diff --git a/backend/app/api/v1/routes_jobs.py b/backend/app/api/v1/routes_jobs.py
index 55df8b5..b6ca2a1 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/v1/routes_jobs.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/v1/routes_jobs.py
@@ -873,9 +873,22 @@ async def approve_source(
             detail="Job not in pending QC status"
         )
 
-    # Transition directly to PENDING_FINAL_REVIEW
-    # Translation, TTS, and accessible video rendering now happen BEFORE QC
-    new_status = JobStatus.PENDING_FINAL_REVIEW
+    # Determine if there are target languages that still need translation.
+    source_language = job_doc["source"].get("language", "en")
+    requested_langs = job_doc.get("requested_outputs", {}).get("languages", [])
+    target_languages = [lg for lg in requested_langs if lg != source_language]
+    existing_outputs = job_doc.get("outputs") or {}
+    untranslated = [
+        lg for lg in target_languages
+        if not (existing_outputs.get(lg) or {}).get("captions_vtt_gcs")
+    ]
+
+    # If untranslated target languages exist, dispatch translation instead of
+    # jumping straight to final review. Any role can trigger this.
+    if untranslated:
+        new_status = JobStatus.TRANSLATING
+    else:
+        new_status = JobStatus.PENDING_FINAL_REVIEW
 
     # Build update operations
     update_set = {
@@ -917,8 +930,11 @@ async def approve_source(
             detail="Job not found or not in pending QC status"
         )
 
-    # No need to trigger translate_and_synthesize_task - all processing done before QC
-    logger.info(f"Job {job_id} approved, transitioning directly to final review")
+    if untranslated:
+        await _cr_dispatch("translate", job_doc["_id"], languages=untranslated)
+        logger.info(f"Job {job_id} source approved — dispatching translation for {untranslated}")
+    else:
+        logger.info(f"Job {job_id} approved, transitioning directly to final review")
 
     await log_job_action(
         AuditAction.JOB_APPROVE, job_id, current_user, http_request,