Looks like helicopter pilots are on the new immigration core skills list

[nuggs]

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Documents/core-sol.pdf

I wonder if they will differentiate between experienced guys which the industry is looking for vs low timers which has excess applicants already.

[craven morehead]

So are Human Resource Managers. We certainly don't need any more of them!!!

[Matt Nielsen]

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Documents/core-sol.pdf

I wonder if they will differentiate between experienced guys which the industry is looking for vs low timers which has excess applicants already.

Sadly no. There are conditions around using the list for entry but it is just run via the ANZSCO codes which make no differentiation. The requirements for licence transition and the evidentiary requirements are what slows most people down.

Its a never ending arms race between industry and workers in this space.

[skypig]

So are Human Resource Managers. We certainly don't need any more of them!!!

Amen, brother.

[Bee3]

Might get a few low time Canadian pilots in on temporary work visas to fill the seats.

[HELO1]

Might get a few low time Canadian pilots in on temporary work visas to fill the seats.

We already have similar with kiwi pilots I guess. Not that we have a shortage of low hour pilots now since VET FEE help has been around. It’ll be interesting to see how it affects our industry, could allow for more seats being filled in offshore due to the expense of training our own pilots up to that stage.

[Heli-Ops]

Are engineers on that list also as the industry is hurting massively.

[Rotorpilot]

I was at Rotortech may years ago, in one of the talks with AHIA a guy stood up and said we struggle but it's up to the tourism sector to train people up to be able to fill said seats.

Funny he was more than capable and had more means to cater for upskilling than 5 tourism operators combined.

His lack of mentoring and assistance to.the industry is probly why he struggled to get suitably qualified skilled workers.
He operates the largest privately owned helicopter companies in the southern hemisphere.

It's the old chicken or the egg thing.
If he took on jnr pilots with a training program he'd have a quality of pilots he was after.
Yes people leave if the environment is not condusive to good workplace environment.
Like many operators they should question why that is.
From the words of sir Richard branson- train staff so they can get a job and leave, treat them well enough they don't want too.

Unfortunately our aviation industry and Australia alike has a weird way of treating people.
Pay rates, upskilling and general welfare are rarely considered.
Let's just get someone qualified then piss them of enough we have to look for another.

[skypig]

Thread drifting.

I feel the treatment of staff generally, reflects the current business philosophy: Record profit. The end.
1 cent more spent on pay or conditions than the minimum required to attract/retain minimally qualified staff is considered bad business practice.
This could affect the KPI’s that dictate the obscene bonuses paid to the CEO.

Safety, actual safety, not some mnemonic, poster or online course, is basically intangible in our industry. Until something really bad happens.
Even expensive retraining seems abstract to many in management. They can see the dollar of extra wages, and will get a “high five” if they can save it, but can’t relate the saving there, with the $1000’s/hr in retraining with staff turnover.

Being “old”, I can remember when profit was very important, but staff, clients, community and even “country” also factored. It’s called “the past”.

[Rotorpilot]

Thread drifting.

I feel the treatment of staff generally, reflects the current business philosophy: Record profit. The end.
1 cent more spent on pay or conditions than the minimum required to attract/retain minimally qualified staff is considered bad business practice.
This could affect the KPI’s that dictate the obscene bonuses paid to the CEO.

Safety, actual safety, not some mnemonic, poster or online course, is basically intangible in our industry. Until something really bad happens.
Even expensive retraining seems abstract to many in management. They can see the dollar of extra wages, and will get a “high five” if they can save it, but can’t relate the saving there, with the $1000’s/hr in retraining with staff turnover.

Being “old”, I can remember when profit was very important, but staff, clients, community and even “country” also factored. It’s called “the past”.

Well said.

[T-Bone]

The logic is simple, retainable experience comes at a cost and is far more beneficial in the long term.

A few company “CEO’s” out there, experiencing a high staff turnover, need to reverse their business mantra of “profits before people”

[skypig]

The logic is simple, retainable experience comes at a cost and is far more beneficial in the long term.

A few company “CEO’s” out there, experiencing a high staff turnover, need to reverse their business mantra of “profits before people”

“Long Term” is the flaw in your thinking.
The KPI’s for the CEO bonuses seem to be “record profit THIS year. That is all”.
Most have no interest in what happens to an organisation once they have left.

I know Alan Joyce lost some of his massive bonus, but I don’t think it was based on destroying the reputation of Qantas. Illegally sacking baggage handlers?

