Driving a truck in Europe is one of the few jobs where a foreign worker with the right papers can earn a solid European wage without a university degree — haulage companies across the continent are recruiting well beyond their own borders. But this is also a field full of confusion, and of scams aimed at drivers who don't know the rules.
To work legally, you need the right licence categories (C and CE), the Code 95 professional qualification, and a work permit arranged by your employer before you travel. Get those three in the right order and the path is straightforward; skip one and you can end up stranded, unpaid, or working illegally without realising it.
Why Europe Needs Truck Drivers
Europe's driver shortage is structural, not a temporary dip. Data from the International Road Transport Union (IRU), referenced in the European Labour Authority's sector analysis, put unfilled truck driver positions at roughly 500,000 — around 13% of all positions — and the European Commission's EURES job mobility network lists heavy truck driving among the shortage occupations in country after country.
The workforce is ageing — a large share of drivers are over 55, with hundreds of thousands due to retire by 2030 — while younger workers are less drawn to long absences from home and freight volumes keep growing. So transport companies in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Belgium, Spain and elsewhere compete for a shrinking pool, and increasingly recruit outside the EU.
Licences You Need (C, CE, Code 95)
European licences use harmonised categories, and for professional trucking two matter most:
- Category C — rigid trucks over 3.5 tonnes; the minimum for most local and regional driving work.
- Category CE — a category C vehicle with a heavy trailer, i.e. the classic articulated lorry. This is what most international long-haul employers ask for, and it pays the best.
The licence alone is not enough. To drive commercially in the EU you also need the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), known as Code 95 — the code printed on your licence (or on a separate Driver Qualification Card) once you qualify. It comes from an initial qualification course and exam, and stays valid through 35 hours of periodic training every five years. Driving professionally without valid Code 95 is illegal, and serious employers check it first.
You will also need a digital tachograph driver card, issued where you work; it records driving and rest times, and EU rest rules are enforced strictly. As for your existing licence: EU/EEA licences are recognised across Europe, while a non-EU licence may be exchangeable — sometimes with tests, sometimes without — with heavy categories often handled separately from car licences. Check with the licensing authority where you will live — Spain's official guidance on licence validity and exchange shows how it works.
Requirements for Non-EU Drivers
If you come from outside the EU/EEA, be clear about one thing: there is no such thing as a general "EU truck driver visa." Immigration is decided country by country, and the normal route looks like this:
- A genuine job offer first. A licensed haulage company agrees to hire you; the employer — not you — normally applies for your work permit or sponsors your residence permit.
- A work permit and residence permit for that country, plus the correct entry visa if your nationality requires one. Only then do you travel.
- Licence and Code 95 in order. Qualifications earned outside the EU are generally not recognised automatically. Most non-EU drivers take the Code 95 initial qualification in the employer's country — some employers organise and fund it, so ask.
- A driver attestation. For non-EU drivers on international work, EU rules provide this document confirming you are lawfully employed by the operator. Your employer arranges it.
- Medical fitness — a professional-driver medical (and sometimes psychological) examination.
- Basic language skills — enough local language or English for paperwork, loading instructions and police checks.
Most reputable employers also want one to two years of verifiable experience on heavy vehicles. If yours is thinner, regional work is the usual entry point — see our guide to jobs abroad without experience.
Salaries: What Drivers Actually Earn
Pay varies a lot by country and route type. International drivers usually earn the most, because pay combines a base salary with per diems and bonuses for nights away — always ask whether a quoted figure is base salary only or the realistic total. Indicative gross monthly ranges for full-time drivers (base plus typical allowances, before tax):
- Germany: roughly €2,800–€3,600 per month, often under collective agreements; top end for experienced international drivers.
- Netherlands: roughly €2,600–€3,400 per month under the sector's collective agreement, plus overtime and night allowances.
- Belgium: roughly €2,500–€3,200 per month, with strong social protection but high living costs.
