Dept. of Labor Strengthens English Proficiency Requirements for Truckers Seeking Work Visas

The US Department of Labor announced the inclusion of new English language proficiency requirements for work visas related to commercial motor vehicle operators.

Under the new regulations, which go into effect June 15, employers are required to submit a job order and application to the Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification verifying both economic need and that foreign truck drivers seeking a visa are proficient in English.

Specifically, it states: “The worker must be able to read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records.”

This is an important step toward ensuring that new foreign workers can read road signage and communicate effectively with their fellow drivers, a critical element in avoiding accidents and keeping our roads safe.

These updated guidelines are part of a broader wave of legislation and regulatory changes aimed at improving safety in the trucking industry. Last year, the Department of Transportation began enforcing a regulation requiring commercial driver’s license holders to demonstrate English proficiency.

At the federal level, we’ve been closely following “Dalilah’s law,” a bill openly supported by President Trump which would entirely prohibit non-citizens from obtaining commercial drivers licenses in the first place.

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that trucking brokers can be sued by individuals injured in crashes involving the trucking companies they hired. This makes it less likely they’ll do business with companies that don’t enforce English fluency among their drivers.

At ProEnglish, we’ll continue to advocate for Official English policies at every level that are aligned with President Trump’s executive order and keep our roads safe.