Hello Ryguy,
I`m doing my CPL/MEIR here in Canada but am also looking at the possiblities of converting to a JAR licence.
JAR is fairly new, and I think I`m right in saying that the conversion from other ICAO licences to JAR ones has not been completely worked out.
I don`t know what the requirements are to convert to a JAR CPL, but I do know that if you had a Canadian ATPL you would still have to sit all the JAR ATPL exams and pass a flight test. Also, the hours requirement for a JAR ATPL, although similar in amount to other ICAO ATPLs, has to be completed on aircraft heavier than 12,500.
In short, I don`t think it would be a painless process. I imagine you would have to pass an ME/IR flight test in the UK, and probably sit some of the CPL exam papers. This all costs money! I`m going to do it, though mainly for personal reasons...
As an aside, I`m not sure how many 250hr pilots jump to the RHS of a 757. I`m sure a lucky few do, and both BA and Air Lingus have ab initio cadetships whose graduates start on jets (or turbo-props) with that sort of time. I think the situation in the UK is the same as here - you have to be willing to build up the hours. The thing is, in the UK that means almost exclusively instructing, as there is not the same sort of charter/float industry as exists here. You might be better staying here and getting some hours/experience up North and then trying the UK.
Not sure how useful any of that was...just my tuppence worth, I suppose.
Good luck
TrueNorth
(edited for spelling - bit anal in that regard...)
[This message has been edited by TrueNorth (edited 13 October 2000).]