Starting a new life in a foreign country has its fair share of challenges, with language barriers as the number one. It affects your ability to communicate with other people, which is crucial for survival.
Some of the challenges that you might encounter as a result of the language barrier include, but are not limited to, difficulty in finding employment, advancing your education, getting housing, accessing medical care and generally moving around.
Why is it Important for Immigrants to Learn Different Languages?
Looking for employment in a country where you don’t speak the language fluently, or at all, can be very difficult. Such a situation might limit you to working in the migrant community where others speak your language.
As a result, you’ll have to accept lower-paid positions which do not involve a lot of talking. Therefore, you may find yourself in an incredibly frustrating situation doing menial jobs and drawing small salaries, yet you’re highly educated.
It’s thus critical to learn the languages used in several countries, as it is essential for your progress in finding jobs and earning a decent income after immigration. Different languages will give you an edge in the following areas.
New Jobs
Generally, most employers prefer multilingual job hunters over ordinary candidates. You must understand that the world is now a globalized environment and that no business can thrive in isolation and is always making efforts to penetrate overseas space.
Businesses are also positioning themselves to get comparative advantages in a wide range of sectors. These include communication, law, public relations, banking, tourism, logistics and warehousing, education and manufacturing.
The US Department of Labor estimates a potential 42% increase in the demand for interpreters and translators. Besides offering you a career, it justifies the importance of earning proficiency in a foreign language.
More Jobs and Increased Chances of Finding Employment
According to the British Chamber of Commerce, about 60% of companies can’t conduct business abroad due to the lack of multilingual employees. Therefore, the ability to speak different languages puts you in a better position to get jobs in such companies.
Export companies specifically hire employees fluent in foreign languages. Your grasp of a foreign language thus puts you ahead of other candidates. India is the largest exporter to Germany, and knowing German is a plus.
Better Pay
Experts estimate that you’re likely to get 10% more in salary if you can speak a foreign language. This is because not many people are capable of speaking a foreign language, thus leading to an increased demand for workers.
As the company hires employees based on the needed qualification, it casts its net wider for other unique attributes, and foreign languages are among them. Plus, you can work as a language tutor.
Opportunities in Career Growth
Multinational corporates require their officials to travel abroad to either close deals or oversee their operations on foreign lands. As a multilingual employee, you bring a lot of liberty to your company concerning opportunities overseas and establishing operations.
Although most companies might hire interpreters and translators, they would still want employees who can interact with customers and meet and greet them without any hindrance. A foreign language thus gives you a competitive edge over others.
What Are the Best Ways for Immigrants to Learn Languages?
Whereas learning a new language offers you an enriching experience, it requires time and commitment. However, numerous language learning apps can help you sharpen your language skills with fun and convenience.
After downloading a language app on your phone, you can access a wealth of resources in a wide range of languages. An app can help you improve your speaking and writing skills, anytime, anywhere.
Different apps cater to different needs. They feature unique teaching methods besides supporting multiple languages such as French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, and Russian, among others.
Some popular language learning apps include Babbel or Mondly. The choice of the app depends on the cost, the language you want to learn, and how you want to be taught.
Knowledge of what you require, as well as what you can afford, is critical in choosing an app that will empower you to communicate in a foreign language fluent.
Conclusion
As an immigrant, you’re at an advantage if you can communicate in an array of languages. It’s effective in job security, ensures higher wages and advancement in your career path.
