Transport companies in Spain are looking for professional drivers abroad while starting next year the British expect their agricultural sector to be fully covered by Romanian and Bulgarian workers, according to two European publications.

According to the head of the regional Transport employers’ union in the Spanish region of Asturias (Asetra), quoted by La Nueva Espana, transport companies there are forced to employ drivers from abroad because there is not enough qualified personnel in Spain.

Asetra head Ovidio de la Roza says they’d rather employ locals, but in this sector turning to professionals from abroad is the only solution.

Many companies have already visited Romania to look for workers, he says.

Representatives of the Romanian Department for Work Abroad told HotNews.ro that no request has yet been submitted by Spanish companies.

On the other hand, Britons may employ only workers from Romania and Bulgaria in 2008 to cover the lack of personnel in the agricultural field in Britain, according to the Financial Times. That comes after authorities in London decided late last year to apply severe restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian labor as the two countries joined the European Union on January 1 this year.

The restrictions left British farmers confronted with difficulties in finding workers.