ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 Certification in Qatar – Translation Services, Human Post-Editing, Cost & Requirements
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Qatar's international business environment creates a growing need for reliable Arabic-English translation, multilingual documentation, localization and human review of machine-translated content. Translation providers may support customers in energy, LNG, construction, engineering, healthcare, banking, ICT, logistics, education, hospitality and other sectors.
For a translation service provider, quality is not only about producing a translated document. Customers may also want to know how translation requirements are managed, how linguists are selected, how terminology is controlled, how translation is reviewed and how customer feedback is handled.
The same applies to businesses using machine translation. When machine-generated content is used commercially, human post-editing can be important for checking meaning, terminology, fluency, context and customer requirements.
This is where ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 can become relevant.
ISO 17100:2015 establishes requirements for translation services, including the core processes and resources needed to deliver a quality translation service. ISO states that the current published version remains ISO 17100:2015, although a replacement is under development.
ISO 18587:2017 addresses full human post-editing of machine translation output and post-editor competence. ISO currently lists ISO 18587:2017 as published, while ISO/DIS 18587 is under development as its intended replacement.
For Qatar-based language-service providers, choosing the right standard should therefore begin with the actual service being delivered.
What Is ISO 17100 Certification in Qatar?
ISO 17100 certification is applicable to organizations providing professional translation services.
The standard focuses on the processes, resources and other elements needed to provide translation services that meet applicable specifications. ISO explains that these specifications can include customer requirements, the translation provider's own requirements, relevant industry codes, best-practice guidance and legislation.
For a Qatar translation company, ISO 17100 can provide a structured framework for areas such as:
- Customer requirements
- Translation project management
- Translator competence
- Linguistic resources
- Terminology
- Translation activities
- Revision
- Quality controls
- Customer communication
- Feedback
- Complaints
- Corrective action
- Relevant records
The certification scope should describe the translation activities that the organization actually provides.
What Is ISO 18587 Certification in Qatar?
ISO 18587:2017 focuses specifically on the full human post-editing of machine translation output and the competence of post-editors. ISO states that the standard is intended for translation service providers, clients and post-editors.
This can be relevant to Qatar businesses using workflows such as:
Machine translation → Human post-editing → Quality review → Final delivery
The human post-editor may examine:
- Meaning
- Grammar
- Terminology
- Context
- Sentence structure
- Consistency
- Customer instructions
- Formatting
- Errors introduced by machine translation
ISO 18587 is therefore different from simply purchasing or using an AI translation tool.
ISO 17100 vs ISO 18587 – Which Standard Fits Your Qatar Business?
The simplest distinction is:
ISO 17100 = professional translation services
ISO 18587 = full human post-editing of machine translation output
ISO specifically states that raw machine-translation output followed by post-editing is outside the scope of ISO 17100:2015.
A Qatar language-service provider should therefore examine its actual workflow.
Consider ISO 17100 when your company:
- Provides professional translation services
- Assigns translation work to competent translators
- Manages translation projects
- Performs revision or quality checks
- Maintains terminology and linguistic resources
- Delivers translated content to customers
Consider ISO 18587 when your company:
- Uses machine translation as part of its service
- Provides full human post-editing
- Has defined post-editor competence
- Reviews machine-generated translation before delivery
- Provides human post-editing as a customer-facing service
Consider both standards when:
A company provides conventional professional translation as well as machine translation followed by full human post-editing.
The final certification scope should reflect the organization's actual activities.
What Is Changing in ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 in 2026?
Businesses considering certification in Qatar should be aware that both standards are undergoing development.
ISO currently identifies ISO 17100:2015 as the published standard and lists ISO/AWI 17100 as the work item intended to replace it.
For ISO 18587, ISO 18587:2017 remains the published standard, while ISO/DIS 18587 is under development. ISO describes the draft as addressing human post-editing of non-human translation output and post-editor competence.
The important point for Qatar businesses is that a draft or work item should not automatically be described as the current published certification standard.
Organizations planning certification should confirm the applicable edition and certification arrangements before starting the project.
Why ISO 17100 Certification Can Matter to Qatar Translation Providers
Qatar's business environment includes organizations operating across Arabic and English and, depending on the customer, other languages.
