Hello,

I’m tossing up options for destinations to go on a WHV, hoping to utilise my truck driving experience in Australia to gain employment.

From my research, I can’t find a clear answer and certainty on whether my Australian MC licence (Artic with Multiple Trailers) would convert to an Irish Class 1 (C+E).

I’ve found that Ireland and Australia has an agreement ‘for all categories of licences’ (Link 1), and that this specifically applies to my state of Western Australia, confirmed by the Minister of Transport of 5/2/25 (Link 2), who then refers to a Statutory Instrument, which, in very verbose language states that an Australian licence will be transferred with the corresponding licence class in Ireland (Link 3).

So whilst it signals that my licence would indeed transfer to a Class 1, it certainly doesn’t explicitly state as such.

Has anyone been through this process before that could advise their experience perhaps? And additionally does anyone have any further information I may have missed, or a good resource/point of contact I could use to get certainty with my circumstance.

Thanks in Advance

Resources (Sorry can’t figure out text links on mobile)

1 - https://ireland.embassy.gov.au/dubl/DrivingLicenceInformation.html

2 - https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-02-05/236/

3 - https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2023/si/158/made/en/print

  • parent

    That’s exactly what I needed thankyou very much!

    parent root

  • Can’t comment on the transferability of the license question. That does seem to need very particular knowledge. However, I am assuming you have Irish or EU or UK citizenship as a basis for working in Ireland?

    parent

    No citizenship, would be under a Working Holiday Authorisation. The only restrictions there being I can only work for an employer for up to 6 months.

    parent root

    And be 35 or under. Seems like a fun opportunity to try. Hope you get the HGV transferability question clarified.

    parent root

    Thank you 🙏

    parent root

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    parent

  • The whole issue is you'll be limited to Ireland and thus can't work elsewhere which is a requirement in hgv driving. Talk to most drivers they are either using uk as a land bridge or coming going to Europe via Southern ports direct to Europe. Ireland per say is a small country in respect to hgv work and then having restrictions on where you can actually drive due to immigration reasons thus limiting employment possibilities. Then the next issue is insurance I insure vans, for my boys ( I'm a plumber /electrician) and I have to present their details for comerical insurance and one stipulation is Irish / uk citizen and even then it's extremely expensive, no doubt a hgv insurance would be massive compared to what I pay for a van / vans. Honestly can't see an employer paying out for a non citizen the cost are just to extreme for a short term employment. That is if they can even get coverage.

    parent

  • My wife and I are thinking of moving to Ireland as she’s from here (we’re currently here on holiday) and I drive trucks in Perth. The HC I know is transferable (CE) you just have to sit a competency course (once a year anyway). DG and Fork don’t transfer though, you apply from scratch.

    parent