It depends, I think. > If you're from non-english speaking country, then you'll be spending like 14 years at school learning english. It's not that you get N

It depends, I think. > If you're from non-english speaking country, then you'll be spending like 14 years at school learning english. It's not that you get N hours free per week if you don't need to learn English, isn't it? English-speakers probably fill those "English as a second language hours" at school with something else. So, all in all, more or less kids in western countries spend the same time in school. > So, in order to compete with engineers, scientists, etc from english-first countries you not only have to be as good as they are, but all of that while paying this "english-learning tax" Depends as well. At least in Europe nobody really cares how good your English is past a certain level (ofc, if people can hardly understand you, then yeah you're in trouble). And, among Europeans, the most difficult accent to understand is the British one :) > It is actually crazy when you think about this. Almost every person in majority of countries needs to pay that huge penalty that's required to enter science, business, international world. At least based on my experience and on the experience of others (e.g., family, friends), it is not a huge penalty I would say. You either are good at it (for whatever reason) and then you have no trouble working as an engineer/scientist speaking English, or you are not good at it and you actually don't work as engineer/scientist (edit: in international environments). Cannot comment about other fields.