English Needs Analysis of Passport Control and Immigration Employees at Erbil International Airport

This study aimed to explore the English language needs of Passport Control and Immigration Department employees at Erbil International Airport in the North of Iraq. The study adopted a mixed-method approach in its design. A total of 85 employees were surveyed through a questionnaire and 11 employees were also interviewed. The survey consisted of three sections namely the extent of use of the four main skills, level of difficulty experienced in the four main skills, and the extent the participants need to use each skill for specific tasks. The data were analysed through the SPSS program and statistical values such as mean, frequency and percentage were obtained. The findings of the study revealed that the employees used the two main skills of speaking and listening more than the other two skills of reading and writing. The participants of the study also stated that they experienced the most difficulty in speaking and writing skills. Further, the results obtained through the interviews showed that the employees were well aware of the role of English in their jobs and how they managed to deal with the difficulties they experienced while communicating with foreign passengers and travellers. The study concluded with some implications for other contexts and for the current and future employees working at Erbil International Airport.