Icarus,
The issue is that the Australian airlines have dug this hole for themselves. It is not a market shortage - it was a conscious decision by QF and others to not develop staff. The industry has not significantly expanded in Australia, it is just that the airlines have failed in their succession planning due to a want for money saving and immediate investor returns. Now they want to import skilled labour (which is admittedly missing) as a substitute for failing to invest in development over the last 10 years (like every other business in the world is expected to do). They should be forced to lay in the bed they made for themselves - and that means forking out a significant wad of cash to train & upgrade existing employees and bring in more junior pilots already here in Australia & gagging for the opportunity.
The US on the other hand is a market shortage situation from rapid industry expansion, not a refusal by airlines to invest in training. Although that may also exist (I'm not qualified to comment on that), it is not the cause of the shortage. Therefore, international recruitment is warranted.
Besides, do you think pilots in Australia would pack up their lives and move to a different country or just stay where they are?
Last edited by Kranz; 9th Aug 2018 at 05:41.