- Poland: roughly €1,800–€2,600 per month for international drivers, where per diems make up much of take-home pay.
- Lithuania: roughly €1,500–€2,200 per month, mostly international routes for large fleets.
- Spain: roughly €1,600–€2,400 per month depending on the province and route type.
Treat these as orientation, not promises: check any specific job against current ads and the applicable collective agreement. A salary far above these ranges, offered to anyone who applies, is a warning sign — not a lucky break.
How to Find a Real Job
- Choose your target countries. Weigh language, salary and how licences from your country are treated. Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Lithuania hire the most foreign drivers.
- Search where employers actually post. Start with the EURES portal, national public employment services, and the career pages of large haulage companies.
- Prepare your documents (see the list below) and a simple English CV stating your licence categories, Code 95 status and experience.
- Apply and interview. Serious employers interview by phone or video, ask about your experience and tachograph knowledge, and put the contract in writing.
- Check the contract before signing. It should name the employer, the salary and allowances, home-time arrangements, and who pays for your permit and training.
- Let the employer run the permit process. Once approved: travel, register locally, finish licence exchange and Code 95, get your tachograph card — then drive.
Compare destinations beyond pay alone — living costs and time at home differ hugely. Our overview of the best countries to work abroad in 2026 helps with that.
Documents
- Valid passport.
- Driving licence showing categories C and CE.
- Code 95 / CPC evidence or training certificates, if held.
- CV in English (or the employer's language) with verifiable work experience.
- References or proof of experience from previous employers.
- Birth certificate (plus family documents, if applicable) and a criminal record certificate if asked for.
- Medical certificate for professional driving, as required in the destination country.
- Signed employment contract and work permit approval.
Keep certified translations ready for the key documents; your employer will say which ones need them.
Scams to Avoid
Fake recruiters target drivers aggressively. Protect yourself with a few hard rules:
- Never pay for a job offer, a work permit or a "guaranteed visa." Legitimate employers do not sell permits, and there is no "EU truck driver visa" for sale — permits come from a national authority after a real employer applies.
- Don't hand over your passport to an agent, and don't travel on a tourist visa planning to "sort the papers out later" — that is illegal and leaves you unprotected.
- Check the company exists. Real hauliers have a verifiable address, registration and a transport licence — search the name plus "reviews" and "scam" first.
- Be suspicious of salaries far above market rates with no interview, no licence check and no written contract. Real employers are picky because their liability depends on your documents.
- Get everything in writing — salary, per diems, home time, who pays for Code 95 training. Verbal promises are worth nothing.
FAQ
Can I drive trucks in Europe with a licence from my own country?
For visiting, usually yes. To live and work in an EU country, you will normally need your licence recognised or exchanged under that country's rules. Heavy categories are checked separately; some countries require tests, others don't.
What is Code 95 and do I really need it?
Yes. Code 95 shows you hold the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). Without it you cannot legally drive commercially in the EU, even with a CE licence. It requires an initial qualification plus 35 hours of refresher training every five years.
I have a licence but no Code 95. Can an employer help?
Often, yes. Many companies organise (and sometimes finance) Code 95 training for foreign drivers in their own country. Ask at the interview, and get any agreement on costs into your contract.
How long does the whole process take?
Finding the job may take weeks; permits and visas commonly take several more weeks to a few months; licence exchange and Code 95 can add time after arrival. Anyone promising you'll be driving in two weeks, for a fee, is not being honest.
Which country is best for foreign truck drivers?
It depends on your priorities. Germany and the Netherlands offer the highest pay and strong protections; Poland and Lithuania hire the most foreign drivers; Spain offers lifestyle but lower wages. Compare total pay against living costs and time at home.
Summary
Europe genuinely needs truck drivers — around half a million seats are unfilled, and employers recruit internationally to fill them. For a non-EU driver the formula is simple: a CE licence, Code 95 under EU rules, and a real employer who secures your permit before you travel. Ignore anyone selling shortcuts, and treat a written contract as non-negotiable.