Samantha Mythen
THE BRITISH government has announced plans to tighten immigration restrictions – including increasing the minimum level of English required to obtain visas.
It’s a move that has raised eyebrows among Spanish communities, with many noting a lack of effort from British expats in their own learning of Spanish.
Spain has no strict legal requirements on Spanish language proficiency to live and work, other than an A2 level requirement when becoming a citizen.
It stands in contrast to Prime Minister Keir Starmer long-awaited migration rules, published on Monday, which he claims will ‘create a system that is controlled, selective and fair.’
“When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language,” Starmer said in a speech to media.
Among the rules in the white paper titled Restoring control over the Immigration System, Labour has signalled a plan to raise English language requirements for every visa.
Until now, visa applicants only needed an English level similar to the British GCSE; the equivalent of a basic knowledge of English, and there were no English proficiency requirements for adult dependents.
In the new rules, Skilled workers and those wishing to permanently settle in the UK will have to prove a B2 level of English. This means individuals must be able to express themselves fluently and handle both professional and social conversations confidently.
All adult dependents of workers and students will have to show a level of at least A1. Individuals will also have to show their progression of learning English once they are living and working in the country.
The new rules have been met with heated debate as, while many in the UK agree that ‘immigrants who come to our should learn our language’, others have been quick to point out that many Brits abroad do not
Social media user James Coverdale came out in support of the new rules on X, writing that it should be the case no matter where you live.
“If you’re a Brit living in Spain, guess what? You should learn Spanish. You should respect their laws, integrate into their culture, and not expect the locals to bend over backwards to accommodate you. Simple as that,” he wrote.
“It’s called basic manners and national self-respect.”
However, some people are calling the move hypocritical. Social Media user Lorraine King shared her thoughts on X (formerly Twitter): “So I guess all the Brits living in Benidorm are fluent in Spanish, and those in Dubai fluent in Arabic.”
@lorrainemking
Benidorm is a tourist hotspot, with many visitors eventually choosing to make the Costa Blanca seaside town their home, including more than 3,000 British expats who live there today.
Hundreds of British holidaymakers took part in an Orange March there in 2024 and years prior, parading through Benidorm’s streets, waving the UK flag.
The march was held in remembrance of the 1860 Battle of the Boyne between King William III and King James II. It had many wondering why a Spanish town’s streets have become a backdrop for a sectarian British event.
It draws upon the wider issue, not just of immigration, but of how much language holidaymakers should learn when travelling and exploring new cultures.
Social media user Hina Khan pointed out that, unlike many European countries where English is taught in school, resulting in bilingual adults, ‘typically our education system doesn’t really promote multilingual speaking.’
Although English is widely spoken, and thus an excellent lingua franca – adopted language between speakers whose native tongues are different – it can become too easy for native English speakers to expect others to learn English, rather than the other way around.
Learning a new language can open doors both for meeting new people and standing out for job opportunities. An Oxford University Migration Observatory study in 2021, found nine out of 10 migrants to the UK reported speaking English well, which helped them to settle and build a life for themselves and their families. In comparison, those with poor English skills were less likely to be employed.
Lonely Planet writer Caterina Hrysomallis advises travellers, whether you are just passing through a country as a visitor or choosing to make it your new home, to ask themselves: “Why is the onus on someone else to learn your language and not the other way around?”
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