I wonder how many of those lorry drivers who went back to the EU spoke English well enough to do their job; I'm guessing all of them or they wouldn't have been working here in the first place.

The current immigration policy is points-based, they have to earn 70 points to be eligible. They can earn 20 of those points if they're considered to be in a shortage occupation, but it's still mandatory they have a sponsor, an English certificate, and a "job at an appropriate skill level" (whatever that means).

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...-for-employers

But, rather than be sensible and declare HGV drivers a shortage occupation, the gov't is kowtowing to anti-immigration zealots amongst their supporters who did vote Brexit to stop immigration. Seems a bit retarded imo.