# Post Brexit and Language Skills



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

With the UK government making suggestions that post Brexit UK immigration controls could be implemented through a point system. This would mean that non-Uk nationals wishing to move and work in the UK would be vetted according to their skills. This would almost certainly mean the ability to use English at an agreed level. Do we think that similar requirements might be levelled at UK nationals wishing to work and live in EU countries?. For instance residency requirements in Spain would mean being able to use Spanish at an agreed level? How do people feel about that? At present non-EU immigrants are required to present proof of English above A1 ( might be higher)


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kaipa said:


> With the UK government making suggestions that post Brexit UK immigration controls could be implemented through a point system. This would mean that non-Uk nationals wishing to move and work in the UK would be vetted according to their skills. This would almost certainly mean the ability to use English at an agreed level. Do we think that similar requirements might be levelled at UK nationals wishing to work and live in EU countries?. For instance residency requirements in Spain would mean being able to use Spanish at an agreed level? How do people feel about that? At present non-EU immigrants are required to present proof of English above A1 ( might be higher)


Maybe, but A1 is so low you would only be able to work in jobs where language was not needed (stacking shelves, washing up...) and function in society without communicating beyond the usual _cafe con leche_ y _¿Dónde esta el banco?_ Little studying is required
I think the level required might be A2. This is what is required when you ask for Spanish nationality


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Maybe, but A1 is so low you would only be able to work in jobs where language was not needed (stacking shelves, washing up...) and function in society without communicating beyond the usual _cafe con leche_ y _¿Dónde esta el banco?_ Little studying is required
> I think the level required might be A2. This is what is required when you ask for Spanish nationality


Yes. I wasn't sure what the level was. Having said that A2 correlates with a pre-intermediate level. I recently did an Spanish official exam( through Escuela de Idioma) this was A2 . Listening to real news items for specific information. Use of all tenses( Indefinido,imperfecto,pluscaperfecto etc). Reading from real texts. Writing 150 world texts with a range of grammatical structures and vocal. 15 minute speaking ranging from interview to discussing favourite films, books etc. Quite difficult and not a level that is acquired in a couple of months.
I seem to remember the UK government putting B2 level for students arriving from countries such as China and India coming to study in UK


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

I can't see this type of criteria being retroactive anyway. It may sound selfish, but for those of us who already have registered on the list of foreigners I doubt we will have to do much.

I may be wrong of course and what is certain is that we will not just stay on the register of EU residents as we will not be EU residents.

If, in order to get registered on whatever system replaces the register of EU residents in Spain (special visa?), we have to take a language test I think there will be an outcry, especially from the "typical" expat communities who have survived for decades without such skills and really without being a burden to Spain.

I personally don't care if there is a language test (although I actually have no idea of what my formal level of Spanish would be).


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

kaipa said:


> With the UK government making suggestions that post Brexit UK immigration controls could be implemented through a point system. This would mean that non-Uk nationals wishing to move and work in the UK would be vetted according to their skills. This would almost certainly mean the ability to use English at an agreed level. Do we think that similar requirements might be levelled at UK nationals wishing to work and live in EU countries?. For instance residency requirements in Spain would mean being able to use Spanish at an agreed level? How do people feel about that? At present non-EU immigrants are required to present proof of English above A1 ( might be higher)


I think it's a reasonable expectation.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> I can't see this type of criteria being retroactive anyway. It may sound selfish, but for those of us who already have registered on the list of foreigners I doubt we will have to do much.
> 
> I may be wrong of course and what is certain is that we will not just stay on the register of EU residents as we will not be EU residents.
> 
> ...


A story
A friend of mine has recently done the language test for Spanish nationality. She has lived here 25 years +. Her son was born here, is Spanish and has gone through the Spanish state school system. Her ex partner is Spanish. In short she is a full member of Spanish society and speaks excellent Spanish and is C1/2. She and another woman did the test and were told that they had failed. They phoned whoever it was who was conducting things and questioned the result.
They passed.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> A story
> A friend of mine has recently done the language test for Spanish nationality. She has lived here 25 years +. Her son was born here, is Spanish and has gone through the Spanish state school system. Her ex partner is Spanish. In short she is a full member of Spanish society and speaks excellent Spanish and is C1/2. She and another woman did the test and were told that they had failed. They phoned whoever it was who was conducting things and questioned the result.
> They passed.


Sounds like the usual Spanish bureaucracy thing. They try to make life difficult until you question them...


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Perhaps the question should be what is currently required of non-EU residents.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Sounds like the usual Spanish bureaucracy thing. They try to make life difficult until you question them...


Yet a friend of mine who is about B2/C1 decided to sit A2, because in his words 'why stress it?' when you only need A2.

He passed with 90+%


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

EverHopeful said:


> Perhaps the question should be what is currently required of non-EU residents.


There is currently no language requirement


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> There is currently no language requirement


Then I would think it highly unlikely that there would be a language requirement for Brits.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I agree

It may be for newbies


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

EverHopeful said:


> Then I would think it highly unlikely that there would be a language requirement for Brits.


Unless TM and her crowd screwed things up and we weren't allowed to stay, in which case, it may be that taking Spanish Nationality might be essential and that requires a higher standard of Spanish as well as knowledge of Spain.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Unless TM and her crowd screwed things up and we weren't allowed to stay, in which case, it may be that taking Spanish Nationality might be essential and that requires a higher standard of Spanish as well as knowledge of Spain.


Sad but true

Although the A2 language requirement isn't that high - you really do need to be 'integrated' in order to pass the 'nationality test' - or study hard for it.

I reckon you need a higher level of Spanish than A2 to really understand the questions, too.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> Sad but true
> 
> Although the A2 language requirement isn't that high - you really do need to be 'integrated' in order to pass the 'nationality test' - or study hard for it.
> 
> I reckon you need a higher level of Spanish than A2 to really understand the questions, too.


I didn't find the test on knowledge of Spain that difficult, achieving 87%, but then I have spent some time reading some of Spanish history, etc.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> I didn't find the test on knowledge of Spain that difficult, achieving 87%, but then I have spent some time reading some of Spanish history, etc.


My score was about that - can't remember exactly but I have to admit I was surprised!

Being involved in Spanish politics helps, as does watching Spanish TV!


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## JulyB (Jul 18, 2011)

Apparently for the nationality test you can just produce a DELE certificate from any time of any level A2 or over. The DELE is an official exam and is done very professionally, so there shouldn't be any problems with them giving you the wrong results!

I already have the C1, so hopefully I'll only have to do the Spanish Culture etc test when I eventually apply for nationality. I already have an app for that on my phone. Basically you need to know a bit about politics, the constitution and someone told me there is a bit of weird stuff like questions on who Isabel Pantoja is. But you get that from watching TV, as stated above.


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