights of deaf people in Belgium

Several texts frame the right to sign-language interpreting in Belgium. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD), ratified by Belgium in 2009, requires the states parties to guarantee access to communication (article 2) and accessibility (article 9), which explicitly includes access to sign languages in public life.

Under Belgian law, the law of 22 August 2002 on patients' rightsguarantees every patient the right to clear information about their state of health and about the proposed medical procedures, in a language they understand. For a deaf or hard-of-hearing patient using sign language, this right implies the provision of an interpreter during significant medical consultations. In criminal proceedings, directive 2010/64/EU (transposed into Belgian law) guarantees the right to interpreting, including in sign language, free of charge for the person concerned.

For professional contexts (team meetings, job interviews, training), anti-discrimination legislation (law of 30 July 1981, supplemented by the decrees of the Communities) requires the employer to implement reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities, which may include covering the cost of a sign-language interpreter.

Shortage of certified professionals: anticipate the lead times

The Belgian sign-language interpreting market suffers from a structural shortage of certified professionals, particularly pronounced in LSFB. The LSFB interpreter training programmes (provided notably by the Haute Ecole Francisco Ferrer in Brussels) produce an insufficient number of graduates relative to demand, which keeps booking lead times at high levels.

In practice, for an LSFB mission in Brussels or Wallonia, you should allow a booking lead time of 1 to 3 weeks minimum for a plannable mission. In an emergency (less than 48 hours), availability is not guaranteed and significant surcharges apply. For VGT in Flanders, the market is slightly more abundant but the tension remains real in rural areas and for long-duration missions.

This availability constraint requires organisations to plan their interpreter needs as early as possible in the organisation of their events, hearings or appointments involving deaf or hard-of-hearing people.

Rate structure: hourly rate, minimum session and travel

Sign-language interpreting is billed by the hour with a minimum session of 2 hours, even if the actual mission is shorter. This rule takes into account the travel time and the preparation specific to each type of mission. On the Belgian market, rates generally range between 80 and 120 euros per hour for a certified interpreter, to which mileage costs are added at the rate of 0.42 euro/km round trip from the interpreter's home.

VRI (Video Remote Interpreting) - interpreting via video conference - is an alternative that makes it possible to mobilise an interpreter remotely when no certified professional is available in the region concerned. VRI is particularly useful for the rural areas of Wallonia or the less well-covered Flemish provinces. Its rate is generally 10 to 20% lower than on-site (no mileage costs), but it requires a stable internet connection and a suitable technical device (tablet or computer with a good-quality camera).

Table of sign-language interpreting rates in Belgium

Specific use cases and best practices for organisations

For hospitals and clinics, setting up a reception protocol for deaf patients with access to an LSFB or VGT interpreter is both a legal obligation and a quality requirement. The most pragmatic solution for care establishments is to subscribe to a VRI (video conference) subscription that guarantees the availability of a sign-language interpreter within 10 minutes, 7 days a week.

For law firms, a sign-language interpreter is indispensable during any meeting with a deaf or hard-of-hearing client - the confidentiality of the lawyer-client relationship must be able to be exercised in a language the client fully masters. The presence of a relative "who can sign a little" does not constitute an acceptable professional substitute on an ethical level.

For municipal administrations and the public social welfare centres (CPAS), welcoming deaf or hard-of-hearing citizens ideally requires a framework agreement with an interpreting agency that can mobilise a certified interpreter within 48 hours for plannable steps, and has a VRI solution for urgent situations.