Shortage of trucks in Spain: Morocco to the rescue of the peninsula’s economy

The Spanish Confederation of Goods Transport (CETM) estimates that there is currently a shortage of 30,000 truck drivers in Spain. With an average age of professionals around 55 years old, the sector anticipates a massive wave of retirements within a decade, pushing employers to seek solutions beyond borders.

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According to data from the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) reported by El País, Morocco is among the top suppliers of labor. By 2025, Spain has validated the equivalence of 1,867 heavy goods vehicle (type C) licenses and 581 bus (type D) licenses for Moroccan nationals, placing them just behind Peruvian drivers. Geographical proximity, a major asset for recruiters.

The DGT explains this enthusiasm for Maghreb drivers by the obvious geographical proximity, but also by the prior establishment of certain Spanish transport companies on Moroccan territory. This dynamic is accelerating with the growing relocation of European industries to Morocco, whose goods then transit by truck via the port of Algeciras.

The lack of interest of young Spaniards in this profession is explained by the difficulty of reconciling family and professional life, the harshness of the sector, the increase in theft of goods, and the high cost of the license (around 6,000 euros). Although employment is almost guaranteed, local candidates are scarce.

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While encouraging this international recruitment, industry leaders, however, denounce the slowness of administrative procedures. They are calling on the government to simplify the procedures for validating diplomas and obtaining work permits, delays that can currently block a foreign driver for nearly a year before he can get behind the wheel.