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5 reasons why English is important for your professional training

By Beeblio ·

You already know English matters professionally. What you might not know is exactly why, how much, and what the research actually says — as opposed to what language-school brochures claim. This article lays out five concrete, evidence-backed reasons that English proficiency pays off in your career, along with an honest look at the numbers behind each one.

1. English Is the Undisputed Language of International Business

With over 1.5 billion people speaking English, the language is now universally considered a lingua franca around the globe, and between 70 and 75% of those speakers are non-native — making English a tool to overcome national and cultural boundaries, not just a marker of Anglophone countries. That shift matters for your career: when you use English at work, you are most likely speaking it with someone whose first language is also not English.

Globally, more than half of all multinational companies use English in their international operations. Companies as far apart as Japan's Rakuten, France's Sodexo, Finland's Nordea and Mexico's Cemex have designated English as a "common corporate language" — the main vehicle for internal communications. If you want to be promotable inside one of those organisations, functional English is not optional.

2. English Proficiency Is Linked to Higher Pay

The salary argument for learning English is real, though it comes with nuance worth understanding. Research shows that those who are bilingual or multilingual can earn 5–20% more per hour than those who are not. More recent survey data pushes that figure higher: a 2025 Preply study reported by Forbes found the bilingual salary premium averages 19%, with some roles paying up to 35% more.

It is worth being honest about the caveats. Some researchers have found that bilingual workers earn higher pay but that this reflects their higher educational attainment rather than their bilingualism itself, and that once observable characteristics are controlled, statistically significant wage payoffs to second-language competency can disappear. The premium is most reliable in roles that genuinely require cross-language communication — international sales, customer service across markets, or multinational project management. For those roles, the bilingual pay advantage is attributed to the added value bilingual individuals bring to the company's ability to expand, and a 2019 ACTFL survey found that nine out of ten employers rely on having bilingual employees, with 56% reporting they expect to need more bilingual speakers.

3. English Unlocks Access to Knowledge in Your Field

Whatever your profession, the leading research in it is almost certainly published in English. In 2023, about 85% of the roughly five million articles indexed in major global databases covering the natural, medical and social sciences were written in English — a drop from 94% in 1990, but still an overwhelming dominance. In natural sciences and engineering, English is nearly universal.

This creates a practical ceiling for professionals who cannot read English comfortably. Non-native English-speaking scientists take 51% more time to write an article, are 12.5 times more likely to be asked to improve their English writing during revision, and face a 2.6 times greater frequency of language-related paper rejections than native English speakers. Even if you are not a researcher, the same logic applies to technical manuals, industry white papers, certification materials, and continuing-education resources: in most sectors, the most current information arrives first — and sometimes only — in English.

4. English Is Required for Career Progression in Many Organisations

For many professionals, having a lower-than-average level of English proficiency is a barrier to career progression and limits access to information. On the hiring side at international corporations, many require a certain level of English before they will consider hiring certain professionals, and many multinational companies map required levels of English proficiency to specific job roles and career progression.

The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) tracks this at scale. Beyond rankings, the EF EPI explores how English proficiency correlates with innovation, economic opportunity, and international collaboration — and as AI transforms the way we work and live, English remains not just a skill but a foundation. Knowledge of the English language highly correlates with success in education, innovation and attaining high-level career positions.

The 2025 edition of the index — based on data from 2.2 million EF SET test takers worldwide — is a useful benchmark: it covers 123 countries and lets you see where your national average sits, as well as how proficiency scores vary by industry and job function.

5. English Gives You a Competitive Edge When Applying for Jobs

Even in roles that do not explicitly list English as a requirement, demonstrating English proficiency signals something broader to employers: that you can operate in international environments, handle technical documentation, and collaborate with colleagues from other countries. For companies working across borders, or individuals hoping to secure business opportunities abroad, it is not just about speaking fluently — it is about being able to communicate ideas clearly, interpret tone, manage cultural differences, and make informed decisions.

According to ACTFL's "Making Languages Our Business" report — the most comprehensive U.S. employer survey on language demand — 1 in 4 employers have lost revenue because they lacked staff who could communicate in a client's language, and 1 in 3 report a measurable language skills gap in their workforce. When employers are actively hurting from a shortage of language-capable employees, being the candidate who fills that gap is a significant advantage.

How to Actually Improve Your Professional English

Motivation matters, but so does method. A few evidence-informed principles:

FAQ

Does English proficiency really affect salary, or is that overstated?

The salary premium is real in roles that genuinely require cross-language work, and surveys consistently find figures of 5–20% (and sometimes higher for specific roles or markets). However, researchers caution that some of the observed premium reflects the higher education levels of bilingual workers rather than language skills alone. The practical message: English proficiency is most financially valuable when paired with strong job-specific skills that require it.

Which English level do I actually need for a professional job?

It depends on the role. Customer-facing positions in international companies typically expect at least B2 (upper-intermediate) on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Senior management or academic roles almost always require C1 or C2. The EF EPI maps its scores to CEFR levels, which makes it easy to benchmark yourself. You can take the free EF SET online to find out where you stand.

Is English still necessary if AI can translate everything?

Machine translation has improved dramatically, but it does not eliminate the value of English for several reasons: real-time negotiation and relationship-building still favour direct communication; AI-translated text often misses professional register and cultural nuance; and, critically, the ability to read English primary sources directly keeps you ahead of colleagues who are reading summaries or delayed translations.

What industries demand English the most?

Business English training in industries such as hospitality, finance, law, medicine, engineering, and many others is booming. The EF EPI 2024 data also shows that professional services and aviation score highest in English proficiency by industry, while manufacturing and hospitality score lower — meaning the gap between your English level and the industry average can be a significant differentiator.

How long does it take to reach a professional level?

Research suggests that reaching B2 from scratch requires roughly 500–600 hours of guided study for most adult learners, though this varies widely by first language, learning environment, and study intensity. Consistency matters more than cramming: language acquisition is measured in months and years of regular practice, not intensive short bursts.

Sources

One practical way to work on all of the above is to read texts that sit just above your current vocabulary level — which is exactly what Beeblio is built for. It measures which frequency band you can read comfortably, serves short pieces that stretch your vocabulary by a controlled margin, and turns every word you tap into a spaced-repetition card. If professional English is your goal, starting with reading at your level — and pushing that level upward systematically — is one of the most efficient routes there.