On the occasion of the European Day of Languages, figures on self-reported language skills show that in 2016, 65 % of working-age adults in the European Union (EU) knew at least one foreign language. In some Member States, knowledge of foreign languages was particularly high. For example, more than 90 % of respondents knew at least one foreign language in these countries: Sweden (97 %), Latvia, Denmark and Lithuania (all 96%), Luxembourg (95 %), Finland and Malta (both 92 %) and Estonia (91 %).

According to Eurostat data, in the Czech Republic in 2016:

• 21% of respondents reported that they did not speak any foreign language (higher share of males than females), 
• 44.7% spoke one foreign language (higher share of males) 
• 26.9% spoke two foreign languages (higher share of females)
• 7.4% spoke three foreign languages (higher share of females than males).

>> Read a viewspoint by Hays recruiters on the rising demand for multilingual candidates. More and more businesses are expanding their workforces and client bases to all corners of the globe, a trend facilitated by rapid advances in communication technology, the reduced cost of outsourcing certain services abroad, and increasing levels of skilled migration. Therefore it is no surprise that the demand for multilingual candidates has increased, and in some countries, doubled, over the past five years, says Simon Lance, Managing Director, Hays China.