Translation providers may be expected to handle:
- Technical documents
- Commercial agreements
- Corporate information
- Engineering documentation
- Training material
- Healthcare documents
- Financial information
- Websites
- Marketing content
- Operational procedures
A structured translation-service process can help the provider demonstrate how customer requirements, competence, translation, revision and feedback are managed.
ISO 17100 does not mean that every translation is guaranteed to be error-free. Rather, it provides requirements for a controlled translation-service process.
Why ISO 18587 Can Matter to Qatar AI-Assisted Translation Providers
Machine translation can be useful when customers have large volumes of multilingual content.
For example, a Qatar-based localization provider may receive thousands of product descriptions or website pages.
A machine-translation system can create an initial output.
Human post-editors can then examine the output before it reaches the customer.
A controlled workflow can help address:
- Translation errors
- Contextual mistakes
- Terminology
- Cultural suitability
- Inconsistent wording
- Missing information
- Customer-specific terminology
- Formatting problems
ISO 18587 is particularly relevant because its focus is the human post-editing process and post-editor competence.
Qatar Legal Translation and Ministry of Justice Considerations
Qatar has specific government functions relating to translation of legislative material.
The Qatar Ministry of Justice's Official Gazette Department states that it is responsible for certifying translations of laws, regulations and decisions published in the Official Gazette. Its published information also includes a specific Translation Approval function.
This is important for translation businesses because ISO certification and government-specific translation approval are not the same thing.
A company should not claim that ISO 17100 or ISO 18587 automatically provides government authorization for every type of legal or official translation.
Where a customer requires a government-approved or otherwise officially recognized translation, the organization should verify the applicable Qatar requirements separately.
Qatar Personal Data Privacy and Translation Workflows
Translation companies can handle documents containing personal information, including:
- Identification information
- Employment records
- Healthcare information
- Financial information
- Customer records
- Contracts
- Personal correspondence
Qatar's Law No. 13 of 2016 concerns the protection of personal data privacy. The legislation includes provisions addressing personal data and special-nature personal data. Health information is among the categories identified as special-nature personal data.
This is particularly relevant when translation companies use:
- Cloud translation platforms
- Machine translation
- AI-assisted translation
- External linguists
- Subcontractors
- Online document-processing systems
A Qatar translation provider should assess its own legal and contractual responsibilities when processing customer information.
ISO 17100 or ISO 18587 certification should not be presented as a replacement for Qatar's legal requirements.
Qatar Industries Where ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 Can Be Relevant
Oil, Gas and LNG
Qatar's energy sector can create demand for specialist translation involving:
- Engineering documentation
- Technical specifications
- Safety information
- Operating procedures
- Training material
- Supplier documentation
- Project communication
Translation providers working in this environment may benefit from clearly defined terminology and competence arrangements.
Construction and Engineering
Construction and engineering customers can require translation of:
- Project documentation
- Technical specifications
- Method statements
- Contracts
- Safety information
- Manuals
- Training content
- Supplier documents
ISO 17100 can be relevant when these activities form part of professional translation services.
Healthcare
Healthcare-related translation can involve:
- Patient information
- Medical reports
- Policies
- Training documents
- Healthcare procedures
- Pharmaceutical information
Where personal or health information is involved, the organization should separately consider Qatar's applicable privacy requirements. Qatar's Personal Data Privacy Protection Law identifies health information as special-nature personal data.
Banking and Financial Services
Financial-sector translation can involve:
- Contracts
- Financial documents
- Corporate information
- Customer communications
- Compliance documentation
- Internal policies
Confidentiality and appropriate information handling should be considered alongside the translation process.
ICT and Digital Businesses
Technology companies may require:
- Website localization
- Software content
- User-interface translation
- Technical documentation
- Product information
- Customer support content
Businesses processing large volumes of digital content may also use machine translation followed by human post-editing.
Logistics and Transport
Translation providers supporting logistics organizations may handle:
- Shipping documentation
- Supplier information
- Operating procedures
- Customer communications
- Commercial documentation
- Warehouse information
Education and Training
Education organizations may require translation of:
- Course information
- Training materials
- Academic documents
- Institutional policies
- Student communications
- International program information
Hospitality and Tourism
Hospitality businesses may require multilingual:
- Websites
- Guest information
- Marketing content
- Menus
- Customer communications
- Visitor information
ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 Certification Locations in Qatar
The certification scope should be based on the organization's activities rather than simply its city. However, Qatar businesses seeking certification may operate across several important commercial and industrial locations.
