London, UK: The government is working on plans for a temporary visa scheme to make it easier for foreign lorry drivers to come to the UK.
Final details of exactly how the initiative will work are expected to be announced this weekend.
Any changes to immigration rules will be temporary, with a cap on the number of workers allowed to enter the UK.
The shortage of drivers has become a major issue with food and now fuel deliveries delayed. Supermarkets and much of the transport industry has lobbied for measures to allow EU drivers into the UK.
A Downing Street spokesperson said ministers are looking at temporary measures to “avoid any immediate problems”, but added that any measures introduced will be “very strictly time limited”.
“We are moving to a high-wage, high-skilled economy and businesses will need to adapt with more investment in recruitment and training to provide long-term resilience,” the spokesperson said.
