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Harrogate law firm inundated with visa enquiries amid HGV driver shortage

Wednesday, 29 September 2021 11:00

A Harrogate-based law firm has been inundated with visa enquiries from around the world amid the UK's shortage of HGV drivers.

A Harrogate-based law firm has been inundated with visa enquiries from around the world amid the UK's shortage of HGV drivers. Truth Legal on Victoria Avenue have received a high number of enquiries from international drivers hoping to apply for the government's temporary visa scheme. The scheme, announced earlier this week, comes as a response to supply chain pressures expected to bite in the run-up to Christmas. Enquiries have landed in Harrogate and Leeds from drivers in Europe, but also from drivers based further afield in India, South Africa and Venezuela. The scheme has also been widely criticised by some industry experts, who view it as a drop-in-the-ocean approach to a much larger problem. Louis MacWilliam, Head of Immigration at Truth Legal, said:

"If an employer doesn’t have a sponsor licence already, the process of getting one can take weeks or even months. "It’s not yet clear how this will mesh with the Government’s plans to open the scheme in October, and close it on Christmas Eve."

And that’s not the only potential headache for immigration lawyers, according to Louis. He added:

"The Home Office won’t normally grant a sponsor licence unless the migrant worker is directly employed by their sponsor. "There’s some indication the Government wants agencies to be responsible for recruitment of HGV drivers, but again there’s no clarity about how this will work alongside existing sponsorship structures."

To find out more, contact Louis and his team at Truth Legal on 01423 788 538 in Harrogate, or 01134 831 200 in Leeds. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.

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