Wow, this thread is actually back on track!
Interesting perspectives from those in other regions. But cplpilot, your story proves my point- sure all of the people you knew that had commercial pilot licenses got jobs, but you probably have no idea the number of people that were not even able to get to that point. And no, people in Canada are not just "bad at handling money".
In all honesty it begs the question, if it is so damn great back in Italy, what the h&ll are you doing here? For most native north americans (like myself), an EU passport is a non-starter. If I had a CHOICE of where I would work, like you do, I would more than likely choose the place with better conditions, pay, and chances of success given my qualifications. Staying here in Canada, whining about how difficult it is serves no purpose whatsoever. Go back to Italy man!!
Otterman,
Your summary of the dutch approach to training summarizes my initial (deleted post) point about european aviation being elitist. Canada's charter of civil rights and freedoms practically outlaws that kind of screening if it were to unfairly limit opportunities. But it sure does make it seem like its "easier" to get a job once you're in; and also by limiting supply, increases demand and thus pay.
Cheers