pilot shortage? Yes
Pilot shortage? Yes, but it only applies to those experience pilots who has 1'000s of hours.
For freshly 300 hours cpl/ir pilots, there are stockpiles of them. Enough to create an airline of their own. It is the first hurdle that is the hardest!
Asia and Mid. East are recruiting, but they want experienced flyers. They don't want freshly graduated pilots because they have their own local ppl. There is some exceptions though, cx and ka.