Interpreters and Translators: Cost-of-Living Adjustment Payment
As part of the last Public Sector Wages Case, the PSA secured pay increases over the life of the awards to which we are a party. These increases have been passed on to members as they fell due.
The PSA has secured another important outcome for members. Eligible employees will receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) payment of up to $1,000, together with an additional superannuation contribution of up to $120. Both payments will be made on a pro-rata basis, depending on employment arrangements.
Your previous three pay increases, from 2024 to 2026, were the result of negotiations between the PSA and the NSW Government. As part of those negotiations, the PSA successfully secured a commitment that if the Sydney Consumer Price Index (CPI) exceeded 4 per cent in either the second or third year of the three-year wage agreement, members would receive a COLA payment.
How the COLA payment is calculated
Full-time employees are eligible to receive the full COLA payment of $1,000.
Part-time employees will receive a pro-rata payment based on their part-time hours.
For translators, Multicultural NSW has advised that, for the purposes of calculating the COLA payment, translation work has been converted from words to hours on the basis that 2,000 words equates to seven hours of work.
This conversion has previously been used by Language Services to prepare quotations and calculate assignment durations and is based on an industry average.
For the purposes of the Award, the calculation is based on a midpoint between standard and non-standard documents, as set out in clauses 11.4 and 11.5 of the Crown Employees (Interpreters and Translators, Multicultural NSW) Award 2021.
Have you received your COLA payment?
Multicultural NSW have advised the PSA that for eligible interpreters and translators, the COLA payment will be processed through payroll in the pay period ending 10 September 2026.
If you believe you are eligible for the COLA payment but have not received it, please make an enquiry through Multicultural NSW payroll. Upon receiving a response from Multicultural NSW payroll if you still have any questions, you can contact our Member Support Centre via email: or by calling 1800 772 679.
