Is your level of English sufficient to undertake the language course you are considering?
Paid jobs on Working Holiday Visas (New Zealand, Canada, Australia), ranch work, or work for a company in London, Dublin, or South Africa, internships, au pair stays… There are plenty of opportunities to work or study abroad with Languages and Travel, a language travel agency. But what level of English do you need? Pascal Carré, founder of L&T and a seasoned expert on the subject, provides the answers in detail.
The golden rule for learning English is this: put yourself in situations that force you to speak Shakespeare's language. But what level do you need to…
• Going to work on a Working Holiday Visa
Australia, Canada or New Zealand, it's simple, on a Working Holiday Visa or Working Holiday, there is No minimum level of English requiredKnowing how to say yes and no can be enough! Many young people who start with a basic level do very well because there are a lot of jobs that don't require a high level of language skills (examples: working in a bar or picking fruit). However, for other jobs, especially if you're planning to work at a hotel reception or in a company, you'll often be expected to have an intermediate B1 level (out of 10) the European reference framework ) which allows you to work in the language, whether in writing or orally for the telephone for example.
Duration: There's no minimum stay required for a Working Holiday Visa, although going for just a few weeks doesn't really make sense. It would simply mean wasting your visa. It's best to stay for at least three months, or even five to six months (we strongly recommend a year), or even longer, as it's possible to extend your visa in Australia and New Zealand under certain conditions.
• Undertake an internship abroad
An internship abroad requires a decent level of English, meaning an intermediate B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Why? Because otherwise, companies simply won't take on candidates. They don't have the time to train young people in the language when they arrive. These young people must therefore have an acceptable level to understand the instructions of their internship supervisor and be able to perform their work effectively fairly quickly. Employers don't have time to train them in English and expect them to be able to become operational rapidly. Of course, training is provided during the first few days . No photocopying internships here!
Here are some examples of internships abroad: one young woman is currently working at a law firm in Sydney, others are in London, one at an architecture firm, another at a financial brokerage, and another at a construction company. One of them has since been hired and has been working there for two years. The typical profile for these internships is a recent graduate who wants to gain professional experience and improve their English before entering the job market. This profile will be easy to place thanks to their degree and the fact that most of them already have experience and a sufficient level of English.
Duration : three weeks or a month, although the vast majority of companies require three to six months to undertake something useful for the organization. Otherwise, by the time the young person settles in, their mission will have already been completed.
• Spend time at a ranch (Australia, Canada, United States)
For a stay on a ranch , a good level of English is recommended because some full-time jobs involve tasks requiring the operation of agricultural machinery. Therefore, it's important to be able to understand instructions for using a power saw, for example, or for driving a vehicle like a quad bike. In this regard, our local partners generally require a B1 level of English .
Duration: two to four weeks in the United States and on average three months in Australia. In Canada, placements last from one to two months.
• Take advantage of the various paid job options offered by L&T
paid jobs in England, such as Bournemouth and London , or elsewhere in the UK, an A2 level is the bare minimum . However, we generally expect a B1 level to be fully operational in the job market. In London, it's possible to work primarily in the hospitality sector: bars, cafes, pubs, and restaurants. The same applies in Bournemouth , with the added possibility of working for cleaning companies. In some cases, it's also possible to find work at a hotel reception.
Minimum duration : three months, with the understanding that the stay in Bournemouth begins with a month of classes beforehand, followed by a minimum of three months of work. For the powder skiing program in Canada, which involves paid work at a ski resort, a B1 level is required and will be assessed via Skype during an interview. This program is offered under the Working Holiday Visa scheme. Candidates will be placed starting in July/August to begin the winter season in November for approximately six months.
• Fly off for an au pair stay
Whether in New Zealand, the UK, or Australia , an au pair stay requires a good level of English. The main reason is simple: to be able to understand the host family's instructions and avoid putting the children at risk when the parents are away. If a child is injured, you need to be able to call a doctor, for example, and understand the child's condition. Au pair agencies require a minimum level of A2, but in reality, an intermediate or even upper-intermediate level of English (B1/B2) needed.
Minimum duration : three months. However, the longer the commitment, the better. Families prefer not to change volunteers too frequently so that the children don't have to constantly readjust to their new mentors.
How to move up to the next level on the European reference framework?
We recommend a minimum of 8 weeks to advance to the next level . On average, participants who take courses at Languages and Travel before officially starting their Working Holiday Visa or entering the local job market take one month.
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