That's odd, maybe more a U.S. attitude, if they don't think your ready for taking passengers then you shouldn't be granted a license that entitles you too IMO, also we can't do 'instrument' training in the R44 in the UK as it's not an IFR ship... That said operators/owners do sometimes apply restrictions such as no SFH until 5hrs P1 on type post-license. You should be able to hire without restriction from the people you trained with if they thought you were up to standard to put you in for test...
perhaps it is a US attitude. All I know is thats how it goes at my school. I think its more of an insurance thing then a trusting your abilities as a safe pilot thing.
What ship do you guys fly for your instrument rating if the 44 isnt qualified? Here we can use it to train, but not to go actual imc.