Girteka recruits its first drivers in Brazil
Article published today at Trasporto Europa E-Magazine
Girteka Transport announced in early May 2026 the arrival of its first Brazilian drivers, a development that CEO Mindaugas Paulauskas described as the start of a strategy to diversify the company’s workforce internationally. The new recruits completed their training at the Girteka Drivers Academy, where they obtained the qualifications needed to operate in Europe, including the mandatory CQC certification for professional drivers. Paulauskas said the Brazilian drivers had approached the transition with openness and commitment, despite coming from a very different regulatory environment.
Girteka’s initiative is not an isolated case. In recent years, several private intermediaries have built recruitment and training channels for non-EU drivers, with Brazil emerging as one of the main recruitment pools. The initial phase is handled entirely remotely: candidates submit their documents online, are assessed by specialist agencies and, once selected, begin a preparatory process before departure.
One of the most active operators in this segment is Marcelo Toledo, who, through the company M/Brazil, also known as Caterer Brazil, acts as an intermediary between South American drivers and European hauliers. Toledo already works with companies in several European countries, collecting from each of them their estimated staffing needs for the following 12 months. The system, which Toledo himself describes as a kind of "driver auction", is aimed in particular at small hauliers that lack the resources to turn to large recruitment agencies. In two years of activity, M/Brazil has placed around 95 drivers, mainly in Austria and Lithuania, with others waiting to complete visa procedures in Poland. Toledo estimates current demand at 2,000 drivers for this year, although he stresses that the figure is based on requests received through the system and forms submitted by employers, not on contracts already signed.
Before departure, drivers must submit a document package including a passport, Brazilian and international driving licences, a criminal record certificate, a driving record extract, medical checks and reference letters. On costs, Toledo says that in 90% of cases the employer covers the main expenses: the flight, initial accommodation, CQC training and the agency fee. Some companies also cover meals. Drivers are nevertheless asked to arrive with around €800 in cash for day-to-day expenses until they receive their first salary.
Alongside recruitment, M/Brazil also runs a preparatory programme called Viking, which lasts around three months and takes place before relocation. The aim is to prepare drivers not only for regulatory requirements but also for the personal challenges involved: distance from family, different work expectations and a harsher climate than in Brazil. The programme involves Brazilian drivers already working in Europe as mentors for new arrivals. Toledo also says he continues to support drivers after they arrive: if they lose their job, he seeks new interviews to avoid their forced return to Brazil; if the driver wants to change company, he first attempts mediation and, if the decision stands, starts looking for a new employer. Contracts are translated into Portuguese before being signed.
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Thank you Mr. Mindaugas Paulauskas to trust in our agency we can send 500 more drivers to Girteka next year.
Thank you and congratulation the Trasporto Europa E-Magazine for the great article - we will send 50 Drivers to Italy very soon too.
The first Polish Work visas for my drivers were issued this week, so, a new wave of Brazilian Drivers will arrive in Poland next month and there will be our biggest Market for sure!!
Pagarbiai/ Best regards / Cordiali Saluti
Marcelo Toledo
Number 1 Truck Driver Recruiter in Brazil since 1990
www.mbrazil.com.br
WhatsApp +55 11 9 8935 8841
