The Trump administration has announced a pause on work visas for foreign commercial truck drivers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a brief social media post that such drivers are “endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”
The decision follows a deadly highway crash in Florida, where undocumented truck driver Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn that killed three people. The tragedy quickly escalated into a political fight, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and California Governor Gavin Newsom trading blame over immigration policies.
After Rubio’s post, the State Department clarified that the pause applies only to three visa categories and that stricter vetting will be introduced for future applicants.
Which Visas are Affected?
The pause targets three specific categories:
- H-2B visas for temporary non-agricultural workers. Only about 1,500 truck drivers received these visas this fiscal year out of 66,000 total H-2B visas issued.
- E-2 visas for investors making substantial investments in U.S. businesses, which are rarely used by individual truck drivers.
- EB-3 visas for skilled workers, a category that also covers healthcare employees, IT professionals, and skilled tradespeople.
Mexican and Canadian truck drivers who operate under B-1 visitor visas are not affected, allowing cross-border commercial transportation to continue largely undisrupted.
Potential Enhanced Vetting Requirements
Alongside the pause, the administration announced that it plans to review how it screens foreign drivers and indicated that future drivers applying for visas will face stricter screening protocols, which may include:
- Further Proof of English-Language Proficiency: Federal law has long required commercial drivers to demonstrate English proficiency. However, earlier this year, the Trump administration issued an executive order that further tightened these rules. Drivers must now show they can hold basic conversations in English, read road signs, and complete essential paperwork without translation aids. Inspectors test these skills directly, and failure can result in being taken out of service.
- Proof of Driving Proficiency: Applicants must pass additional driving skills tests and demonstrate relevant experience to ensure applicants can safely operate large commercial vehicles.
- Expanded Background Checks: Stricter vetting and documentation requirements may increase application complexity and lengthen processing times.
The Anticipated Impact
Despite the headline-grabbing announcement, the numbers tell a different story. With an estimated 3.5 million commercial truck drivers nationwide, at most a few thousand drivers annually would be affected by this pause.
While supporters claim the policy will increase road safety, critics argue the policy is a politically motivated act that disproportionately affects immigrant communities and stirs more uncertainty into an industry already struggling with driver shortages.
The trucking industry already faces a severe driver shortage, costing nearly $100 million in lost revenue each week. While the visa pause affects only a small number of workers, experts warn even limited disruptions could worsen shortages, driving up grocery prices, slowing deliveries, and causing product shortages.
What This Means for Foreign Truckers
For immigrant truckers working under the affected visas, this pause creates uncertainty about visa renewals and long-term career planning. The new vetting procedures may drive up processing times and documentation requirements for future applicants.
Future applicants should prepare for:
- Longer processing times as applications go through added checks
- Stricter language and skills requirements, with proof of English proficiency and prior driving experience now essential
- Tighter background reviews, including closer scrutiny of past employment and safety records
What to Do If You’re a Foreign Truck Driver
If you’re applying for one of the paused visas (H-2B, E-2, or EB-3):
- Gather driving records. Collect proof of prior commercial driving experience, such as employment letters, pay stubs, or tax records from past trucking jobs.
- Secure training documents. Keep copies of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), training certificates, and safety/compliance course records.
- Show English-language proficiency. Be prepared for on-the-spot testing of conversational English and reading traffic signs.
- Plan for longer processing. Build in extra time since applications will face stricter checks.
- Seek legal guidance. An immigration attorney can help you explore options and prepare the right evidence.
What This Means for Employers
For most businesses relying on foreign truck drivers, the disruption will be minimal since most affected visas make up only a small portion of the workforce. However, unpredictable immigration policies create instability for employers. Companies that invest heavily in recruiting and training foreign drivers may see those efforts undercut by sudden policy shifts, making long-term workforce planning more difficult.
Employer Checklist: Preparing for the Visa Pause
If you’re applying for one of the paused visas (H-2B, E-2, or EB-3):
- Audit your workforce now. Run a report of drivers on H-2B, E-2, or EB-3 visas and flag upcoming renewal dates.
- Check documentation. Review I-9s and commercial driver’s license (CDL) records to confirm all foreign drivers are properly authorized and licensed.
- Plan for renewals early. Build in extra lead time for visa extensions, since processing may slow under new vetting rules.
- Model labor costs. Prepare for potential wage increases if you need to recruit more U.S. drivers to cover shortages.
- Explore alternatives. Consider partnerships with Mexican or Canadian carriers using B-1 drivers, or expand domestic recruitment pipelines.
- Stay updated. Monitor State Department and DHS announcements for when the pause is lifted and new vetting rules are finalized.
Bottom Line
The visa pause is unlikely to cause major disruptions on its own, but the tougher vetting rules will add hurdles for immigrant drivers and create planning challenges for employers. Any additional strain could worsen existing shortages in the trucking industry, leading to higher costs and delivery delays.