diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/assets/stepper-item/t9n/messages.json b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/assets/stepper-item/t9n/messages.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec345993749
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/assets/stepper-item/t9n/messages.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "complete": "Completed step"
+}
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/assets/stepper-item/t9n/messages_en.json b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/assets/stepper-item/t9n/messages_en.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec345993749
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/assets/stepper-item/t9n/messages_en.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "complete": "Completed step"
+}
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/resources.ts b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/resources.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..750491b2cb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/resources.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+export const CSS = {
+  container: "container",
+  stepperItemContent: "stepper-item-content",
+  stepperItemDescription: "stepper-item-description",
+  stepperItemHeader: "stepper-item-header",
+  stepperItemHeading: "stepper-item-heading",
+  stepperItemHeaderText: "stepper-item-header-text",
+  stepperItemNumber: "stepper-item-number",
+  visuallyHidden: "visually-hidden",
+};
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.scss b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.scss
index 6f97b9235f7..834e749f678 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.scss
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.scss
@@ -348,4 +348,8 @@
   }
 }
 
+.visually-hidden {
+  @apply sr-only;
+}
+
 @include base-component();
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.tsx b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.tsx
index 6a0527219aa..7f432d41b1e 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.tsx
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper-item/stepper-item.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import {
   VNode,
   Watch,
 } from "@stencil/core";
-import { toAriaBoolean } from "../../utils/dom";
 import { Layout, Scale } from "../interfaces";
 import {
   connectInteractive,
@@ -38,6 +37,7 @@ import {
   LoadableComponent,
   componentFocusable,
 } from "../../utils/loadable";
+import { CSS } from "./resources";
 
 /**
  * @slot - A slot for adding custom content.
@@ -210,13 +210,18 @@ export class StepperItem implements InteractiveComponent, LocalizedComponent, Lo
   render(): VNode {
     return (
       <Host
-        aria-expanded={toAriaBoolean(this.selected)}
+        aria-current={this.selected ? "step" : "false"}
         onClick={this.handleItemClick}
         onKeyDown={this.keyDownHandler}
       >
-        <div class="container">
+        <div class={CSS.container}>
+          {this.complete && (
+            <span aria-live="polite" class={CSS.visuallyHidden}>
+              {"Completed step"}
+            </span>
+          )}
           <div
-            class="stepper-item-header"
+            class={CSS.stepperItemHeader}
             tabIndex={
               /* additional tab index logic needed because of display: contents */
               this.layout === "horizontal" && !this.disabled ? 0 : null
@@ -225,13 +230,15 @@ export class StepperItem implements InteractiveComponent, LocalizedComponent, Lo
             ref={(el) => (this.headerEl = el)}
           >
             {this.icon ? this.renderIcon() : null}
-            {this.numbered ? <div class="stepper-item-number">{this.renderNumbers()}.</div> : null}
-            <div class="stepper-item-header-text">
-              <span class="stepper-item-heading">{this.heading}</span>
-              <span class="stepper-item-description">{this.description}</span>
+            {this.numbered ? (
+              <div class={CSS.stepperItemNumber}>{this.renderNumbers()}.</div>
+            ) : null}
+            <div class={CSS.stepperItemHeaderText}>
+              <span class={CSS.stepperItemHeading}>{this.heading}</span>
+              <span class={CSS.stepperItemDescription}>{this.description}</span>
             </div>
           </div>
-          <div class="stepper-item-content">
+          <div class={CSS.stepperItemContent}>
             <slot />
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/assets/stepper/t9n/messages.json b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/assets/stepper/t9n/messages.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..32fc7ca0407
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/assets/stepper/t9n/messages.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "label": "Progress steps"
+}
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/assets/stepper/t9n/messages_en.json b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/assets/stepper/t9n/messages_en.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..32fc7ca0407
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/assets/stepper/t9n/messages_en.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "label": "Progress steps"
+}
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.e2e.ts b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.e2e.ts
index 0d46f302023..1b9512e61b2 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.e2e.ts
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.e2e.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ import { defaults, hidden, reflects, renders } from "../../tests/commonTests";
 import { html } from "../../../support/formatting";
 import { NumberStringFormatOptions } from "../../utils/locale";
 
+// we use browser-context function to click on items to workaround `E2EElement#click` error
+async function itemClicker(item: HTMLCalciteStepperItemElement) {
+  item.click();
+}
+
 // todo test the automatic setting of first item to selected
 describe("calcite-stepper", () => {
   describe("defaults", () => {
@@ -482,11 +487,6 @@ describe("calcite-stepper", () => {
       await page.waitForChanges();
       expect(eventSpy).toHaveReceivedEventTimes(expectedEvents);
 
