Blame the rich kids!
About twenty years back when I started in the flying side of the business once you got the CPL/IR (fATPL) you would send your CV to all the airlines and eventualy get a job.
The airline would pay for your type rating and usualy "bond" you to work for them for 2-3 years so they could get a return on investment.
Enter the "rich kids" who found that by getting daddy to pay for a type rating they could get first chance at a job.
As you can guess the airline beancounters loved this idea and now it has become the norm, all I can say is that I got into the business just in time having now done five type ratings and not payed a penny for any of them!