Custom Translation in Region Switzerland

Hi @MW74,

As of now, Azure Custom Translator is not available in the Switzerland region, and Microsoft has not announced any timeline for when it might become available there.

However, you can keep an eye on the Azure Translator Service release notes for updates on What's new in Azure AI Translator? page will be updated accordingly with more details.

I hope you understand. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful.

Hello MW74,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A and thank you for posting your questions here.

I understand that you are seeking clarity on the availability of Microsoft’s Custom Translator in Switzerland and how to ensure data residency compliance for translation services.

At present, Microsoft confirms that the Custom Translator feature is not available in the Switzerland region, and there is no official timeline for its release - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/translator/text-translation/reference/v3/reference While the standard Translator Text API can be hosted in Switzerland North or West using region-specific endpoints, this does not extend to Custom Translator, which remains regionally restricted.

This limitation presents challenges for users with strict data residency requirements. Although some workarounds such as using Custom Translator in nearby regions, deploying open-source models, or leveraging Azure Machine Learning (AML) in Switzerland might be a good suggestion, but they may not fully satisfy compliance needs. For example, processing data outside Switzerland, even temporarily, could violate Swiss data protection laws like FADP or GDPR. Similarly, while Azure Private Link and VNets enhance security, they do not guarantee that data remains within Swiss borders. Hosting open-source models also assumes technical expertise and infrastructure that may not be feasible for all users.

To address these concerns more accurately, the most compliant solution is to use Azure Machine Learning within Switzerland to train and deploy translation models using open-source frameworks such as Marian NMT, OpenNMT, or Fairseq. These can be fully hosted in Swiss data centers, ensuring control over both data and model residency. Alternatively, partnering with a Swiss-based AI consultancy or Microsoft partner can help manage infrastructure, ensure compliance, and streamline deployment. If legally permissible, a hybrid approach may involve storing data in Switzerland, temporarily processing it in a nearby region, and migrating models back, though this must be approved by your compliance team.

If you're using the standard Translator API and want to ensure data stays in Switzerland, you can configure your endpoint similar to this snippet:

curl -X POST "https://<your-resource-name>.cognitiveservices.azure.com/translator/text/v3.0/translate?to=fr" \
-H "Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key: <your-key>" \
-H "Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Region: switzerlandnorth" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "[{'Text':'Hello'}]"

For more details, you can refer to the Azure Translator Regional Support documentation.

I hope this is helpful! Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions or clarifications.

Please don't forget to close up the thread here by upvoting and accept it as an answer if it is helpful.