diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/metrics/metrics.go b/pkg/kubelet/metrics/metrics.go
index 709e157b066..fd95687ce36 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/metrics/metrics.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/metrics/metrics.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 
 // This const block defines the metric names for the kubelet metrics.
 const (
+	FirstNetworkPodStartSLIDurationKey = "first_network_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds"
 	KubeletSubsystem                   = "kubelet"
 	NodeNameKey                        = "node_name"
 	NodeLabelKey                       = "node"
@@ -238,6 +239,20 @@ var (
 		[]string{},
 	)
 
+	// FirstNetworkPodStartSLIDuration is a gauge that tracks the duration (in seconds) it takes for the first network pod to run,
+	// excluding the time for image pulling. This is an internal and temporary metric required because of the existing limitations of the
+	// existing networking subsystem and CRI/CNI implementations that will be solved by https://github.com/containernetworking/cni/issues/859
+	// The metric represents the latency observed by an user to run workloads in a new node.
+	// ref: https://github.com/kubernetes/community/blob/master/sig-scalability/slos/pod_startup_latency.md
+	FirstNetworkPodStartSLIDuration = metrics.NewGauge(
+		&metrics.GaugeOpts{
+			Subsystem:      KubeletSubsystem,
+			Name:           FirstNetworkPodStartSLIDurationKey,
+			Help:           "Duration in seconds to start the first network pod, excluding time to pull images and run init containers, measured from pod creation timestamp to when all its containers are reported as started and observed via watch",
+			StabilityLevel: metrics.INTERNAL,
+		},
+	)
+
 	// CgroupManagerDuration is a Histogram that tracks the duration (in seconds) it takes for cgroup manager operations to complete.
 	// Broken down by method.
 	CgroupManagerDuration = metrics.NewHistogramVec(
@@ -900,6 +915,7 @@ var registerMetrics sync.Once
 func Register(collectors ...metrics.StableCollector) {
 	// Register the metrics.
 	registerMetrics.Do(func() {
+		legacyregistry.MustRegister(FirstNetworkPodStartSLIDuration)
 		legacyregistry.MustRegister(NodeName)
 		legacyregistry.MustRegister(PodWorkerDuration)
 		legacyregistry.MustRegister(PodStartDuration)
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker.go b/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker.go
index c35918b8564..3ab3d2aaae5 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker.go
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ type basicPodStartupLatencyTracker struct {
 	// protect against concurrent read and write on pods map
 	lock sync.Mutex
 	pods map[types.UID]*perPodState
+	// metrics for the first network pod only
+	firstNetworkPodSeen bool
 	// For testability
 	clock clock.Clock
 }
@@ -112,6 +114,12 @@ func (p *basicPodStartupLatencyTracker) ObservedPodOnWatch(pod *v1.Pod, when tim
 		metrics.PodStartSLIDuration.WithLabelValues().Observe(podStartSLOduration)
 		metrics.PodStartTotalDuration.WithLabelValues().Observe(podStartingDuration.Seconds())
 		state.metricRecorded = true
+		// if is the first Pod with network track the start values
+		// these metrics will help to identify problems with the CNI plugin
+		if !pod.Spec.HostNetwork && !p.firstNetworkPodSeen {
+			metrics.FirstNetworkPodStartSLIDuration.Set(podStartSLOduration)
+			p.firstNetworkPodSeen = true
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker_test.go
index 8f246a9351f..5679f0568dd 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/util/pod_startup_latency_tracker_test.go
@@ -275,6 +275,69 @@ kubelet_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds_count 1
 	})
 }
 
+func TestFirstNetworkPodMetrics(t *testing.T) {
+
+	t.Run("first network pod; started in 30s, image pulling between 10th and 20th seconds", func(t *testing.T) {
+
+		wants := `
+# HELP kubelet_first_network_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds [INTERNAL] Duration in seconds to start the first network pod, excluding time to pull images and run init containers, measured from pod creation timestamp to when all its containers are reported as started and observed via watch
+# TYPE kubelet_first_network_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds gauge
+kubelet_first_network_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds 30
+`
+
+		fakeClock := testingclock.NewFakeClock(frozenTime)
+
+		metrics.Register()
+
+		tracker := &basicPodStartupLatencyTracker{
+			pods:  map[types.UID]*perPodState{},
+			clock: fakeClock,
+		}
+
+		// hostNetwork pods should not be tracked
+		hostNetworkPodInitializing := buildInitializingPod()
+		hostNetworkPodInitializing.UID = "11111-22222"
+		hostNetworkPodInitializing.Spec.HostNetwork = true
+		tracker.ObservedPodOnWatch(hostNetworkPodInitializing, frozenTime)
+
+		hostNetworkPodStarted := buildRunningPod()
+		hostNetworkPodStarted.UID = "11111-22222"
+		hostNetworkPodStarted.Spec.HostNetwork = true
+		tracker.RecordStatusUpdated(hostNetworkPodStarted)
+
+		// track only the first pod with network
+		podInitializing := buildInitializingPod()
+		tracker.ObservedPodOnWatch(podInitializing, frozenTime)
+
+		// pod started
+		podStarted := buildRunningPod()
+		tracker.RecordStatusUpdated(podStarted)
+
+		// at 30s observe the same pod on watch
+		tracker.ObservedPodOnWatch(podStarted, frozenTime.Add(time.Second*30))
+
+		if err := testutil.GatherAndCompare(metrics.GetGather(), strings.NewReader(wants), "kubelet_first_network_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds", "kubelet_first_network_pod_start_total_duration_seconds"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		// any new pod observations should not impact the metrics, as the pod should be recorder only once
+		tracker.ObservedPodOnWatch(podStarted, frozenTime.Add(time.Second*150))
+		tracker.ObservedPodOnWatch(podStarted, frozenTime.Add(time.Second*200))
+		tracker.ObservedPodOnWatch(podStarted, frozenTime.Add(time.Second*250))
+
+		if err := testutil.GatherAndCompare(metrics.GetGather(), strings.NewReader(wants), "kubelet_first_network_pod_start_sli_duration_seconds", "kubelet_first_network_pod_start_total_duration_seconds"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		// cleanup
+		tracker.DeletePodStartupState(hostNetworkPodStarted.UID)
+		tracker.DeletePodStartupState(podStarted.UID)
+
+		assert.Empty(t, tracker.pods)
+		metrics.PodStartSLIDuration.Reset()
+	})
+}
+
 func buildInitializingPod() *corev1.Pod {
 	return buildPodWithStatus([]corev1.ContainerStatus{
 		{State: corev1.ContainerState{Waiting: &corev1.ContainerStateWaiting{Reason: "PodInitializing"}}},