Immigration to Canada
There have been a number of foreign pilots inquiring about job opportunities and immigration to Canada on this forum and others. Before I go further, I want to make it totally clear that I am nor a racist nor somebody who discriminates against people because they are from a foreign country. I have a University education, speak 3 languages fluently, have lived in 6 countries and am married to a non-Canadian citizen. I currently live outside of Canada.
I understand the desire for work as a pilot and thirst for adventure in foreign countries. I myself have fallen victim to the same. My problem is that Immigration Canada has made it relatively easy (compared to most other countries) for foreign pilots to immigrate to Canada to seek permanent employment.
Am I against letting foreigners work in Canada? No. However, when a Canadian pilot attempts to find work outside of Canada, the reception by these countries' immigration and aviation authorities is more frigid than Whitehorse in the midst of January. I remember myself inquiring at the Australian consulate in Los Angeles a few years ago about the possibility of a temporary work visa for a pilot. The response I got was so hostile that I lost all interest in having anything to do with Australia or Australians for a good many years (don't worry, I now work aside a couple and I think their a good bunch of jovial guys). How about Europe? There's a big pilot shortage there. Uh, uh. Unless you still have citizenship in one of the EU countries, no chance. Go to the U.S.-- without having a U.S. spouse-- ha!?!?!?! How about Latin America? Most Latin American countries' Civil Aviation Authorities require you to be a CITIZEN of that country to be able to hold a Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot License. That's EVEN DISPITE that Immigration may have issued you Permanent Resident/Landed Immigrant status. As a Canadian pilot working for a company and government agency of XXXX country, conducting operations in ZZZZ country, we have no less than had pilots of ZZZZ country launching compaints and full page articles in the newspapers that we're violating not only their country's civil aviation regulations by not exclusively employing pilots of ZZZZ nationality, but even violating the constituation of that country in the process! All of this dispite the fact that we are working for the federal government of XXXX, and there is an agreement signed with the government of the Republic of ZZZZ to conduct our operations.
I guess I wouldn't be bothered by all of this if we had a pilot shortage in Canada of the proportions that are seen in the U.S., Europe or Asia, but in Canada a 2000 hour pilot pilot still needs luck in getting a turboprop job-- a number of jet companies list their mins. at 4000 or 5000 hours TT. Obviously these minimums are tied to the rules of supply and demand-- quite frankly I would like to see the supply dry up to see the situation improve in Canada to give my fellow pilots who have a tough time getting their first job or accumulating meaningful flight time to have a decent shot at a jet or turboprop job. As evidenced by the laxness of immigration rules and the immigration of foreign pilots to Canada dispite the presence of a pilot shortage, we as Canadians must be incredibly generous or overwhelmingly stupid (you pick).
Foreign pilots in Canada? Sure! But maybe you should talk to your government first to make it a reciprocal process that gives Canadian pilots an equal chance to enter the job market in your country. More than anything, I believe in free competition.
Fire away.