Slight topic drift.
Another visa issue is within the GA industry. I know there are some so called "backpackers" working as pilots. These pilots have gained their CASA CPLs in Australia and do not have the right to work here after their student visas expire. The "loophole" is to apply for a working holiday visa (417/462), so that they are have the rights to work. What's wrong with that I hear some say? But they have a working visa right? Well as a 417/462 visa holder:
- must be a genuine visitor who wants to have a holiday in Australia
- it enables young travellers to have an extended holiday and earn money through short-term employment.
Key word is "extended holiday", not make a living in Australia working for more than 6 months with any employer because they are a BACKPACKER. To be eligible for this visa they are meant to travel the country as a tourist, according to the department of immigration.
How many CPL holders have done it tough? Waiting it out for a start? It just bugs me that this is even happening at the bottom of the barrel. There are already plenty of CPL holders out there will to go through GA, not to mention sausage factories pumping out more pilots via this ridiculous fee-help scheme.
Understandable if they gain the rights to work with a defacto visa BEFORE they start flying, but there shouldn't be a back way via the working holiday visa. I know of a pilot who has no manage to stay in the country indefinitely initially through the 417/462 visa at the GA level.
As for those Aussies working overseas, the majority would be working in a country that employs expats because their own qualified citizens wouldn't be able to fill the positions, OR, these pilots have American/European heritage (dual passports or though parents and grandparents).