So far, only 127 foreign truckers have applied for a temporary work permit in the UK to address significant shortages of truck drivers. So said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
According to him, the low number of applications has to do with the worldwide shortage of truckers. The British government has made 5000 temporary visas available for foreign truckers.
Drivers from mainland Europe don’t seem very eager to come in large numbers. This may have to do with the relatively short duration of those visas. However, there is also great demand for truckers in other countries of the European Union, where no visa is required. As a result, a trip to the United Kingdom may be less attractive.
Due to the shortage of drivers, many British petrol stations cannot be supplied, and shops are also struggling with empty shelves. It is estimated that the UK has a shortage of approximately 100,000 truck drivers. Due to Brexit, many truckers from the EU have left the country.
In addition, the corona pandemic caused backlogs in the training of new drivers. The British army has been deployed to help supply gas stations.