Welsh language skills in public sector jobs

Many public sector job adverts in Wales state a Welsh language level, usually split into listening, speaking, reading and writing, and mark it as essential, desirable, or to be learned after appointment. Most posts do not require Welsh at the point of application. Where it is essential, the employer has decided the job cannot be done properly without it, typically because staff deal with the public in Welsh or work in a Welsh-medium setting.

Why public bodies ask for Welsh

The Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 give Welsh official status in Wales and place duties on public bodies. Under the Measure, councils, health boards, the Welsh Government, national parks, colleges and many other bodies must comply with Welsh language standards set for them. These cover services to the public, such as answering the phone and correspondence in Welsh, and internal matters, such as recruitment.

One of the standards requires many bodies to assess the Welsh language skills needed for each new or vacant post and to state the result in the advert. That is why you see Welsh levels on almost every Welsh council or NHS Wales advert, even when the answer is “not required”.

What the levels mean

There is no single national scale. Many employers use a 0 to 5 framework adapted from European language levels, for example:

Level	Roughly means
0	No Welsh
1	Entry: greetings, names, simple courtesy phrases
2	Foundation: short, simple conversations on familiar topics
3	Intermediate: everyday conversations and simple written messages
4	Higher: confident in most work situations, including meetings
5	Proficient: fluent, can write formal documents and reports

Other employers use plain descriptions such as “courtesy level”, “able to converse” and “fluent”. The levels are judged separately for each skill, so a post might ask for level 3 speaking and listening but only level 1 reading and writing. NHS Wales adverts on NHS Jobs usually include the levels in the person specification, which is where the shortlisting panel will look; see how to read a job description and person specification.

Essential, desirable, or learn on the job

Essential means you will not be shortlisted without the stated level. Panels check this, sometimes with a short Welsh conversation at interview or a written task. Being honest on the form is wise, because a mismatch shows up quickly once you start.

Desirable means it counts in your favour when the panel compares candidates who meet the essential criteria. If two applicants are otherwise level, the one with Welsh may get the job.

“To be learned on appointment” or “willingness to learn” means you will be expected to reach a basic level, usually courtesy Welsh, through employer-funded lessons. Some employers set a deadline in the contract. Ask at interview what support is available and whether lessons happen in working time.

Which jobs tend to need Welsh

Requirements cluster in particular places. Welsh-medium and bilingual schools need teachers and teaching assistants who can work fully in Welsh. Council contact centres, reception desks and frontline housing or social care roles often require at least conversational Welsh, especially in Gwynedd, Anglesey, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, where a large share of residents speak it. Health boards in the north and west ask for Welsh more often than those in the south-east, and some roles in speech and language therapy, mental health and children’s services value it highly because patients may only be comfortable in Welsh.

Back-office jobs such as finance, IT and estates rarely list Welsh as essential anywhere in Wales. Some councils, Gwynedd in particular, operate internally in Welsh, so even administrative posts there expect it.

Applying in Welsh

You can apply for a public sector post in Wales in Welsh or English. Under the standards, an application in Welsh must not be treated less favourably than one in English, and you can ask for your interview to be held in Welsh, sometimes with simultaneous translation for panel members who do not speak it. Welsh-medium schools and some council teams conduct the whole process in Welsh.

Learning Welsh for work

The National Centre for Learning Welsh runs courses for adults at every level, including programmes designed for employees, and many public bodies in Wales fund courses for their staff, often during working hours. Health boards, councils and the Welsh Government also run their own internal classes and online modules. Courses range from short courtesy-Welsh sessions to intensive programmes for staff who need to reach fluency for a role. Progress in Welsh can count as part of your continuing professional development.

Fairness and challenge

Language requirements are lawful in Wales when they reflect what the job needs. Welsh-speaking ability is not in itself a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, but an unjustified requirement could still be challenged if it indirectly disadvantaged people with a protected characteristic, such as race or nationality. If you think a requirement has been set wrongly, raise it with the employer’s HR team. A complaint about a body’s compliance with the standards can go to the Welsh Language Commissioner. For a dispute about how you were treated as an employee, ACAS or your union can advise.

For the wider picture of pay, tax and employers, see public sector jobs in Wales.