To what standard should I be able to speak the official language?

This depends on the nature of your work and your legal status.

     Language proficiency levels are set out in Resolution No. 1688 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 24 December 2003 ‘On the Establishment of State Language Proficiency Categories and the Approval of the Procedure for their Application’.

     On this basis, the employer determines the language proficiency category required of the employee.

     The basic state language proficiency category, corresponding to level A1, applies to foreign nationals selling goods and/or providing services in the Republic of Lithuania for the first two years following the issue of their residence permit in Lithuania. Foreign nationals wishing to work thereafter should have a command of the Lithuanian language at least at A2 level.

     The first category of proficiency in the official language (corresponding to A2 level) applies to workers in the service, manufacturing, retail, transport and other sectors, provided that their work requires them to communicate with the customers / patients and/or complete standard forms (drivers, cloakroom attendants, waiters, shop assistants and other retail staff, other employees performing administrative or technical functions, and so on).

     The second category of proficiency in the official language (corresponding to level B1 in Lithuanian) applies to employees in the fields of education, culture, healthcare, social security and other sectors, as well as to civil servants and public officials who are required to have no higher than a higher college education, provided that, for work-related reasons, they must regularly communicate with the customers / patients and/or complete standard forms (with the exception of teachers who teach in the official language).

     The third category of proficiency in the official language (corresponding to a proficiency level at least B2) applies to heads of state and local authority institutions, agencies, enterprises and organisations, civil servants and public officials for whom a university degree or equivalent qualification is required, teachers teaching in the official language, aviation specialists responsible for flight safety (flight controllers and aircraft crews), maritime and inland waterway transport specialists responsible for the carriage of cargo or passengers and luggage (ships carrying passengers and/or cargo to and from the seaports of the Republic of Lithuania, captains or at least one of the first mates on such vessels, harbour masters, pilots), and so on.

     The Lithuanian language exams are set by the National Education Agency, where you can find the exam timetable.