Up to 5,000 lorry drivers can receive temporary UK visas under new government rules

The government has confirmed that 5,000 fuel tanker and food lorry drivers as well as 5,500 poultry workers will receive temporary UK visas in an attempt to limit supply-chain disruption leading into the holiday season. The scheme is due to run out on Christmas Eve.

In recent months, a shortage of lorry drivers has caused problems for a range of industries. And in the last few days, it has been fuel deliveries that have been most affected, leading to queues at petrol stations. This is despite ministers insisting the UK has plenty of fuel.

These supply-chain problems have been blamed on the impact of Covid-19, Brexit, low wages and an ageing workforce.

With the announcement of this new scheme, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps reassured business that “preparations remain on track” for the festive season.

Mr Shapps continued: “We are acting now, but the industries must also play their part with working conditions continuing to improve and the deserved salary increases continuing to be maintained in order for companies to retain new drivers”.

But the measures have been criticised by industry experts. The British Chambers of Commerce said the measures were the equivalent of “throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire”. 

The Road Haulage Association said the announcement “barely scratches the surface”, retorting that only offering visas until Christmas Eve “will not be enough for companies or the drivers themselves to be attractive”.

The Department for Transport, itself, has recognised that importing foreign labour “will not be the long-term solution” to the problem and that it wants to see employers build a “high-wage, high-skill economy”.

The government has therefore also announced that up to 4,000 people will soon be able to take advantage of training courses to become HGV drivers. This includes “skills bootcamps” funded by the Department for Education.