JetA_OK
My contacts are a little higher than departmental level. There has been no ministerial directive to D.I.A.C to waver the visa rulers regarding pilots. He is the one that decides who comes into this country or not. It would be a very brave government to change the visa rules regarding pilots just after the recent doctors fiasco. One phone call to one of the current affairs programs or one of the radio shock jocks would have most politicians scurrying for cover, especially coming up to a federal election.
Maybe you might like to tell us this so called company that has obtained so many 457 visas for pilots? Maybe the media would like to know as well? Maybe you won’t though as you are probably one of the managers of this particular company and you are trying to screw your pilots T&C by telling them that you will import cheap foreign labour.