Global English in the EU is a policy problem

[Serpent]

For the record, it's not diversity to hire racial minorities for underpaid jobs. It's exploiting them.
(Also, all countries are diverse, it's more about acknowledging the diversity that is already there)

I really do feel that a condition of entry into any EU country (or in fact any country anywhere) for people intending to stay over ___ amount of time should be ___ amount of language study and this I feel should include people coming from other parts of the EU and those who will be working in a language other than the local language

I have an acquaintance from Finland who worked in Romania for a year, met a Dane there, lived in Denmark for a year and then they moved to Ireland. None of her moves was planned in advance, if you find a job abroad they sure won't wait while you learn the local language for a few months. (Obviously I agree that you should learn the language of the country you're hoping to move to) And we all know that classes are no guarantee of success.

This is what a relatively free market looks like.

Meanwhile I have a Russian friend who learned French since primary school and reached a high level, had to add English at some point (B1-B2?), later did some Korean and Dutch with private tutors. Her husband found a job in Germany and they lived there for a year until they moved to the Netherlands (as they had been planning from the beginning). She ended up with a pretty "useful" combination of languages but she's unemployed and didn't work in Germany either.

Re: the original topic, the same thing happens in Russia without any EU influence. Well, except I don't think the ppl in question speak English either.

[Le Baron]

For the record, it's not diversity to hire racial minorities for underpaid jobs. It's exploiting them.

Very much so. And also people from the countries which are later members of the EU. Working as cleaners etc.

I have an acquaintance from Finland who worked in Romania for a year, met a Dane there...

Meanwhile I have a Russian friend who learned French since primary school and reached a high level...

Yes, both of these scenarios ring true. It's become the case that apart from being handicapped by being in a country whose language you don't know, additional languages other than English carry little weight as practical alternatives. Unless they're speciality jobs. Even then the main things they are looking for are 'experience', 'qualifications' and other employment qualities. Especially where they don't have to pay for any of your further training. This is deemed more valuable than if you also speak German, Spanish etc.

My wife used to work at ABN Amro dealing with foreign payments and her languages were useful, but the dept was 'streamlined' away. Speaking to foreign clients in English has become normalised.

[Axon]

My wife used to work at ABN Amro dealing with foreign payments and her languages were useful, but the dept was 'streamlined' away. Speaking to foreign clients in English has become normalised.

I have little relevant knowledge about the EU, but this reminded me of something similar. I have a friend who worked as a Chinese<>English interpreter in a large Chinese tech company until, as he described it, he was 被优化 bèi yōuhuà - "optimized" out of a job.