[jonbxx]

Interestingly, some of the root of this problem is the end of the cold way funnily enough. In Germany, HGV drivers were trained almost exclusively as part of their National Service, basically lugging US, UK and German tanks all over the country to face down the Red Menace. Conscription finally finished 10 years ago with no real pipeline of new drivers to replace these military trained drivers.

Of course, these drivers are getting older, retiring, getting new jobs, etc. so Germany could either attract foreign drivers or train new ones. Foreign drivers from just over the border in Poland and further afield is of course the quick easy route. Offering better pay and conditions is why there's a bigger shortage in Poland. Of course, the UK attracted its share of drivers from the former Eastern Bloc too but many have left due to COVID and, ahem, other reasons.

Offering big pay to get some of these drivers back is one thing but if these visas we're offering are like other types of visa, there's a big cost associated with it. Visas to work in the UK can be up to £1000 plus a few hundred for the NHS surcharge. My american colleague pays £625 per year for access to the NHS despite being a UK taxpayer for example.