Truck and bus drivers
Europe is short of drivers and many haulage firms hire from outside the EU. But you cannot drive a truck in Europe on an Indian licence.
What a professional driver needs in the EU
- The right licence category: C or CE for trucks, D or DE for buses and coaches.
- Certificate of Professional Competence (Code 95), obtained through initial qualification training and kept up through periodic training.
- A digital tachograph driver card issued by the country of residence.
- A work and residence permit for the country of the employer.
The licence question
Whether you can exchange your Indian licence depends on the country. Many EU countries do not exchange Indian professional licences directly, so drivers often have to take local training and tests. Some employers organise and fund this, sometimes in partnership with driving schools.
Where drivers are hired
Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark and the Nordic countries all recruit international drivers, often for long-haul routes across Europe.
Questions to ask any employer
- Is the contract an employment contract with a company registered in this country?
- Who pays for licence conversion, Code 95 and the tachograph card?
- What are the pay rules: monthly salary, per-kilometre, daily allowances?
- Where will I live between trips, and who pays?
- How many weeks on the road, how many weeks off?
Warning signs
- Being told you can drive on your Indian licence or an International Driving Permit
- Paying an agent for a "driver visa"
- Contracts with a company in one country but work entirely in another, with unclear social security
- No mention of rest times; EU driving and rest-time rules are strict and protect you
