More and more people search for what can I learn to earn more and have better job opportunities. For years, the answer was automatic and it was English, you had to know English to find a job. We, in the USA, were born with that luck, we already brought English from home. But now that most of the world knows English, there are other languages that are overshadowing it, it is not Spanish, it is not French… it is Chinese. Mandarin Chinese.
Learn Chinese?
That is right, more and more companies are looking for people who are trained in Mandarin Chinese, it is clear why, digitalization, modernization and globalization.
According to the data, those who master Chinese can reach triple the average salary, something that sounds almost exaggerated until you see how demand has exploded in the last two years. And it is not only for engineers who work in multinationals. Tourism companies, international trade, education or consulting are already asking for profiles that speak Chinese, and they are willing to pay much more for them. Japanese and Portuguese also appear among the best paid, which makes it clear that the market is changing… and that speaking a language “of the classics” no longer differentiates you from the rest.
Languages, darling
Having a good level of English is still necessary, yes, but it no longer guarantees you a high salary because everyone speaks it. Now they want people who know how to speak Chinese. And it is normal because China is one of the great economic powers, and it is a strategic partner in thousands of companies, through exports or investments.
Any person who participates in this “alliance” will be a very valuable asset inside a company, and therefore, paid.
According to the study, the job offers that asked for Chinese have gone from 133 in 2023 to 768 in 2025, a figure that tells you that companies are not “experimenting”, they are desperate to find people with this skill!
What profiles do they look for?
Careful, they do not want professional translators, but people who are capable of negotiating, selling, managing projects and understanding cultural differences. It is not enough to know some words, but people who can move money and deals.
The salary jump
The study says that Chinese can triple the average salary in countries like Spain, for someone young (or someone who wants to redirect their career) this is a huge opportunity. And learning Chinese is not easy, that is why it is so well paid.
And only Chinese?
No, Japanese and Portuguese are also very profitable for companies, basically because of the tech and electric industries. It is capitalism, friend, where there is commerce, there is business and there are opportunities.
And with the usual languages?
At the level of volume, English is still the king, followed by French and German. It is what companies ask for the most, but asking for it does not mean that they pay it better.
Training and future
So, if you are thinking what suits your future better, it is Chinese, but it requires time, consistency and desire. It is not an easy language but it will open the key to entering jobs that were impossible before. And if you have children, make it clear, find a private Chinese teacher for them, it will open many opportunities when they start studying.
If you want it for yourself, there are platforms, native teachers and courses that can help you, what used to sound “elitist” is now within the reach of anyone with a lot of discipline.
Invest to earn
Learning a difficult language is intimidating, normal, more if we talk about Chinese which is, probably, one of the most complicated languages because they have another type of writing. But the job market is full of people who know the usual things and earn the usual. Want to stand out? It is your opportunity, but you have to know that learning a language requires time, a lot, but it also gives many opportunities. Do you dare?!