Dick Dasterdly

I would doubt very much that it's as easy for a Brit fluent in Spanish to walk into a Spanish company job, as visa versa.

steviedeluxe

It's just an impression I get (and of course it may be in error) but I feel that Brits are more willing to learn a foreign language than say 20-30 years ago,
Plus, a lot of Brits are elderly and have bought up retirement places. It's normally a lot harder to learn a foreign language as you get older. The Rumanian, Morrocan migrants tend to be younger and needing Spanish to get work.. but yes, I'd imagine it'd be very difficult to meet a young adult Rumanian or Moroccan in Spain who didn't speak Spanish.

jojojojojo

Thats not what the people I know or myself are like. Maybe those whose company you keep are simply shy and not able to learn spanish?? Or some of the original "pioneers??? In any case, anyone who has a keen business head on will aim to appeal to everyone, those who dont manage it, will have a rather limited customer base. In any case, it doesnt matter. Its all a big melting pot and eventually everyone mixes up and mingles. Its happened throughout history - even the english language is tainted from the various invasions and conquerers - going back as far as the roman and norman conquests! In the end, Spain has the appeal of their climate and their scenery and space, the country has benefited and so have the people who've holidayed or moved over.

I guess I'm bored with this constant Brit Expat bashing, from Brit Expats lol!!!!!

Jo xx

agoreira

I'm all for integration, but it's silly to group all Brits together and say they don't speak Spanish, they don't integrate. Not sure about British schools, but there are certainly international schools, and our friends moved out when their son was 11, so rather than throw him into the Spanish system with no Spanish, they opted for an international school. They tell me the lingo in the playground is either Spanish or English, so he how speaks perfect Spanish, got great grades and is currently selecting a Spanish university to go to. As for shops, neither is that exclusive to Brits, look anywhere around UK, all the immigrants have their own shops, restuarants, newspapers etc, the latest seemingly Polish shops to cater for the Polish invasion.
Certainly a lot do, but certainly not all of them. And for a lot of them, it's a case of having to, how many Spanish speak Chinese, Rumanian etc. Whereas in the areas that lots of Brits settle, lots of the Spanish not only speak English, but are keen to pratice it. As bad as it sounds, there are loads of Brits that survive on not speaking a word of Spanish, so it must be doable. Not that I'm advocating that, I'm all for learning the lingo, but not everyone is like you, not everyone is married to a local, not everyone actually needs to speak to get by.

Dick Dasterdly

I'm quite looking forward to cricketman appearing on Mastermind some day.

Specialist Subject,....Expat Bashing.

cricketman

It is harder for everyone to get a job in Spain because the unemployment rate is higher. However, I have been offered 2 very good jobs from Spanish companies over the past few years, paying a good salary (35k euros and upwards).

I didnt take them for a number of reasons. I have heard this excuse so many times that Spanish companies wont take on British people, usually from people who have few qualifications and speak a low level of Spanish.

Spanish companies have no problems taking on foreigners. My OH works with Portuguese, Morocans, Romanians, Spaniards, French people, all sorts. Although not one British persion, she says its because British people never apply, probably because they never see the job adverts in the first place - placed in the Spanish media!

Oh and I should add that the only British people I have heard speak Spanish beyond a very basic level in the CDS went to the Spanish schools here. I would love to be proved wrong, but I have yet to meet all these fluent Spanish speakers jojojojo talks about. And I play in football leagues with lots of English teams in, noone speaks Spanish and most have been here for years!

jackytoo

I know a lot of British on the coast who speak spanish very well. Times have changed. There are now some 2nd and even 3rd generation British families and many have intermarried. Also many immigrant British are in their 60's and find it difficult to begin learning a new language, many of them may not have been very well educated in their own language.

My OH spent his first five years in Spain without picking up more than about 100 words. He decided to go to classes at marbella town hall (not that I am saying we were living there) and is now very fluent. If you don't need to work in Spain, have enough money to be self-sufficient then there is no incentive unless you have an interest in the language.

Just think if it wasn't for all those non-spanish speaking ex-pats all the other ex-pats wouldn't have earned lots of money out of them!

Dick Dasterdly

I think it's fairly common knowledge that being in the know with the right ppl is a much more important and somewhat unfair qualification requirement for a decent job, than in the UK.
However for the less cushy jobs,obviously any nationality will do,providing their wage demands are not too high.

cricketman

Knowing the right people is important, but what British people lack are the qualifications. You need a degree for almost any level of job in Spain that isnt basic manual work. Those kind of British people stay in the UK and London in particular as wages are higher there.

For example, in Malaga, a company my OH works for ask, they advertised for a job where you needed a degree and masters in languages, fluency in at least four languages, at least 5 years experience with 3 at management level, for a 25k euro salary. They received over 100 CVs, not one was from a British person.

jojojojojo

Maybe they should have advertiised in the British media??? Although if the levels of pay were that low maybe the incentives wouldnt be enough

Jo xxx

steviedeluxe

Why, if they received 100 applications anyway?

jackytoo

Why would a spanish company want to employ anyone not fluent in spanish. Same for any country You could not even conduct an interview with them!

cricketman

Exactly. The point is that there are pretty good jobs out there (a 25k job in Malaga isnt to be sniffed at) but British people who live in Spain do not apply for them because they are not able to compete in the job market.

Mainly this is down to their language skills and other qualifications.

whitelinen

What a pompous patronising prickish statement.

Any Brit worth his or her salt with 5 years management experience and fluent in 4 languages would already be working elsewhere for 3 or 4 times that salary.

bil

Brits abroad are a mixed bunch, and range from those who set out to integrate, and those who have absolutlely no intention of doing so.

Insomuch as 'expat land' is a theoretical construct, it is populated by the stereotypical brit who has no interest whatsoever in learning Spanish or integrating at all. I've known people here who have lived out in the campo with no english neighbours, and who, after 7 or 8 years couldn't speak a damn word of Spanish.

Oh yeah, I don't care if everyone and his wife wears socks with sandals, it still looks terrible.