The Netherlands remains best in English proficiency

Rotterdam scores big in EF English proficiency Index

Expats and international students will feel right at home in Rotterdam because the local population is on average very good in the English language. According to the EF English Proficiency Index, analyzing data from 2.2 million non-native English speakers in 100 countries and regions, the Netherlands remains in first position regarding English proficiency.
24/11/2020

Rotterdam is an attractive international city

Riva is specialized in housing expats and international students in Rotterdam. We rent out hundreds of apartments in the city. They tend to come to our city because of various criteria including the presence of an international school, quality of life, health care system, internet connection, proximity to airports with international flights, cost of living, active expat community and low crime rate. The Best European Destinations (EBD) organization for example recently revealed its rankings for the top European places for American expats to live, invest, retire and create new projects.

Rotterdam of course made the list. ''We too often think of Amsterdam and forget other great cities for expats such as Rotterdam.
With many international schools, the city suits families with children but also young students and digital nomads. Headquarter of many institutions and large companies, Rotterdam offers well-paid jobs for qualified expatriates and has one of the most important ports in Europe,'' as it was stated in this Forbes-article.

Command of the English language

Another important reason for internationals to come to the Netherlands is they can speak English here throughout. Of all countries where English is not the native language, the Dutch have the best command of that language for the second year in a row. Denmark and Finland follow in places 2 and 3. This is shown by a worldwide survey by educational organization EF Education First, involving 2.2 million adults. English language skills were examined in 100 countries and regions.

The Dutch can make themselves perfectly understood in English. This can mainly be explained by the fact that English is taught from primary school and also in the final years of study at both vocational education and university. But the Dutch are also exposed to the English language outside of school, for example through English-language programs on TV. If you zoom in and rank the scores per city, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and The Hague are at the top.

Network effect

The training institute has published the EF English Proficiency Index every year since 2011. "It is great that the Netherlands has again managed to occupy the number one position this year. It has become clear that communication is key, especially in the challenging circumstances of the past year. With a world that has become smaller due to all online communication, collaborations about the borders are important and the English language plays a key role," says Marc Hollander, Country Manager EF Education First Netherlands.

Dr. Christopher McCormick, EF Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, adds: "While 2020 has been a challenging year, the circumstances have also highlighted the importance of clear communication and cooperation across borders. English as a global lingua franca continues to bring people together, and the EF EPI contains valuable insights for policymakers to evaluate and strengthen their organizations' and governments' language learning capability." 

Contact Riva

Are you considering coming to Rotterdam to work, study and live. Riva can accommodate you with perfect housing. Riva offers several houses in greater Rotterdam. Take a look at our listings. If you want to visit one or more houses you can send a mail to info@rivarentals.com to make an appointment for a viewing. Our brokers and other staff members are of course fluent in English and can provide you all information about living in Rotterdam.

 

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