Originally Posted by aileron
Greetings from a Canadian/Brit flying for Thomson Airways in the UK (part of the TUI group).
We have pilots flying in Canada during the winter and have done so for atleast ten years. We bring Canadian pilots over in the Summer and have done so for atleast ten years. Opposite capacity issues, businesses working together and Aviation Authorities in the loop.
Ten years ago Sunwing didn't exist nor did today's version of Canjet. In those days it was Skyservice doing the reciprocal deal that no one in Canada complained about because they played by the rules. 30, 40 or 50 European pilots came to fly for them in the winter and an equal (more or less) number of Canadian pilots went to fly in Europe in the Summer.
That is fine and we were all ok with it.
Last winter, however, Sunwing had 150 Canadian pilots on its payrol and had about 200 foreign pilots on temporary contracts. In the summer, they send about 60 to Europe. Some Sunwing pilots informed us that next winter, Sunwing intended to hire up to 300 foreign pilots on short term contracts. In fact they recently even had a job opening for a full time employee just to manage the foreign pilots' paperwork, visas, training records and licence validations.
Canjet only brings in about 30 foreign pilots but sends none to Europe. Both of these companies have begun abusing the system which is why we want to stop them, or rather, we want them to do it by the rules.
I'm going to quote you the exact Immigration Canada policy copied from their manual:
R205(b) allows foreign workers to take up employment when reciprocal opportunities are provided for Canadian citizens to take temporary employment abroad. Exchange programs offer the opportunity of gaining international experience and allow the cultural exchange of both foreign and Canadian participants and their employers. Entry under reciprocal provisions should result in a neutral labour market impact.
Although it is not necessary that there be full reciprocity in practice within the same time frame (i.e. one for one exchange), there must at least be proof that there is or has been reciprocity, and the general order of magnitude of exchanges should be similar in order to demonstrate that, over a reasonable period of time (e.g. five years), there is a general neutral impact on the labour market
Sunwing has been doing this since 2005, so seven years. We have asked in writing to Immigration Canada how many Sunwing pilots have gone to work in Europe since 2005, and do you know what they replied ? :
"We do not have that information".
I have their signed reply right here on my desk on their letterhead.
I recently even heard the rumor that when they count the number of their pilots "working" in Europe, they include those Sunwing pilots who go overseas on Wet-Leases with Sunwing aircraft, when those pilots do not even require a work permit or a Foreign licence validation to do so. These pilots stay at the employ and control of Sunwing. If this was accounting it would be called fraud..........
All we want is for the existing rules to be applied. No more, no less. We are not disgruntled pilots.
I don't really understand the relation between your Air Canada buddy's anecdote and this thread. They have a series of major issues in that company that they are dealing with, which are unique to Air Canada and which are unrelated to the subject of this thread. I work at Air Transat where the vast majority of pilots are happy and have a great time flying. We have great routes which are diverse and seasonal, great layovers and great staff. We do not have the same internal problems as Air Canada.
PT6A, while claiming here to go work in Canada every year, claims in another thread to be an A-320 pilot so I don't really know where he/she fits in this story which these days only concerns B-737NG pilots, but that's another matter......
Cheers...