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Brexit protest truck in London: "Brexit Carnage" (Brexit slaughter)
Photo: Alastair Grant / dpa
In view of an acute driver shortage in the country, the UK government has called on companies to hire locals instead of relying on workers from abroad.
"We want to see that employers invest long-term in domestic workers," said the Ministry of Economic Affairs in London.
The plan is to enable people across the country to retrain and reintegrate them into the labor market.
Business associations had previously called for the new immigration rules to be partially relaxed.
However, the government refused.
Instead, she called on the industry to offer more attractive working conditions and better wages.
The shortage of truck drivers is noticeable, for example, in gaps in supermarket shelves.
The fast food chain Nando's had to close dozens of branches because not enough chicken was available.
McDonald's ran out of milkshakes and bottled drinks.
The logistics industry association Road Haulage Association assumes around 100,000 missing drivers.
This also has to do with the fact that many employees from Europe left the country after Brexit.
Complicated and expensive visa procedures are now necessary, which is why hardly any new ones are added.
In addition, thousands of drivers retire every month.
Tens of thousands of driving tests have been canceled due to the pandemic.
There is simply a lack of offspring.
sbo / dpa