Doha
Doha is the principal business market for many professional-service and language-service companies.
Translation providers in Doha may serve:
- Corporate customers
- Government-related organizations
- Healthcare
- Finance
- ICT
- Education
- Hospitality
- Professional services
Lusail
Businesses in Lusail can require translation for:
- Real estate
- Hospitality
- Corporate services
- Digital businesses
- Customer communications
- Commercial documentation
Al Rayyan
Translation providers serving Al Rayyan may work with customers in:
- Education
- Healthcare
- Construction
- Retail
- Professional services
Al Wakrah
Businesses in Al Wakrah may require translation for:
- Commercial documentation
- Logistics
- Hospitality
- Customer information
- Operational content
Al Khor
Translation services supporting businesses in Al Khor can include commercial, industrial and customer-facing documentation.
Ras Laffan
Ras Laffan is particularly relevant to Qatar's energy and industrial environment.
Language-service providers supporting customers in this area may handle:
- Engineering documentation
- Technical specifications
- Safety information
- Training material
- Supplier documents
- Project communications
Mesaieed
Mesaieed's industrial environment can create demand for translation involving:
- Industrial documentation
- Engineering information
- Safety procedures
- Supplier records
- Training material
- Commercial documents
The same certification principles apply across Qatar, but the scope should accurately identify the organization's activities and locations.
What Are the Main ISO 17100 Requirements for a Qatar Translation Company?
A Qatar translation provider preparing for ISO 17100 should review how it manages the complete service process.
Important areas can include:
Customer Requirements
The organization should establish what the customer expects before accepting the work.
This may include:
- Source language
- Target language
- Subject
- Intended audience
- Terminology
- Format
- Deadline
- Confidentiality
- Customer-specific instructions
Translator Competence
The organization should have appropriate arrangements for determining competence for the translation work assigned.
Relevant information can include:
- Language ability
- Translation experience
- Qualifications
- Training
- Subject-matter knowledge
- Relevant work experience
Translation Project Management
Responsibilities should be clear from the initial enquiry through final delivery.
A typical process may include:
Customer enquiry → Requirement review → Project acceptance → Resource allocation → Translation → Revision → Final review → Delivery → Feedback
The actual process should reflect the organization's service model.
Terminology Management
Terminology is particularly important in specialist Qatar sectors such as:
- Energy
- LNG
- Engineering
- Healthcare
- Finance
- Construction
Customers may provide approved terminology that must be applied consistently.
Revision and Quality Checks
Translation should be reviewed according to the applicable process and customer requirements.
Possible review areas include:
- Meaning
- Completeness
- Terminology
- Grammar
- Consistency
- Formatting
- Customer instructions
What Are the Main ISO 18587 Requirements for a Qatar Company?
A business preparing for ISO 18587 should focus on its machine-translation and human post-editing workflow.
The organization should consider:
- Customer requirements
- Machine-translation process
- Post-editor competence
- Post-editing criteria
- Terminology
- Quality review
- Final approval
- Project records
The human post-editor is a central part of the ISO 18587 service model.
Can a Qatar Company Use Both ISO 17100 and ISO 18587?
Yes.
For example, a Doha language-service provider could have two separate service workflows.
Service A: Professional human translation of contracts, engineering documentation and specialist content.
Service B: Machine translation followed by full human post-editing for high-volume digital content.
The organization can assess whether ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 are both appropriate for its services.
The certification scope should clearly reflect what is actually being delivered to customers.
How to Get ISO 17100 Certification in Qatar
A practical certification preparation process can include the following steps.
Step 1 – Define the Certification Scope
Identify:
- Translation services
- Languages
- Locations
- Departments
- Employees
- Customer groups
- Activities included in certification
Step 2 – Review Current Translation Processes
Map how a project moves from customer enquiry to final delivery.
Step 3 – Conduct a Gap Assessment
Compare existing arrangements with the applicable ISO 17100 requirements.
Step 4 – Address Identified Gaps
Improve areas such as:
- Competence
- Project control
- Revision
- Terminology
- Records
- Customer feedback
Step 5 – Implement the Process
The organization should operate its defined process on real projects.
Step 6 – Review Readiness
Confirm that the process is being followed and appropriate evidence is available.