-      // we use browser-context function to click on items to workaround `E2EElement#click` error
-      async function itemClicker(item: HTMLCalciteStepperItemElement) {
-        item.click();
-      }
-
       await page.$eval("#step-2", itemClicker);
       expect(eventSpy).toHaveReceivedEventTimes(++expectedEvents);
       expect(await getSelectedItemId()).toBe("step-2");
@@ -640,4 +640,27 @@ describe("calcite-stepper", () => {
     );
     expect(stepper2Number.textContent).toBe(`${thaiNumeral1}.`);
   });
+
+  it("should have correct ARIA attributes", async () => {
+    const page = await newE2EPage();
+    await page.setContent(html`<calcite-stepper>
+      <calcite-stepper-item heading="Step 1" id="step-1">
+        <div>Step 1 content</div>
+      </calcite-stepper-item>
+      <calcite-stepper-item heading="Step 2" id="step-2">
+        <div>Step 2 content</div>
+      </calcite-stepper-item>
+    </calcite-stepper>`);
+
+    const stepper = await page.find("calcite-stepper");
+    const [stepperItem1, stepperItem2] = await page.findAll("calcite-stepper-item");
+    const messages = await import(`./assets/stepper/t9n/messages.json`);
+
+    expect(stepper.getAttribute("aria-label")).toEqual(messages.label);
+    expect(stepperItem1.getAttribute("aria-current")).toEqual("step");
+
+    await page.$eval("#step-2", itemClicker);
+    await page.waitForChanges();
+    expect(stepperItem2.getAttribute("aria-current")).toEqual("step");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.tsx b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.tsx
index bb15cee58bb..9cd606bd9a9 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.tsx
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/stepper/stepper.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   Event,
   EventEmitter,
   h,
+  Host,
   Listen,
   Method,
   Prop,
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ import {
   Watch,
 } from "@stencil/core";
 
-import { focusElementInGroup } from "../../utils/dom";
+import { focusElementInGroup, slotChangeGetAssignedElements } from "../../utils/dom";
 import { NumberingSystem } from "../../utils/locale";
 import { Layout, Scale } from "../interfaces";
 import { StepperItemChangeEventDetail, StepperItemKeyEventDetail } from "./interfaces";
@@ -112,17 +113,9 @@ export class Stepper {
 
   render(): VNode {
     return (
-      <slot
-        onSlotchange={(event: Event) => {
-          const items = (event.currentTarget as HTMLSlotElement)
-            .assignedElements()
-            .filter((el) => el?.tagName === "CALCITE-STEPPER-ITEM");
-          const spacing = Array(items.length).fill("1fr").join(" ");
-          this.el.style.gridTemplateAreas = spacing;
-          this.el.style.gridTemplateColumns = spacing;
-          this.setStepperItemNumberingSystem();
-        }}
-      />
+      <Host aria-label={"Progress steps"} role="region">
+        <slot onSlotchange={this.handleDefaultSlotChange} />
+      </Host>
     );
   }
 
@@ -331,4 +324,13 @@ export class Stepper {
       item.numberingSystem = this.numberingSystem;
     });
   }
+
+  private handleDefaultSlotChange = (event: Event): void => {
+    const slottedItems = slotChangeGetAssignedElements(event);
+    const items = slottedItems.filter((el) => el?.tagName === "CALCITE-STEPPER-ITEM");
+    const spacing = Array(items.length).fill("1fr").join(" ");
+    this.el.style.gridTemplateAreas = spacing;
+    this.el.style.gridTemplateColumns = spacing;
+    this.setStepperItemNumberingSystem();
+  };
 }
diff --git a/t9nmanifest.txt b/t9nmanifest.txt
index 38bb14869aa..c7c12358e45 100644
--- a/t9nmanifest.txt
+++ b/t9nmanifest.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ packages\calcite-components\src\components\popover\assets\popover\t9n
 packages\calcite-components\src\components\rating\assets\rating\t9n
 packages\calcite-components\src\components\scrim\assets\scrim\t9n
 packages\calcite-components\src\components\shell-panel\assets\shell-panel\t9n
+packages\calcite-components\src\components\stepper\assets\stepper\t9n
+packages\calcite-components\src\components\stepper-item\assets\stepper-item\t9n
 packages\calcite-components\src\components\tab-title\assets\tab-title\t9n
 packages\calcite-components\src\components\table\assets\table\t9n
 packages\calcite-components\src\components\table-cell\assets\table-cell\t9n