Why the level of English in your country is so important

English skills matter because they give people access to a wider range of information, a more diverse, international network, and more job opportunities than ever before. They also matter at the national level because they can tell us a lot about a country's level of innovation, competitiveness, and future prospects.

In EF Education First's 2024 English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), we compiled test data from 2.1 million adults and used this data to rank nations according to their English skills.

Key findings from EF’s English Proficiency Index 2024 report:

• The worldwide level of English proficiency has declined for the fourth year, with 60% of countries in the index scoring lower this year than last.

• Asia’s English proficiency declined more than any other region in the world compared to last year, with very few countries in Asia seeing their English proficiency improve. 

• Latin America’s regional average has stabilized after years of rising proficiency. However, this is seen through some countries, like Colombia and Uruguay improving, while some, like Brazil and El Salvador, have declined. 

• The Middle East has made slow and steady gains in its English proficiency, and this year it maintained its position firmly out of the lowest proficiency band. Adults aged 18-25 have made the most progress, an encouraging sign in this youthful region.

• Africa has improved its English proficiency as a region. It remains the only continent where women have consistently better English proficiency than men.

• Despite continuing to dominate the top of the index, Europe reports a larger decline within the EU than outside of it. No countries in Europe improved more than 10 points, and many with the highest proficiency saw a slight decline.

• English proficiency as measured at the national level correlates with a range of indicators of income, education, innovation, welfare, competitiveness, and engagement with the wider world.

This year’s results also cemented some enlightening correlations between levels of English and other measures of economic and human development.

On an individual level, the following findings also stood out:

• For individuals, English opens doors — broader access to information, a higher salary, more varied educational opportunities, and greater independence from one’s local labor market.

• The gender gap in English proficiency has narrowed, with women’s proficiency improving while men’s has declined. However, English proficiency remains significantly higher for men in forty countries. Latin America continues to have the widest gender gap in favor of men.

• The level of English proficiency in public sector workers is far lower than that of the workforce as a whole. This is partially due to differential recruitment practices and the nature of the work. As these roles are usually of a national or local scope, they provide fewer opportunities to practice speaking English.

• The youngest age group (18-20) has ceased its downward trend. The rebound is slight, but recent graduates’ English proficiency is no longer in decline. 

Although the findings of the EF EPI do not tell the whole story, they do tell an important one: high English proficiency levels are part and parcel of a future that is prosperous, connected, and healthy. 

They also underscore the critical importance of skills that make individuals, companies, and societies more internationally connected and adaptable in the face of ever-accelerating technological change.

As the 2024 EF EPI report points out:

"The global landscape of English proficiency is constantly evolving. While the Middle East and Africa have improved this year, on the whole, we see a slow but persistent decline in the level of English among adults elsewhere. This trend supports the impression that in 2024, the expectation in many countries is that everyone speaks English, regardless of the reality, leading to a loss of focus on improving English proficiency in both the education system and the private sector.” 

For full national rankings and analysis of the relationship between your country’s English skills and its economy, level of innovation, and connectivity, go to www.ef.co.uk/epi.