Has the bigger picture occurred to you guys yet- that there may in fact not be enough suitable candidates?
Just because someone has an ATPL, or a CPL with subjects passed, and 1200hrs doesn't automatically make them attractive to an airline.
I hear it from management pilot mates in every airline bar QF, and only because QF are not hiring, "Chuck we have run out of A candidates and are mining the B candidates looking for suitable pilots - and not finding many". In one airline I know they suspect pretty strongly that those pilots with say 2000hrs who are not already in an airline are not 'for a reason'.
Another common complaint is 'the % of FOs who are ready for command or who have real command potential, compared to the % who THINK they have, is minuscule'.
Don't shoot the messenger boys but the above are universal sentiments. Companies don't go down the 457 visa route JUST to fck people over...it's expensive and aggravating. But if airlines have to do so to keep the aircraft flying they will...and leave the unsuitable candidates on the sidelines.
There may indeed be no 'pilot' shortage but there appears to be a real shortage of pilots with high (personal) standards and experience commensurate with age.