Originally Posted by
Air Profit
Don't forget, they are already doing this on behalf of the commuter airlines that can't find enough pilots now (some have already shut down due to no pilots). To argue that somehow this will never happen is absurd, as none of us can predict how this situation will evolve (and I am only relaying info, not stating the outcome). As I said, the above info is from the head of training for one of the US majors. He is obviously more in the loop than any of us.
The reason many react negatively to the idea of U.S. Majors or regionals for that matter needing to sponsor is that we are not anywhere close to that kind of shortage. The abuse of the H1B visa system has happened in many other industries as a means of importing cheaper skilled labor. In the case of the regional airlines, they have only recently raised wages out of the cellar while kicking and screaming the whole time. The irrational economics of commercial pilot training at previous wages is finally playing out to something a little more rational. With this in mind, when airlines talk about not enough pilots to fly it is hard not to be skeptical about their motives.
I have seen the H1B system abuse first hand. Years ago I worked in the cellular industry that is full of green card holding programmers and analysts from India, Pakistan, etc. who work for 1/2 or 2/3 (but have rarely or never been in an actual equipment shelter) and would probably need help to hook up their own home stereo system. This trend has only accelerated since I left. The point of the green card system is NOT there so that companies can tap into the worldwide labor market anytime there is upward pressure on wages.