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[parent] [thread] 5 comments
1. donkey+(OP)[view] [source] 2018-02-15 13:03:05
I'd never really paid attention to this, but now that you mention it, the Dutch company I work for has 4 female developers, 3 of which are Indian.
replies(1): >>bloak+26
2. bloak+26[view] [source] 2018-02-15 14:03:17
>>donkey+(OP)
I would expect immigrants to more frequently choose careers that require fewer linguistic skills, such as engineering or music, rather than law or advertising, say.

Some of my engineer colleagues are very hard to understand on the phone because of their language. It's hard to imagine them getting anywhere as a lawyer, for example.

replies(2): >>domino+xo >>YeGobl+DE
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3. domino+xo[view] [source] [discussion] 2018-02-15 16:16:35
>>bloak+26
> I would expect immigrants to more frequently choose careers that require fewer linguistic skills

Thats not correct theory. Visas (h1b) are only granted where there is perceived shortage like computer programmers ect.

An indian woman cannot come to "choose" to be an english teacher in usa.

replies(1): >>bloak+PA
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4. bloak+PA[view] [source] [discussion] 2018-02-15 17:43:14
>>domino+xo
That may be true in the USA but I don't think we were talking about the USA specifically. In the EU we have lots of immigrants who didn't have or need a job-specific visa. Even in the USA, don't you have immigrants who were refugees or family members who are allowed to work?
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5. YeGobl+DE[view] [source] [discussion] 2018-02-15 18:10:03
>>bloak+26
In the UK, a large number of doctors and medical staff are foreign, particularly Indian or EU citizens. For Indians I'm guessing English is not a problem because they learn it at school, especially the ones from the poshest backgrounds. EU citizens will have similar command of English. For those who have studied in British institutions, foreign language courses are mandatory if they can't prove a level of English that allows them to participate in the courses.
replies(1): >>bloak+672
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6. bloak+672[view] [source] [discussion] 2018-02-16 12:15:53
>>YeGobl+DE
Not contradicting, but adding to that:

Some Indians speak English fluently, but in a way that most British people find incomprehensible. In contrast, and somewhat ironically, a German speaking bad English is often easier to understand than a random British person (as opposed to a British person from one's own social class and locality).

The level of English knowledge you need to study maths or engineering at a British university is obviously very much lower than the level required for studying law or working as a lawyer. Some otherwise intelligent people are bad at languages and will realistically never achieve knowledge of another language to a level sufficient to successfully work as a lawyer. In fact, I have been reliably informed that some Germans give up on physics as a career because they realise that they will never manage to learn English well enough to succeed in academia, which is a bit sad, really.

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