“Thanks for Sharing”: Mzansi Bus Drivers in Demand in Ireland as Dublin Bus Hires Nearly 100 Locals

• Dublin Bus launched its first-ever recruitment campaign in South Africa to address a national bus driver shortage
• Almost 100 South African drivers have already been hired, with new recruits arriving in Ireland at a rate of about six a week
• South Africans were specifically targeted because of their English fluency and the fact that their licences are already recognised in Ireland

South African bus drivers are heading to Ireland in growing numbers after Dublin Bus turned to the country to plug a serious shortage of qualified drivers.

The public transport operator launched its first recruitment campaign in South Africa and has already signed on 93 drivers, according to the company’s chief people officer, Barbara Carroll. According to The South African, the new hires are touching down in Ireland at a rate of roughly six per week.

Dublin Bus employs around 4,650 people, with about three-quarters of them behind the wheel. The company’s workforce already draws from approximately 90 nationalities, having previously recruited mechanics from Spain and the Philippines. South Africa, however, is the first country tapped specifically for drivers.

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Carroll cited two clear reasons for the focus on South Africa.

“South Africa is an English-speaking country and there’s a good strong pipeline of drivers,” she said.

South African drivers also arrive with the higher-category licence already needed to operate buses in Ireland, making the transition smoother than it might otherwise be.

What South African recruits go through

The process is not without its paperwork. According to the report published on 11 August 2026, Carroll confirmed that new arrivals must obtain an Irish residence permit and complete a licence exchange process. Ireland and South Africa have a bilateral agreement that allows South African driving licences to be exchanged, which eases the administrative load considerably.

Dublin Bus works with a partner organisation in South Africa to screen candidates before they travel. Once in Ireland, recruits go through the company’s full training programme. Carroll noted that overseas drivers receive slightly more support during onboarding to help them settle into both the job and the country.

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Accommodation is provided, but only for the first four weeks. After that, drivers are on their own.

“It’s tough for them. They are on a training rate and they are very focused on getting through the system as quickly as they can,” Carroll said.

The drive is unlikely to stop there. Dublin Bus plans to keep hiring around 200 drivers a year going forward. “There’s a national shortage, but we’re planning to continue the recruitment,” Carroll added.

See the original post that sparked the conversation here.

South Africans on Facebook had plenty to say about the opportunity:

@Illiterate Mpuphu wrote:

“Ireland was chasing foreigners recently, so this might be a trap game for South Africans.”

@Barbora Tellinger said:

“And they drive on the correct side of the road, hallelujah.”

@Builcor Co. cautioned:

“Ireland must vet those drivers who are interested. There’s a pandemic of Zimbabweans disguised as South Africans with fake documents.”

@Vanetia Mentor responded:

“That’s nice, hope many take the opportunity.”

Source: Briefly News