So from what I've read and tried to understand, for current Aussie pilots overseas is that if youre in a situation where:
You have a CASA CPL(A) with ATPL theory
S/O or F/O on a Boeing or Airbus
Australian Citizen
Enough hour to apply for your CASA ATPL
1. If you want to make the move back down under, you would have to apply for an Aussie ATPL if no command, at you own cost...fair enough. But would one be "competitive" without command time on the aircraft that you're type rated on?
or
2. Get your command and rack up enough hours to be "competitive", and from what I gather, still have to pay for a MCC course (if not approved by CASA) and flight test (done with another candidate) at your own expense.
So pretty much if you currently only have an CPL and move overseas (ie. Susi Air or Cathay), it's going to be financially hard to come back home as you would have to pay quite a bit for an ATPL, unless taken up by the local regionals/airliners as an F/O and wait until a command upgrade. Think this will be the biggest issue for Aussie CPL holders in Cathay as an S/O.
All these questions as just out of curiosity. Currently flying out bush and have been for a few years (cpl and just missed out due to night hours). Thinking of having a crack overseas for an adventure while I'm still young and no family/financial commitments here. All I'm trying to do is plan ahead for an "exit strategy" to come back home when I'm done. Think of having a crack at safari flying in Africa, still have a passion for "bush flying" despite the income.