Step 7 – Certification Assessment
The certification body conducts the applicable assessment against the agreed scope and requirements.
Step 8 – Address Applicable Findings
Any findings should be handled according to the applicable certification process.
How to Get ISO 18587 Certification in Qatar
For ISO 18587, the preparation should focus specifically on the human post-editing workflow.
The organization can:
- Define the service scope.
- Identify the machine-translation workflow.
- Define post-editor competence.
- Establish post-editing criteria.
- Implement quality checks.
- Maintain relevant project evidence.
- Conduct a readiness review.
- Complete the applicable certification assessment.
ISO 17100 Certification Cost in Qatar
There is no universal fixed price for ISO 17100 certification in Qatar.
Cost can vary according to:
- Number of employees
- Number of translators
- Certification scope
- Locations
- Service complexity
- Number of standards
- Audit requirements
- Existing management processes
A small translation office in Doha and a large multilingual language-service provider may therefore receive different quotations.
For an accurate quotation, the certification provider normally needs information about the organization and intended scope.
ISO 18587 Certification Cost in Qatar
The cost of ISO 18587 certification can depend on:
- Organization size
- Number of post-editors
- Certification scope
- Locations
- Machine-translation workflow
- Operational complexity
- Audit requirements
- Existing processes
Companies considering both standards should provide information about both service workflows when requesting a quotation.
How Long Does ISO 17100 Certification Take in Qatar?
There is no single timeframe applicable to every organization.
The project can depend on:
- Company size
- Scope
- Existing processes
- Number of employees
- Locations
- Documentation
- Project records
- Readiness
A gap assessment can help identify how much preparation is required before certification.
How Long Does ISO 18587 Certification Take in Qatar?
The timeframe depends on the maturity of the organization's machine-translation and human post-editing workflow.
An established provider with competent post-editors, documented processes and project evidence may have a different preparation requirement from a company introducing the service for the first time.
Benefits of ISO 17100 Certification for Qatar Translation Providers
Potential business benefits can include:
- More structured translation processes
- Defined competence arrangements
- Better project control
- Consistent terminology management
- Systematic revision
- Improved customer communication
- Structured complaint handling
- Better evidence of controlled service delivery
- Support when customers request an internationally recognized translation-service standard
Certification should be viewed as evidence of conformity with the applicable standard, not as a guarantee that every translation will be error-free.
Benefits of ISO 18587 for Qatar AI-Assisted Translation Providers
Potential benefits can include:
- Structured human post-editing
- Defined post-editor competence
- Better control of machine-generated translation
- Consistent review
- More transparent post-editing workflows
- Support for high-volume multilingual projects
- Greater confidence for customers using AI-assisted translation services
ISO 18587 does not certify an individual AI or machine-translation engine as accurate. Its focus is the human post-editing process and post-editor competence.
ISO 17100 or ISO 18587 – Which Is Right for Your Qatar Business?
Use the actual service model as the starting point.
ISO 17100 may be appropriate when your business provides professional translation services.
ISO 18587 may be appropriate when your business provides full human post-editing of machine translation output.
Both may be relevant when your company provides both services.
This approach is more useful than selecting a standard simply because a competitor or customer has requested it.
Qatar Translation Certification and Customer Requirements
Some customers may include ISO standards in supplier qualification requirements or procurement documentation.
Before pursuing certification, a Qatar translation provider should establish:
- Which standard the customer requires
- Which services must be included
- Whether a specific certification scope is requested
- Whether particular languages need to be covered
- Whether specific locations need to be included
- Whether customer-specific requirements apply
The organization should then ensure that the certification scope matches the actual business requirement.
Get ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 Certification in Qatar with SCS
If your Qatar organization provides professional translation, localization or human post-editing of machine translation output, the first step is to determine which standard fits your actual service.
SCS can discuss your intended certification scope based on:
- Company activities
- Translation services
- Languages
- Number of employees
- Locations
- Machine-translation workflow
- Human post-editing activities
- Intended certification scope
This can support organizations operating in Doha, Lusail, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Al Khor, Ras Laffan, Mesaieed and other Qatar locations.
Get Certified with SCS
Looking for ISO 17100 certification in Qatar, ISO 18587 certification in Qatar, or certification covering both standards?
Contact SCS to discuss your certification requirements, scope, process and quotation.
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