Reuters writes that an as-yet unknown number of Moroccans will come to Spain as part of a pilot programme facilitated by new regulations “ that allow for more flexible hiring of foreigners in their countries of origin to fill technical vacancies or allow them to get visas to study.”
The scheme is reportedly open to drivers of lorries and buses, who shall be trained in Morocco prior to beginning employment in Spain. Those who participate in the scheme will be given contracts lasting at least 12 months, Reuters was told.
The Spanish Government scheme is the latest development in the visible trend of drivers from non-EU and EAA countries being recruited in Europe.
For some time, most of these drivers have come from countries like Ukraine and Belarus. However, as has been well documented, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has limited access to this pool of labour. This has prompted recruitment from further afield, including countries such as Kazachstan, Uzbekistan, India and the Philippines.
Generally speaking, despite the evident driver shortage, African countries have not been a target for European hauliers. Nevertheless, Spain’s decision to turn to Morocco to fill its driver shortage appears to have changed this, opening up a new pool of labour for the European market.
Photo: Vincent van Zeijst, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image cropped)
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