New Delhi: Since the middle of 2022, Hungary has quietly relaxed its harsh immigration rules for workers to solve labour shortages in its economy. The unexpected beneficiaries of this move have been truck drivers from India.

Indian drivers are now driving across the seamless and picturesque highways of Europe — from Hungary to France and the Netherlands — enjoying better pay and lesser traffic.

“Punctual, respectful, excellent at vehicle operation, keeping their trucks clean, and driving economically,” are some of the praises being heaped on these Indian drivers who are now operating across Europe via Hungary.

Explaining the “intensifying labour shortage” in Hungary, the European Commission had stated in September 2020 that “immigration to Hungary has been moderate over the past 20–30 years”.

According to a March 2023 report in dailynewshungary.com, there are nearly 8,000 truck driver vacancies in the transport sector in Hungary and nearly half a million in Europe.

To fill this gap, Indian truck drivers have been migrating to Hungary in large numbers over the past few months.

Trucking in Europe via Bengaluru

Headquartered in Budapest, Bányai & Partners Consulting has been central to the transfer of Indian truck drivers to Hungary and then to Europe.

Bányai covers the entire process from recruitment in India, right from the drivers’ reception to integration in different companies in Hungary. It also provides a round-the-clock helpline for the workers, and helps them set up bank accounts.

Its owner, Tibor Banyai, told Le Monde that they first started facilitating drivers from Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Later, they started to focus on Indian drivers, as they were the “best”.

According to the Le Monde report, Bányai Consulting has set up a recruitment centre in Bengaluru that facilitates the transfer of drivers from India.

So far, Bányai has facilitated the movement of 500 Indian truckers to Hungary from India, and its clients in Europe include Apollo Tyres, Baton Transport, and Suzuki, among other companies, the report added.

Danish firm Baton Transport is among the leaders in inducting Indian truckers into driving in Hungary and Europe. It has already brought more than 30 Indian drivers to its subsidiary in Hungary through Banyai.

Baton Transport is also looking to induct female drivers from India soon, with plans to bring in 25 of them within the next few months and over 800 in the next five years, a report in The Times of India said.

On its website, Bányai Consulting explains that bringing Indian truck drivers to Hungary is beneficial for the companies as well.

Since Hungarian law mandates that an employee’s work permit is valid only for the particular company which brings in the worker, they cannot switch to another job.

Further, Bányai “provides a (job) guarantee for its Indian employees for a period of 24 months”. It also states that “if an employee leaves the job, then Bányai will compensate the (client) company”.

Beyond Europe, Indian truck drivers, especially those from Punjab, are also carving a niche and reliable space for themselves in the North American transport industry. A report in Los Angeles Times suggested that they have become the fulcrum of the road transport industry, especially in California.