Plenty of experienced FOs turning down upgrade opportunities in favour of staying on a fleet, working pattern, base and/or seniority position (high seniority FO vs low seniority CP) that suits their lifestyle better.

Me thinks the pilot shortage is coming. Focussed on Captain to start obviously. Plenty of sausage factories pumping out low hour FOs, so that's not where the action is.

It seems the UK is first out of the blocks in this region.

From a quick search, I saw that the ''good'' companies in EU ask to speak the local language or be type rated. Doesn't seem to have any problem finding exact what they look for

The UK has screwed itself. The need to hold a UK licence and have the right to live/work has removed so many potential applicants from the "talent pool". The Brexit Bonfire of all the agreements will be put out very soon as the chickens come home to roost. Have a look at the UK "pilot licence holders by age and sex" report from the CAA. The numbers literally drop off a cliff when pilots hit 60 as so many didn't stay active or left the industry. Extending to 67 won't solve this mess, they're on their yacht in the Med.

But they are sucking up pilots at the not so good airlines. My previous company was losing an average of 20 FOs a month during 2022 and this summer. All headed to legacies where they speak the local language.

Let me come here to spread some negativity on the subject. :ugh: The EU still has no shortage as long as very experienced rated pilots show up to assessments where they dont even pay your hotel, let alone a travel allowance, just to put you through bull*** psycho tests and questionaires and checking your bull*** tolerance. If you pass the initiation ritual, you will be offered a worthless contract that your employer will change as he pleases and which contains your obligations exclusively. If you happen to be non type rated, you will sign a totally overpriced training bond that makes you a complete slave for the next 3-5 years, even though you already faintly know how terrible the lifestyle is going to be - no matter the promises. You can look forward to do training for free in most companies, regardless of your prior experience, you are back to zero seniority. At some point someone starts to feel a little bit sorry and you will receive your first compensation usually from some offshore accounts - 100% untaxed and of course, tax is your own obligation after all, but the salary in gross is now less than you netted a decade prior on an employment contract in a real country. "Because we are a company based in "insert random tax haven" and we fly ACMI for the most horrible outfits worldwide in (insert shi**hole in north africa or the middle east) , we expect you to move to anywhere in your next roster period - no guarantees, we trust you understand the requirements of the business. For sure we will provide you a 3rd class hotel for the 3 weeks that you will stay away from your family, in which you will fly the maximum legal hours, if you still believe in the law, that is.
Story of my life

right on man!!!
Exactly what's going on with me as well :rolleyes:

Short of crew but need fluency in local language
If you mean this pilot shortage...

Right on! this sums it all up! 5 days off per month and due to the unwillingness of rostering only three days at home. A net income of €2700 as airline captain after you dealt with the legal issues of fake self employment and if you are 5 days sick but worked the other 26 days of the month, no payment at all. Europe ain't Europe anymore and I can't make a respectable income there anymore. I literally make 6 times as much in the ME.
And governments don't seem to care, we are no longer the Western world with high standards unfortunately.

2700 nett as CPT. I made that captaining a VFR SET. You can make triple that sitting in the right seat working for a decent airline. If you are only chasing bottom feeding ACMI wet lease operations from Eastern Europe then please stop complaining. Just ask yourself why you did go there in the first place. Enjoy the Middle East! You’ll love it!

Why are we comparing Apples with Oranges? For 2700 NET, I assume you are with an ACMI run by one of the Baltic based Mafias? They told you it was seasonal employment in the beginning with only a retainer payment during the winter. You knew it from the start. You can't expect them to pay 10k all year round, they don't have the customers do justify it. I know at least 4 non legacy carriers hiring left seat on full year round salary of more than 130k per year but you have to pay tax. Which I suppose is the reason you were lured by the mafias in the first place?

Nothing of that. After years of flying business aviation I transitioned to airlines and this outfit gave me a DEC. Nothing seasonal, 900 hours per year flying for state airlines.
And if you read carefully, I'm not employed by any East European outfit. I'm employed in the Middle East, couldn't do this nonsense too long.

I still think it is disgraceful you are kept out of the social system and are not even entitled to retirement or healthcare when the time comes.

I recently passed the assessment of a nice European outfit.
I was informed that I will stay in the pool for the summer season as for now they will start with the rated pilots.
This doesn’t sound like shortage at all

There's a shortfall of experienced captains - that's for certain

probably no capacity regarding simulator and trainer for line training. Having rated and experienced pilots will shorten the training phase.
Atleast thats what is happening within our group.