457 Visa has the same right as a
PR holder and Qantas Link flies domestic where Aus passport is not needed.
In this case these Two SA pilots must be having Type with more than 1000 hours where they are lucrative for any employer to hire , its true there are more than enough Frozen ATPL holders in Aus looking for jobs and have been applying for QL cadet 1 and 2 programs but unable to land a job, but Type and hours make a massive difference anywhere you go.
I know a Brit was married to a Canadian lived in UK who flew Q400 for for a UK company then Wet leased to an African operator. He based his wife and family in Canada and flew in Mongolia ( commuting ) to build up his hours eventually got his command and moved to Canada on a Spouse visa and joined West Jet. Key there was his hours on type ! This is what young CPL holders lack and will be lacking in future. Untill the operators come up with a solution ( this saves the company lot of training money and adhere to insurance requirements and FOM ) this situation will not change. Thats why p2f has come and marketed so strongly in Asia and the Middle east and Asian carriers train their in house cadets on MPL , Operators cannot wait anymore from the traditional CPL to Type -Line experience.They want Cadets with jet experience to occupy the right hand seat.
Another C208 Amphibian pilot was recruited by a Sea plane company in Australia on a Spouse Visa , he had 800 hours on type in Maldives.
Couple of Philippine pilots on A320 command hours joined Jetstar on Spouse Visas as well.