ERJ-Jay, you say: "My question is where they expect to find people with 300 hours on the type?".
I am sure there are loads of people around the world with EU passport (or spouse) and 737 type ratings looking for work... The only problem with Europe is that @#$& JAR licence!!
My husband has 200 hours on 73 (from his first and only job on jets back in 1995), 5000 T.T. and an NG endorsement with Continental. We live in Australia and there is no work over here (about 4000 unemployed pilots at the moment, after Ansett collapse). Last week he completed his maths and physic studies so that he can apply with Qantas. And this is just another course... another couple of thousand bucks... SIGH!
We are thinking to come back to Europe (home for me) and it will be another awful amount of money and studies before he'll get a job. Ryanair is on the list of course, as many others.
What I am trying to say here is that some people are ready to go through the hard way, others abbandon (thankfully), but at the end, it mightl pay off. Nothing comes to you if you don't fight for it first! You need a type-rating to apply? Well, this is another requirement to be competitive. The market is changing and the best you can do is to adapt! Cadet stuff is history! Sponsorship? Forget it! Today you have to put all your money into it and kick doors till they give you a chance. Learn the art of begging and stop counting the money you spend for aviation....
You don't have that money? Start saving and sell your car.
You'll find out that some girls are still quite nice to you anyway, after they find out what it is all about...
Mrs. FloatJockey (proud, supportive and broke wife)
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Pilot = glamour? Yeah right!