Netherlands
The Netherlands has topped global English rankings for years, and the pattern held steady again in 2025. The Netherlands has held the number one spot on the EF EPI for years, and 2025 was no exception, topping the ranking with a score of 624, placing it firmly in the “Very High” proficiency band. That score puts the country well ahead of most non native English speaking nations on earth, and it is not a fluke result from one good testing year.
The reasons behind it are structural rather than accidental. Dutch schools begin English instruction early, and the country’s small domestic language market means locals grow up surrounded by English language television, music, and business communication. Some estimates put the share of Dutch residents who speak English at close to the entire adult population, and in cities like Amsterdam it is common to go days without needing a single word of Dutch.
Singapore
Singapore sits in an unusual position because English is not just widely spoken there, it is woven into the machinery of government and commerce. Singapore is a place where so many nationalities and cultures intermingle that it’s difficult to imagine English is widely spoken, but forget the preconceptions, most Singaporeans are bilingual Chinese and English speakers, and English is the de facto language of business and is widely used in banking and legal circles. For newcomers, that means contracts, court documents, and job interviews all happen in English by default.
The country’s proficiency scores back this up consistently. Singapore is the first non European country on the list of highest English proficient countries, earning a 631 on the EF EPI test, one of the highest scores it has ever recorded, with the peak reaching 635 the year before. Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil remain part of everyday life for many residents, but nobody needs any of them to function.
Sweden
Sweden’s relationship with English has less to do with tourism and more to do with education policy that has been in place for decades. Sweden has nearly 90% English fluency among its population despite Swedish being the official language. That kind of penetration means English is not a fallback option in Sweden, it is a genuine second language for most working age adults.
Recent EF data confirms Sweden’s place among the strongest performers worldwide, with a 2025 score of 609, comfortably inside the very high proficiency band alongside its Nordic neighbors. Government offices, banks, and even many rental listings routinely offer English as the default communication option. Swedish is still the language of daily conversation on the street, but for someone settling in, the absence of it is rarely a real obstacle.
Denmark
Denmark has long been mentioned in the same breath as the Netherlands and Sweden when it comes to non native English ability, and the recent rankings keep that reputation intact. The country with the highest EF Proficiency Index score was the Netherlands with 647, and the other countries in the top five were Singapore, Austria, Denmark, and Norway. Denmark’s 2025 score of 611 places it firmly among the handful of countries where English functions almost like a shared national skill rather than a foreign subject learned for exams.
Daily life reflects that. The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Finland have English proficiency rates so high that daily life for expats can be nearly as convenient as in an Anglophone country. Danish television, universities, and even many workplace meetings lean on English so heavily that newcomers often describe the transition as smoother than they braced themselves for.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE presents a different kind of case, since Arabic is the official language yet the practical language of daily business is something else entirely. English is widely used in business, government institutions, and educational settings, with most business operations and documentation conducted in English, while the tourism sector heavily relies on English and many schools and universities teach in it. Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular run on English in offices, malls, and hospitals almost as a matter of course.
That said, the picture shifts outside the major cities. In more remote areas, fewer English speakers can be found, and Arabic remains the country’s official language, so in daily life one might hear a mix of English and Arabic. For anyone settling into Dubai’s expat heavy neighborhoods, though, getting by without Arabic is less an exception and more the norm.
Philippines
The Philippines occupies a unique spot on this list because English carries official status alongside Filipino, a legacy of the country’s history and its education system. The Philippines posted a 2025 EF EPI score of 569, placing it well within reach of the world’s higher proficiency tiers. English shows up on street signs, in courtrooms, on the news, and in most classrooms from an early age, which is not something every country on this list can claim.
What makes the Philippines stand out is how deeply English sits inside institutions rather than just casual conversation. Government documents, legal proceedings, and university instruction are frequently conducted in English, not as an accommodation for foreigners but as standard practice. Filipino and regional languages like Cebuano or Ilocano remain the heartbeat of home life, yet a visitor or new resident can navigate banks, hospitals, and offices without ever needing to learn them.
Language ability in any of these six places still varies by region, generation, and setting, and a few words of the local language rarely hurt anyone’s welcome. What sets these countries apart is that English functions as a working second language deeply embedded in schools, business, and public institutions, not simply as something trotted out for tourists passing through.
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