Language Requirements for Permanent Residency and Citizenship: Europe Edition (2026 Update)
I made this handy-dandy table last year for those of you considering a long-term re-location to Europe. There's been several updates since then which I've put into this table, and I've linked to official government guidance in all cases (should always be your source of truth) for easy access to other requirements.
| Country | PR Requirement | Citizenship* Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Varied | A2 |
| Spain | None | A2 |
| Denmark | Danish Test 2 or 3** | Danish Test 3 |
| Norway | Oral A2 | Oral B1 |
| Switzerland | Oral A2/Written A1 (B1/A1 fast-track) | Oral B1/Written A2 |
| France | B1 | B2 |
| UK | B1 (speaking/listening) | B1 (speaking/listening) |
| Germany | B1 | B1 |
*This table assumes you're a foreign-born expatriate that qualifies for naturalization. Many EU countries have asylum or other exceptions that may obviate this requirement.
**Danish Test Level 2 roughly maps to A2-B1. Level 3 roughly maps to B2-C1.