What he said. The FAA 1500hr Rule has restricted the number of suitably qualified pilots available in the States.
Until similar restrictions are placed on European airlines I very much doubt you'll see the much-vaunted "shortage" materialise around these parts..
Directed by Congress, the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010 called for increased minimum requirements for airline first officers. The new rule mandates that airline first officers hold an air transport pilot (ATP) certificate or the new “restricted ATP.”
An ATP certificate requires, among many other qualifications, that the pilot be at least 23 years old and have logged at least 1,500 hours of flight time.
The “restricted ATP” requires pilots to be at least 21 years old with
750 flight hours if they are military-trained and qualified,
1,000 flight hours if trained in a four-year college or university-accredited aviation training program leading to a bachelor’s degree, or
1,250 flight hours if trained in a two-year college aviation program leading to an associate’s degree.