European road transport in 2026 has the worst C+E driver shortage in 20 years. IRU estimates that more than 200,000 drivers are missing in the EU for international transport alone. For a forwarder, one empty cab means late deliveries to a contract client and lost business of €50,000–200,000 a year. Below: what EU forwarders in DE, AT, IT and HR need to know to hire C+E drivers from BiH, Serbia, North Macedonia, the Philippines and India.
Key figures
- EU C+E driver shortage in 2026: about 200,000–250,000 (IRU, Driver Shortage Report 2025)
- Main source countries 2024–2025: BiH (~6,000), Serbia (~3,500), North Macedonia (~1,500), India (~2,000), Philippines (~1,500), Nepal (~1,000)
- Gross salaries in Germany 2026 for a C+E driver: domestic €2,700–3,400, international €3,000–3,800
- Gross salaries in Italy 2026: domestic €1,800–2,500, international €2,200–3,000
- Time to hire: 30–60 days with a specialised agency (C+E driver is on the 2026 shortage occupations list)
1. Qualifications you actually need
Minimum for a C+E driver in the EU in 2026
- C+E driving licence (Croatia, BiH, SRB, MK, ME, AL: all recognised)
- Code 95 (Certificate of Professional Competence, CPC), mandatory for professional transport
- Digital driver tachograph card
- Medical fitness certificate for drivers, less than 1 year old
Certifications that add value
- ADR certificate for dangerous goods: categories 1-9 plus the tanker certificate
- HACCP for food transport, which EU clients often ask for
- Languages: German matters most for DE/AT, basic English for communication across the EU
- Experience with specific cargo (refrigerated, dangerous, oversized)
2. Realistic salaries 2026
Germany (gross per month)
| Job type | Beginner | Experienced (3+ yrs) | Senior (5+ yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic transport | €2,700 | €3,000 | €3,400 |
| International EU | €3,000 | €3,400 | €3,800 |
| International + ADR | €3,200 | €3,600 | €4,200 |
On top of that come daily allowances (BMF rates of 28–60 EUR/day depending on the country), weekend bonuses and overtime.
Italy (gross per month)
| Job type | Beginner | Experienced |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | €1,800 | €2,300 |
| International EU | €2,200 | €2,800 |
| ADR | €2,400 | €3,000 |
3. Realistic process with a specialised agency
What to check before hiring (8 points)
Before a driver starts, someone has to confirm the following:
- Driving licence: category, validity, fines
- Code 95 and tachograph card: validity
- ADR, if the position requires it
- Experience: years, routes, companies
- References from at least 2 previous employers
- Medical fitness
- Language: German or English for EU transport
- Tachograph history: number of fines and AETR violations
Candidate delivery
- You get the first qualified candidate within 15 working days of signing the order for a standard C+E driver position.
- ADR specialists can take a little longer, because there are fewer of them.
- Instead of a classic CV, you receive our summary of each candidate: the position they applied for, confirmation that they accepted your terms, and quoted statements from the interview about their driving experience.
Permit process
The employer submits the work permit application, and we help gather the documents it needs.
- A C+E driver is on the 2026 shortage occupations list, so a seasonal permit takes 30–45 days.
- A standard annual permit takes 45–90 days.
4. AETR, tachograph, BAG: what a forwarder must know
AETR / Regulation 561/2006 (driving hours)
Note: within the EU, driving and rest times are governed by Regulation (EC) 561/2006; the AETR agreement applies to parts of journeys outside the EU (e.g. through third countries). The limits below are effectively the same under both.
- 9 driving hours per day at most (can be extended to 10h twice a week)
- 45 min break after 4.5h of driving
- 11 hours of continuous daily rest (can be reduced to 9h three times a week)
- 45 hours of continuous weekly rest
Tachograph card
- Every driver needs their own digital card.
- The forwarder must download the data every 28 days from the driver card and every 90 days from the vehicle unit.
- Data must be kept for at least 1 year.
