The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to abolish the requirement for a minimum of three years of experience to obtain a permit for driving agricultural machinery. This innovation aims to address the personnel shortage in the agricultural sector, especially during peak periods of fieldwork.
This is reported by Finway
Which Driver Categories Are Affected by the Changes
From now on, drivers holding licenses of categories C1, C, D1, and D, even if their experience is less than three years, are allowed to operate a range of agricultural machines without the need to obtain a separate tractor operator’s license. In particular, this applies to machinery of categories A1, A2, B1, B2, B3 — tractors, self-propelled grain and corn harvesting machines, as well as specialized equipment for harvesting root crops, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, and berries.
Reasons and Expected Effects of the Simplification
According to government officials, the shortage of qualified tractor operators is related to the fact that many of them are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This creates a serious personnel vacuum in the agricultural production sector, especially during the planting campaign and harvest.
“This simplification of conditions will help attract additional workers, especially during peak fieldwork periods – planting and harvesting. This is part of the government’s decisions to ensure the country’s food security,” emphasized the Prime Minister.
It is expected that this innovation will allow the agricultural sector to respond more swiftly to the challenges of wartime and maintain an adequate level of food security.