The British Ministry of Transport announced on Sunday night that it would issue 10,500 temporary work visas from October until Christmas Eve. The visas are designed to enable 5,000 truck drivers and 5,500 poultry processing workers from abroad to work in the UK. The government is trying to save Christmas. Most recently, there was a shortage of skilled workers due to Brexit and the freedom of movement that it abolished. This particularly affects truck drivers and the poultry processing industry, which has already warned of turkey delivery bottlenecks for Christmas. Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps said the waiver should “ensure that preparations for the holiday season stay on schedule”.
The decisive factor in the U-turn of the government, which until recently had refused visa exemptions for foreigners, evidently brought pictures of long queues at gas stations. Because of delivery problems, energy companies were unable to supply dozens of gas stations with petrol and diesel. “After a very difficult 18 months, I know how important this Christmas is for all of us and so we are taking these steps as early as possible to ensure that preparations stay on track,” said Transport Minister Shapps.
Army driving instructors are supposed to help clear the backlog of driving tests
Representatives from the logistics sector and the food industry welcomed the government plans. At the same time, they made it clear that the 10,500 skilled workers were not enough. Supermarkets alone needed at least 15,000 truck drivers to keep stores running at full capacity before Christmas and avoid disruptions or delivery problems, said Andrew Opie of the British Retail Consortium. The President of the British Chamber of Commerce, Ruby McGregor-Smith, also criticized that the measures were nowhere near enough. “It’s like putting out a campfire with a thimble of water,” she said.
The Ministry of Transport stressed, however, that the import of workers is not a sustainable solution to the problem. Rather, a package of measures should help. For example, it is planned that army driving instructors will help to deal with the enormous backlog of driving tests that has also arisen as a result of the corona pandemic. In addition, around a million letters are sent to former truck drivers to convince them to return to work. The aim is to advertise with higher wages, fixed working hours and better working conditions. Free retraining is also offered. A total of 50,000 additional driving tests should be possible each year.
While business representatives admit that Brexit is one reason for the tense situation, the government rejects a connection. The pandemic has exacerbated the situation, said Minister Shapps. Before that, however, there were already problems in Great Britain. Shapps cited an aging workforce, low wages, and poor conditions at truck stops.