rustyoldtin
It was always a requirement for renewal that there shouldn’t be local that can do the job as per the original application. It may have been that there previously was no need to rigorously check.
Quote: Such applications will be considered only where it is satisfied that the circumstances upon which the applicant acquired his/her current immigration status remain unchanged.
It would appear that successful lobbying of Immigration and of Jeremy Tam by those pilots recently made redundant means that proper consideration of the local pilot market is now being made for renewal of a work visa.