BAG checks (Germany)
The Bundesamt für Güterverkehr is the German inspection authority. It checks AETR rules, tachographs, cabotage and whether pay meets the German minimum wage (Mindestlohn). Fines are €1,500–15,000 per case, plus a ban on working in Germany.
Posting of Workers (DE/AT)
If a Croatian forwarder sends drivers to do cabotage (driving within another EU country), it must pay that country's minimum wage plus daily allowances. The German Mindestlohn in 2026 is €13.90/hour.
5. Biggest pitfalls 2026
Trap 1: Driver with short Code 95 validity
Code 95 is valid for 5 years and is renewed through 35 hours of training. If a driver has 3 months left, you pay for and arrange the training.
Trap 2: Old tachograph card
The card is valid for 5 years. A driver with an expired card can't drive, and you lose days while the new one is issued.
Trap 3: ADR "just in case"
If you don't haul dangerous goods, don't pay for ADR. An unused certificate costs €300–600 extra per driver.
Trap 4: No cabotage compliance plan
A Croatian driver in Germany who loads cargo 4 days in a row commits a cabotage violation (3 days maximum in a 7-day period). The fine is €1,500–5,000.
Trap 5: Driver with false references
When a driver says "I drove for XYZ spedition", call XYZ yourself and confirm it.
6. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can I bring a driver from India / Philippines / Nepal for European transport?
Yes, but the process is more complex:
- A tachograph card from those countries is not valid in the EU, so a new one must be issued in HR.
- A C+E licence from India, Nepal or the Philippines must be converted in HR (tests, paperwork).
- Realistic timeline: 90–120 days.
What about cabotage limits for Croatian drivers in DE/AT?
A Croatian driver in Germany may do at most 3 loadings within 7 days. Anything above that is a violation.
How much does a driver really earn net in DE vs HR?
A driver with 5 years of experience in international transport:
- HR: gross €2,500, net ~€1,900
- DE: gross €3,500, net ~€2,250, plus daily allowances of €800–1,200/month
- Actual difference: €1,150–1,550 a month in favour of DE
This is the main reason Croatian drivers leave for Germany.
How does a forwarder stop a driver leaving for a competitor over €200 more?
Four things help:
- Pay above the sector average (5–10% above the Croatian minimum)
- A stable schedule, so the driver knows when they will be home and what next month looks like
- Good accommodation and daily allowances paid on time
- Loyalty bonuses, annual or semi-annual
Do drivers need German for DE transport?
- For basic tasks (loading, unloading, documents) yes, at least A2 level.
- For talking to the police or BAG, English plus basic German is safer.
What if a driver's licence expires during work?
The driver may not drive until the licence is renewed, but keeps the right to work. The forwarder pays daily allowances while the licence is being renewed.
Related: Westbalkanregelung 2026 employer guide, CNC operators and welders for serial production and Caregivers from the Western Balkans for DE/AT.
7. Action plan
- Count how many drivers you are missing now and how many you will need in the next 3 months.
- Define the job type: domestic, international EU or ADR.
- Sort out accommodation for new drivers (depot, rental, hotel).
- Check that your pay is above the sector average, which helps keep drivers.
- Contact a placement agency that specialises in drivers from the region.
- Agree the terms: first qualified candidate within 15 working days of signing the order, a 60-day replacement guarantee from the driver's first working day, and 45 days for the seasonal permit. The guarantee covers every reason on the driver's side: they don't show up, can't do the job, won't work or cause problems.
If you start today, the realistic first day of driving is:
- from BiH/SRB with a seasonal permit: late June / early July 2026
- from India/Nepal with an annual permit: September–October 2026
Sources:
- AETR Agreement (European Agreement on Driver Hours)
- DE Bundesamt für Güterverkehr (BAG): cabotage rules 2026
- AT KV Güterbeförderung
- IRU, Driver Shortage Report 2025
- 2026 shortage occupations list (various EU countries): Bundesagentur für Arbeit (arbeitsagentur.de)
Numbers are indicative. This article does not constitute legal advice.
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