Knowledge of English is an advantage. Are employers willing to pay extra for a foreign language?

English language skills increase your chances of getting a job. There are more and more vacancies on the Ukrainian labor market with the appropriate requirements for candidates. In addition, knowledge of a foreign language allows you to apply for highly paid positions. Read more about the requirements for English in vacancies, whether its knowledge affects the level of salary and for which specialists a foreign language may soon become mandatory in the article by RBC-Ukraine.

The following sources were used for the preparation: a commentary by Yevheniia Kuzenkova, an analyst at the job search portal Work.ua, vacancies on Work.ua, and draft law No. 9432.

The demand is growing. How English language requirements are changing

English language proficiency is a common requirement for candidates for vacancies in the Ukrainian labor market. This trend is becoming more and more frequent.

As Work.ua analyst Yevheniia Kuzenkova noted in a commentary to RBC-Ukraine, the number of vacancies on the portal requiring English language skills is growing from month to month. While in December 2023 there were 6,725 such vacancies, in March 2024 there were already 9,913.

More often, employers indicate that they are looking for specialists with an intermediate or above intermediate level of English.

Not only in IT. What areas require a foreign language

Most of the vacancies requiring English language skills on Work.ua are in the following categories:

• IT, computers, Internet
• Marketing, advertising, PR
• Sales, procurement
• Administration, middle management
• Logistics, warehouse, foreign trade

However, these are general indicators, and if you look deeper, the picture is slightly different, the expert emphasizes.

For example, fluency in English is most often required for vacancies in the Education and Science category. These are, in fact, translators and English teachers.

In terms of advanced, intermediate, and above-average English proficiency, there are most vacancies for IT professionals, marketers, and sales specialists.

But for the "beginner" level, there are many vacancies in the service sector and the hotel and restaurant business.

How does knowledge of English affect salary levels?

To give a precise answer to the question of whether candidates with English skills are offered higher salaries, it would be necessary to find two identical vacancies that would differ only in the language requirement. But this is impossible.

"At the same time, the areas in which English is required are generally highly paid: the average salary here is higher than in the labor market in general," explained Kuzenkova.

In addition, the positions where English is required are often:

• managerial;
• involve work for the US or European markets.

This in itself is a factor in salary growth.

For example, the vacancy for the head of the sales department of a marketing company in the construction sector working with the United States offers a salary of up to UAH 156 thousand. However, the requirement is fluent spoken English and full understanding of the interlocutor by ear.

A monitoring and support specialist in a non-governmental organization that implements humanitarian projects in Ukraine can receive a salary of up to UAH 80 thousand. The candidate is expected to have at least a B2 (above average) level of English.

Will English become mandatory for work? The Rada is preparing important innovations

Almost a year ago, in June 2023, the Verkhovna Rada registered a bill on the use of English. It was initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The document proposes to consolidate the status of English as a language of international communication in Ukraine, as well as to oblige civil servants and law enforcement officers to speak it.

In particular, knowledge of English will be required of applicants for the following positions

• civil servants of category "A" (senior executives) - the Secretary of State of the Cabinet of Ministers, his deputies, state secretaries of ministries, heads of central executive bodies that are not members of the Cabinet of Ministers, and their deputies;

• civil servants of category "B" (deputy heads of state bodies, heads of structural subdivisions, territorial bodies) and "C" (other positions not included in categories "A" and "B");

• heads of local state administrations and their deputies;

• military officers on contract (according to the list of the Cabinet of Ministers);

• middle and senior police officers of the National Police, heads of other law enforcement agencies;

• prosecutors;

• employees of tax and customs authorities;

• heads of state-owned enterprises.

The draft law on the use of the English language was adopted as a basis and is currently awaiting a second reading.

It is worth noting that, if adopted, the law will come into force only 2-4 years after the lifting of martial law in Ukraine.

Author: Anna Berezina.