Conectamos talento, abrimos oportunidades.
According to data provided by the Confederación Española del Transporte de Mercancías (CETM), the shortage reaches approximately 30,000 professional drivers, in a sector that has around 400,000 active drivers.
This situation raises an increasingly important question for companies: can international mobility be part of the solution to the lack of drivers in Spain?
National recruitment continues to be a fundamental path, but for certain companies and profiles, it may also be necessary to explore international talent markets.
Can Spain incorporate professional drivers from other countries?
The hiring of foreign workers is a possibility provided for by the Spanish legal system, but there is no single path applicable to all cases.
The procedure will depend on factors such as the characteristics of the position, the situation of the worker, the hiring company, the country of origin, and the national employment situation.
The current Reglamento de Extranjería, approved by Real Decreto 1155/2024, establishes different mechanisms related to residence and work authorisation and the hiring of foreign workers.
Furthermore, for 2026, the collective management of hiring at origin has been regulated through Orden ISM/1547/2025, which includes offers aimed at workers through stable migration and circular migration mechanisms.
For a transport company, turning to international talent can be part of a structural talent strategy, especially when there is a recurring need for certain professional profiles.
Hiring at origin
Hiring at origin allows a Spanish company, in certain circumstances and by meeting the established requirements, to initiate a process to incorporate workers who are outside of Spain.
The collective management of hiring at origin is organised annually, taking into account, among other factors, the national employment situation; furthermore, the regulations for 2026 include both stable migration and circular migration processes.
This makes knowledge of the regulations a fundamental element for any company that wants to explore this path. It is not simply a matter of finding a driver in another country; it is about determining whether that profile can be legally incorporated into Spain, through which path, and under what conditions.
The professional driving licence
The Dirección General de Tráfico provides specific procedures for foreign professional drivers.
Transport companies can request certain exchanges of foreign driving licences on behalf of their professional drivers, with the aim of streamlining the acquisition of the equivalent Spanish licence. The procedure may affect professional licences corresponding to categories such as C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D or D+E, depending on the circumstances of the licence and the country of origin.
It must also be taken into account that Spain maintains agreements with certain countries for the recognition and exchange of driving licences. In the case of licences that include authorisations to drive lorries or buses (categories C and D), additional tests may be necessary depending on the country and the applicable agreement. Therefore, before selecting an international candidate, it is advisable to analyse the country of issue of the licence and the professional category held.
What if the driver comes from a country without an agreement? The situation requires a specific analysis. The DGT also provides for certain cases of exchange of professional licences from countries without an agreement, with specific requirements, including the accreditation of having worked as a professional driver for at least six months in a company legally established in Spain and the passing of a practical test.
What does a company need to incorporate international drivers?
Before starting an international recruitment project, we recommend analysing different elements.
1. Define the requested profile.
The company must specify what it really needs:
Type of vehicle.
Licence category.
Professional experience.
Type of routes.
National or international scope.
Language requirements.
Geographical availability.
Working conditions.
A precise definition of the position allows for a much more efficient international selection process later on.
2. Analyse the migration path
The next step consists of determining which is the appropriate legal path for the project.
Depending on the circumstances, different hiring and work authorisation mechanisms may come into play. For this reason, not all international recruitment projects should be approached in the same way.
3. Review the driving licence
Before definitively selecting a candidate, it is fundamental to know:
Country of issue of the licence.
Categories obtained.
Date of issue.
Validity.
Possibility of exchange.
Additional tests that may be necessary.
The DGT itself currently has a specific procedure for transport companies that want to manage certain exchanges of their drivers' professional licences.
4. Prepare the arrival and incorporation
A professional mobility process does not end when the worker obtains an authorisation. The arrival in Spain, the documentation, the effective incorporation into the company, and the adaptation to the new environment are part of a process that should be planned from the beginning.
5. Training and preparation
In certain projects, it may be necessary to work on aspects related to professional preparation, documentation, language, corporate culture, or adaptation to the position.
International mobility also consists of facilitating a person's ability to correctly join a new professional environment.
An opportunity for companies, associations, and business organisations
The need for drivers does not only affect transport and logistics companies, but also opens up an opportunity for collaboration for different actors in the business ecosystem. Chambers of commerce and business associations can contribute to connecting the needs of their member companies with talent and international mobility solutions; recruitment and selection companies can complement their processes by incorporating an international perspective; lawyers and immigration professionals can collaborate in the management and viability of migration processes; and training centres can play a fundamental role in the preparation of professionals and their adaptation to the needs of the Spanish labour market. Coordination between these actors allows the shortage of drivers to be addressed from a comprehensive perspective.
Let us talk about your international mobility project
If you are a transport company, business association, chamber of commerce, selection company, immigration professional, or entity linked to the sector, at Maude Mobility we can study the needs of your project with you and analyse the international mobility possibilities available.
The lack of talent is a shared challenge, but the response can also be shared.
Let us talk about your international mobility project: info@maudemobility.com
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