Lifting Truck Operators: Jobs in Demand in Europe (2025)
Lifting Truck Operators is an official occupation group (ISCO-08 code 8344) used by the International Labour Organization and Eurostat.
- Forklift truck driver
Pay in the UK for this job
UK occupation used: Fork-lift truck drivers (SOC 2020 code 8222). Placeivo matched this to ISCO-08 8344 by job title and duties; the UK and international occupation lists do not line up exactly. National figure for the whole United Kingdom, in pounds sterling (GBP), before income tax and National Insurance.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional, Table 14 (occupation by 4-digit SOC 2020): tables 14.7a (annual pay, gross) and 14.1a (weekly pay, gross), full-time employee jobs, United Kingdom. Weekly pay is for April 2025; annual pay is for the tax year ending 5 April 2025, employees in the same job for at least a year. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
UK Skilled Worker visa for this job
This occupation (UK code 8222, Fork-lift truck drivers) is not eligible for the Skilled Worker visa, according to the GOV.UK list of eligible occupations. Placeivo matched this UK code to ISCO-08 8344 by job title; the lists do not line up exactly.
This is a summary of official rules, not legal advice. Rules change and some people (for example those already on a Skilled Worker visa) have different rules. Always check GOV.UK before you apply.
Source: UK Visas and Immigration, GOV.UK tables "Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes" and "Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes", updated 2025-07-22, retrieved 2026-10-15. General minimum salary from GOV.UK "Skilled Worker visa: Your job", checked 2026-10-15.
Compare UK visa going rates by job · Eligible occupations (GOV.UK) · Going rates (GOV.UK) · Salary rules (GOV.UK)
Latest lifting truck operators job ads
Real vacancies from the official public employment services, updated daily. Job titles are translated into English automatically; the full ad opens on the official site in German or Swedish (your browser's translate button turns it into English).
Germany
10,746 open ads- Forklift driver
German title: Staplerfahrer
RT Personaldienst Ronald Tschinke · Ampfing · Posted 2026-10-15 - Forklift driver
German title: Staplerfahrer
Paul & Co GmbH & Co. KG · Wildflecken · Posted 2026-09-24 - Forklift driver
German title: Staplerfahrer
SEC24 Sicherheit und Dienstleistungs GmbH · Neuwied · Posted 2026-09-10 - Forklift driver
German title: Staplerfahrer
apero GmbH Arbeitnehmerüberlassung · Singen (Hohentwiel) · Posted 2026-10-18 - Forklift driver
German title: Staplerfahrer
AvJS Personal auf Zeit GmbH · Augsburg, Bayern · Posted 2026-10-18 - Forklift driver
German title: Staplerfahrer
Corinna Meyer MISIPI Service GmbH & Co. KG · Warburg, Westfalen · Posted 2026-08-17
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German Federal Employment Agency). Ads are written by employers; Placeivo does not check them. See all ads in Germany
Sweden
244 open ads- Forklift driver needed – experience required!
Swedish title: Truckförare sökes – erfarenhet krävs!
NearYou Sverige AB · Vetlanda · Posted 2026-10-18 - Forklift drivers are sought in Örebro
Swedish title: Truckförare sökes i Örebro
Aura Personal AB · Örebro · Posted 2026-10-17 - Driver/Warehouse Worker – Norrköping
Swedish title: Chaufför/Lagerarbetare – Norrköping
Pilkington Automotive Sweden Aktiebolag · Norrköping · Posted 2026-10-16 - Storage operator to world-leading customer in Södertälje
Swedish title: Förrådsoperatör till världsledande kund i Södertälje
OnePartnerGroup Stockholm Bemanning AB · Stockholm · Posted 2026-10-16 - Truck driver with administrative responsibility - Seasonal assignment
Swedish title: Truckförare med administrativt ansvar - Säsongsuppdrag
Boxflow Staffing Syd AB · Eslöv · Posted 2026-10-16 - Forklift driver to customer in Karlskrona
Swedish title: Truckförare till kund i Karlskrona
Montico HR Partner AB · Olofström · Posted 2026-10-16
Source: Arbetsförmedlingen (Swedish Public Employment Service). Ads are written by employers; Placeivo does not check them. See all ads in Sweden
Where lifting truck operators are needed in Europe
| Country | EURES 2025 | Average gross pay, all plant and machine operators and assemblers (2022) | 1-bed rent in the capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria | Shortage | €626 a month | Sofia: €650 |
| Czechia | Shortage | €1,285 a month | Prague: €1,250 |
| Italy | Shortage | €2,300 a month * | Rome: €1,300 |
| Netherlands | Shortage | €3,120 a month | Not yet verified |
| Norway | Shortage | €4,749 a month | Oslo: €2,000 |
| Poland | Shortage | €1,184 a month | Warsaw: €840 |
| Romania | Shortage | €924 a month * | Not yet verified |
| Slovakia | Shortage | €1,230 a month | Bratislava: €910 |
| Belgium | Shortage and surplus | Not yet verified | Brussels: €1,150 |
| Austria | Surplus | €3,040 a month * | Vienna: €1,250 |
| Finland | Surplus | €3,361 a month * | Helsinki: €1,150 |
| Hungary | Surplus | €1,053 a month * | Budapest: €910 |
| Latvia | Surplus | €1,221 a month | Riga: €870 |
| Sweden | Surplus | Not yet verified | Stockholm: €2,100 |
Pay: Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey 2022, mean gross monthly earnings of all plant and machine operators and assemblers in each country, in euros. This is the average for the whole occupation group, not for lifting truck operators alone, and before tax. * Firms with 10 or more employees only. Rent: Eurostat, good-quality 1-bedroom flat in the capital, 2025.
What lifting truck operators do
Lifting-truck operators drive, operate and monitor lifting trucks or similar vehicles to transport, lift and stack pallets with goods.
Typical tasks
- Operating and monitoring lifting truck and similar equipment to load and unload, transport, lift and stack goods and pallets in terminals, harbours, warehouses, factories and other establishments
- Positioning lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids and boxes, and securing material or products for transport to designated areas
- Inspecting equipment to identify wear and damage
- Performing routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment
- Keeping records of work undertaken and breakdowns of vehicles
Finding lifting truck operators jobs in Europe
- EURES is the official job portal of the EU public employment services. The search above looks for "Forklift truck driver".
- Some jobs are regulated professions: before you can work, your qualification may need to be recognised in the new country.
- If you are not an EU/EEA citizen you will usually need a work permit or a visa such as the EU Blue Card. Check the rules of the country's immigration authority.
Cost of living where the jobs are
Take-home pay needed to rent a good 1-bedroom flat in the capitals of countries reporting a shortage:
About this data
- Shortage and surplus: European Labour Authority, EURES Report on labour shortages and surpluses 2025, annex table 21 (published 2026). Each country's public employment service reports which occupations it finds hard to fill or in oversupply. Countries not listed did not report this occupation as either.
- Definition, tasks and job titles: International Labour Organization, ISCO-08 structure and definitions.
- Pay: Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 (earn_ses22_48), by occupation group. United Kingdom, closest UK occupation: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (median pay of full-time employees).
- Job ads: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Germany) and Arbetsförmedlingen (Sweden), refreshed about once a day.