There is also a time-in-contract function (I haven't figured if it is direct proportion or exponential) that causes decreased happiness the longer you stay.
From my experience with different contracts in several different countries, I would put this at around the 3 year mark
**** - that seems to be when the people on contract have made a determination as to how well THEY have adjusted to the new culture, and how well they believe they have been accpeted by THEM (the new company & the permanent employees).
A LOT depends on the latter, in my honest opinion.
Whereas in other companies, in other countries, I got the impression that the longer I was there, and performed to their requirements, the more I was accepted, Japan has proven to be
far different.
Despite all of the foreigners coming here with extensive experience - in many cases more hours than most Japanese will achieve in their entire flying career - the partial, reluctant acceptance by the Japanese, of foreigners, appears to
start at around the 5 years (of flying in Japan) mark, as long as he has had no accident/incident.
But
gaijin Captains will NEVER be as accepted as even the most junior Japanese F/O - by the company execs, the cabin crew, nor the taxi drivers.
Most companies reward their employees the longer they remain with a company - and this is true for the Japanese employees. However, as a foreigner this has not been the case - as a matter of fact, conditions were eroded - until recently.
It would appear for those of us with
JAL Express, that there might be a new wind of change blowing, with a more open-minded, progressive style of management.
But it`s taken almost
7 years to occur!
****The
5 year mark also seems to be a wall most of the guys hit - imho, it`s the psychological time that we start to notice the pressures of the work in a foreign company, culture and land. Personally, I would have liked a nice looooong (paid) break (6-8 weeks).........something the contract companies might think about incorporating into future contracts, if they want to keep existing pilots.