How To Become A Truck Driver If You Are Not From USA

Hello I'm from Europe. And not from a cool part of Europe but from southeastern part. Balkan. I got an opportunity to come to US and become a truck driver. But to start process I need social security number. I do not have one because I'm not US citizen and I can only get tourist visa. I DO NOT want to be illegal immigrant or do anything illegal. I'm a family man. I would be gratefull if anybody can help me to overcome this issue. Thanks

Just from an legal/immigration standpoint - you cannot "legally work", on a B1/B2 tourist visa.

Some states may (or may not) issue a drivers license, so you can drive a car while you are here visiting - but they will likely not issue a CDL - since you won't have work authorization, and the license will expire at the same time your visa does.

So I'm not sure how you "got an opportunity to come to the US and be a truck driver" - if you cannot legally work on a tourist visa. And as lax as our immigration policy seems to be lately, entering on a tourist visa and working - is a sure way to find yourself homeward bound (whenever they get to you).

Add to that - to get a job at a "real trucking company", you have to go through a background check, already have a CDL, social security card and green card - that is, be LEGALLY AUTHORIZED TO WORK.

Rick

Thank you for your respond Rick. I will try to explain "opportunity" - friend of mine who is now in US knows people that own real, proper legal trucking company and they had connections with somebody who own a truck driving school (sorry for my English - not my first language). I get in touch with them and they told me that they can offer me a training and job. They will pay for CDL and training and they will hire me to drive for their company, but they can not help me with my legal status in US. When I first read their e-mail I thought Lady Luck finally looked at me. But when I do a little bit of research I realize that there are lots of trucking companies who offer that. I also realize that working visa in US is almost impossible to get.

Just from an legal/immigration standpoint - you cannot "legally work", on a B1/B2 tourist visa.

Some states may (or may not) issue a drivers license, so you can drive a car while you are here visiting - but they will likely not issue a CDL - since you won't have work authorization, and the license will expire at the same time your visa does.

So I'm not sure how you "got an opportunity to come to the US and be a truck driver" - if you cannot legally work on a tourist visa. And as lax as our immigration policy seems to be lately, entering on a tourist visa and working - is a sure way to find yourself homeward bound (whenever they get to you).

Add to that - to get a job at a "real trucking company", you have to go through a background check, already have a CDL, social security card and green card - that is, be LEGALLY AUTHORIZED TO WORK.

Rick

Daniel, since you have someone who will assist in your licensing and training, go a step further and see if they will sponsor you.

With a sponsor, you should have no problems at that point except for a possible waiting period that employers will want to see regarding your license, safe driving habits and such. With a sponsor, you can also start a citizenship application (I think your home country allows for dual citizenship).

I've met and know a few drivers and friends from eastern European countries and they've done it but it takes a bit of time and paperwork. (Moldova, Bosnians, Serbs and Russian )

Hi Robert,

Can you give us more info how your friends acomplished this task I would like to follow their path , also wondering what happened to the thread starter , was he successful ?

Thanks

Daniel, since you have someone who will assist in your licensing and training, go a step further and see if they will sponsor you.

With a sponsor, you should have no problems at that point except for a possible waiting period that employers will want to see regarding your license, safe driving habits and such. With a sponsor, you can also start a citizenship application (I think your home country allows for dual citizenship).

I've met and know a few drivers and friends from eastern European countries and they've done it but it takes a bit of time and paperwork. (Moldova, Bosnians, Serbs and Russian )

Hi guys.I believe from last post here you guys are trying to help buddy here to get his working paper.I'm not 100%,but sponsorship is not that easy or not possible to do after 9/11.I might be wrong,but this is very hard and long way to get your working permit.And if somebody knows somebody who has friend,you know how that is always.They can run their trucking company,because they have their working permits,green card or citizenship.This is way too complicated and almost impossible to do since 9/11 and specially now with president Trump.Only way is lottery for Green card(you might never win) or marriage to citizen

Hi Robert,

Can you give us more info how your friends acomplished this task I would like to follow their path , also wondering what happened to the thread starter , was he successful ?

Thanks

Daniel, since you have someone who will assist in your licensing and training, go a step further and see if they will sponsor you.

With a sponsor, you should have no problems at that point except for a possible waiting period that employers will want to see regarding your license, safe driving habits and such. With a sponsor, you can also start a citizenship application (I think your home country allows for dual citizenship).

I've met and know a few drivers and friends from eastern European countries and they've done it but it takes a bit of time and paperwork. (Moldova, Bosnians, Serbs and Russian )

Hi guys.I believe from last post here you guys are trying to help buddy here to get his working paper.I'm not 100%,but sponsorship is not that easy or not possible to do after 9/11.I might be wrong,but this is very hard and long way to get your working permit.And if somebody knows somebody who has friend,you know how that is always.They can run their trucking company,because they have their working permits,green card or citizenship.This is way too complicated and almost impossible to do since 9/11 and specially now with president Trump.Only way is lottery for Green card(you might never win) or marriage to citizen

This is pretty much going to be the case.

Guest Worker Visa's or getting sponsored by a company, is pretty much very limited in with regards to which professions are permitted.

I have a good friend who's an immigration atty that specializes in bringing in programmers for the video game industry. The visa's are very specific and very limited in scope.

Some information from the State Department on "temporary worker visa's".

Temporary Worker Visas

Driving a truck is not considered one of those "specialty fields" where we need to import workers. Under the new administrations America/Americans First policies - I don't think you're going to see many opportunities to get into this country to work - and we'll probably start seeing much stricter enforcement on companies that hire non-citizens that lack proper work authorization (and I happen to agree with these policies myself).

Trucking being under a lot more scrutiny due to the mounds of federal regulatory oversight - is typically not going to be one of those professions you just "slide by on"

Most foreign born drivers, are here on Green Cards (permanent resident with work authorization). Whether they got here via marriage, or having close relatives here that sponsored them for immigration - it's going to be increasingly difficult to just ask to come here to work, and get a visa to do so.

Rick