Everyone says "just head up north", but how many GA operations actually exist "up north" that actually take fresh CPL's?
I can't speak for GA in Australia, but can certainly assure you that GA in PNG is a mere shadow of what it was 30 or even 20 years ago. Some of the reasons differ from Australia (virtual non-availability of Avgas, CASA PNG imposed minimum experience requirements, tougher rules for obtaining a work permit etc), but the fact this that there just are no entry-level positions in PNG. Solomons has no expats either from what I understand.