Immigration database
 

Hi, anyone know if Pilot is on the database yet? A friend from the UK is looking to get a job down here...

Details here:

https://www.immi.gov.au/Work/Pages/s...ons-lists.aspx

Self sponsored no, employer sponsored yes.

Subject to market testing. Even if sponsored by a major carrier, it must still be proven that no suitably qualified Australian is available. Unless he holds a rare qualification, endorsement or rating required in Australia, best he forget about a life Down Under - as it should be.

Or he marries an Australian..... :D

Local pilots available yet foreign pilots are still employed seasonally. Operators abuse the system with impunity.

They are possibly on 417 or 462 visa.

Tailwheel is correct.

Without wishing to sound xenophobic, the only pilots who might fit into this category are those involved in fire-fighting, who usually accompany the wet-leased aircraft that operate seasonally in Australia. Given the expertise required in these roles, I'd doubt that many of them are 30 or younger (and hence ineligible for 417 or 462 visas).

We need to be concerned when employers allege that a "rare qualification" is an endorsement (type rating now) on a type that is not dissimilar to other types already operating here. For example, if someone wanted to import and operate a Tupolev 204 here, the employer might argue that this is a "rare qualification" whereas in fact it is sufficiently similar to any other medium jet, and so there should be no justification for bringing in foreign workers.

DISCLAIMER : I know nothing about the Tupolev 204, nor do I anticipate there being anyone wanting to operate one in Australia..........but you never know!

Maybe. Foreign pilots employed seasonally to do what? If you are talking specialist fire fighting pilots, flying foreign registered aircraft such as a CL415 on Government contracts, you may be correct.

But if you are talking tourist scenics in a GA aircraft, or something similar, I seriously doubt it.

If you know of "Operators (that) abuse the system with impunity", feel free to contact Immigration:

Phone: 1800 009 623
Fax: 1800 009 849

They are free calls!! :ok:

There is a simple way to stop anyone who is thinking of circumventing immigration laws, but it would require CASA to do something useful for a change.
Simply link issue of CPL and higher to appropriate residency/work permit status. Many countries do this. Or do what the Yanks used to do (probably still do) and endorse the licence 'not valid for employment within the USA or its territories'. It allowed a pilot to ferry a N registered aircraft to or from the USA and even across the USA, but he could not be paid locally.
Any operator wishing to abuse that limitation would have to go to a lot of trouble setting up external bank accounts etc. Imagined savings compared with employing, training and paying locals the award wouldn't be worth the hassle.
Fire fighting using heavy aircraft is a different story altogether. Very specialised work, and in any case the aircraft are not VH registered.

One regional airline in Australia has a statistically higher number of foreign accents amongst the flight crew than any other airline in Australia. There are plenty of suitably qualified pilots in Australia that applied for these jobs. I wonder what visas these pilots are on and how they were justified?

Mach E,
That only applies to somebody who wants a CPL/ATR in exchange for an existing license.
There is no restriction on any pilot sitting the US exams, getting a medical, and doing a flight test, all relatively easy in the US, and you have an FAA license with no FAA restriction.
The only proviso is you must meet Homeland Security visa requirement, which will not be a problem if you have no criminal record.
Tootle pip!!

Ah, that explains why my FAA ticket was so endorsed. I did a straight swap.
But still could be an effective deterrent against pilots working illegally.