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In which European countries is it easiest to live without knowing the state language?

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In which European countries is it easiest to live without knowing the state language?

In a number of European countries, you can live quite comfortably even without knowing the local language. Find out which countries are in the ranking of countries where English is spoken the most and which, on the contrary, have very high requirements for knowledge of the state language

An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine
An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine
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In some European countries, knowledge of English is enough for a comfortable life. Find out where this is possible and where you will have to learn the local language.

Where in the EU is English spoken the most?


The global educational company Education First (EF) has published a ranking of European countries by the level of English language proficiency. The data was collected based on the test results of 2 million people in 35 European countries.

The ranking of English-speaking countries looks like this:

Netherlands: 91-93% of the population is fluent in English.

Austria: 2nd place.

Denmark: 3rd place.

Sweden: 8th place.

Finland: 9th place.

Croatia: 10th place.




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Countries that require knowledge of the local language to obtain a residence permit


At the same time, other countries require knowledge of the local language to apply for residence or citizenship.

France: B1 level is required for a long-term visa and B2 for citizenship.

Germany: CEFR level B1 for permanent residence.

Switzerland: Level A2 for speaking and A1 for writing.

Sweden: Considering the possibility of introducing language requirements for long-term residence permits.

Countries with the lowest language requirements


There are also a number of countries that do not require knowledge of the state language for obtaining a residence permit, but it will be required for citizenship. Among these countries are:

Spain: A2 level for citizenship.

Portugal: CEFR level A2 for citizenship.

Italy: B1 level for citizenship.

So, if you are looking for a country to live in without the need to know the local language, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries are the best options.

We remind you! In 2024, most European countries continue to accept refugees and provide them with comprehensive assistance. However, the number of applications for temporary asylum is gradually decreasing. Read more about which countries are most often chosen by international migrants in 2024 in our previous article.

Photo: Freepik


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Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine


In order to organize a trip, ensure a safe move and successful employment in a new country, I advise you to contact a specialist. My colleagues, qualified specialists with legal education, will help you avoid unpleasant situations when traveling abroad.


Do you have additional questions? Contact the Visit Ukraine hotline (Telegram | WhatsApp).




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