[Hello Pilots]

One can’t look past the play that “industry consultants” have played…..plus part 61!
In my opinion they have ruined the path for a lesser experienced pilot.
500hr pilot could once get an entry level job within the offshore industry with the IREX credit and then obtain a co-Jo position…hard task from there to captaincy but sill feeding the industry.
These consultants have screwed it for VFR. Now the apparent magic number is 15 but more so closer to 2000 hours. Anyone that have flown a lot of certain jobs know that these tasks could easily and safely done by a 500hr pilot.
Bearing in mind the aforementioned is oil and gas/government work, but, it’s odd that the hour building tourism jobs are generally higher hours per year with passengers onboard and piloted by fresh CPLs.
That all being said, what area of the industry is needed to being met by immigrants and what is the cause?
I know the part of the industry I work in, the internationals might tick the boxes but at times can’t cut the mustard.

[Gardiner]

This is a slap in the face to Ausy tax payers who fund the vet fee pilots (until its paid back), its allso a slap in the face to vet fee pilots and any low time pilot in general. The goverment should be forcing companys to upskill Ausy pilots not opening the flood gate. Theres no patriotism left in this joint.

[Icefather]

my opinion they have ruined the path for a lesser experienced pilot.
500hr pilot could once get an entry level job within the offshore industry with the IREX credit and then obtain a co-Jo position…hard task from there to captaincy but sill feeding the industry.

Interesting… I know of multiple people from Australia in the last few years who have been hired into these roles with 200-500TT with just an IREX.
Sure, might not be as widespread as “back in the day” but it still happens and will continue too as far as I’m aware. Any comparisons to “it’s not happening” are untrue.

[skypig]

my opinion they have ruined the path for a lesser experienced pilot.
500hr pilot could once get an entry level job within the offshore industry with the IREX credit and then obtain a co-Jo position…hard task from there to captaincy but sill feeding the industry.

Interesting… I know of multiple people from Australia in the last few years who have been hired into these roles with 200-500TT with just an IREX.
Sure, might not be as widespread as “back in the day” but it still happens and will continue too as far as I’m aware. Any comparisons to “it’s not happening” are untrue.

Considering how short of pilots the off-shore industry is, I’d suggest the number of pilots getting a start in a ME IFR machine with 200-500 TT and an IREX is pretty low. The removal of the Co-Pilot IR has made it expensive for the companies to train them. Some I know have had to pay for an instrument rating to get a start. Expensive, but ultimately worth it.

If you look at the grey/no hair in the front of Off-Shore machines, you can imagine the crunch coming.

[Bee3]

No different to the Aussies flooding Canada for years and years with their “running” time in the log book!

How the tides have turned! Bugger….

[Icefather]

Considering how short of pilots the off-shore industry is, I’d suggest the number of pilots getting a start in a ME IFR machine with 200-500 TT and an IREX is pretty low. The removal of the Co-Pilot IR has made it expensive for the companies to train them. Some I know have had to pay for an instrument rating to get a start. Expensive, but ultimately worth it.

If you look at the grey/no hair in the front of Off-Shore machines, you can imagine the crunch coming.

I agree, there’s definitely a crunch coming though the main shortage in offshore is experienced captains. Copilots, while expensive can either be made or recruited as required.

With the cyclical nature of offshore and the loss of the copilot instrument rating, it slowed the flood gates. Watch this space though, all that will probably happen is the minimums for copilots will drop and those younger in the industry currently will move up to the captains chair then requiring more copilots. Cadets may become more common, though if individual pilots considered self funding an IR as a personal self investment, with the pay being higher in offshore it would pay itself back in a couple of years. As a result you get copilots who want to be there too, ie already either made the investment to upskill or cadets who have been on lower wages for their bond period.

The reality is that with all the requirements for the “IOGP” standards, getting someone to captain standard will be a long process with all the hoops required. one of those being the terminology for copilots/cadets to have “an instrument rating”. With a copilot instrument rating not being an ICAO standard and IOGP standards reflecting that, I doubt the easier co pilot instrument rating will return.

Sure it’s not as easy these days as a 5hr Co Pilot instrument rating for companies to train up new pilots, we can either complain or adapt.

[skypig]

Sure it’s not as easy these days as a 5hr Co Pilot instrument rating for companies to train up new pilots, we can either complain or adapt.

Sage words.
And be happy it makes the grey/no hair Captains positions more secure/valuable.

PS, I had to pay for my own IR, albeit in an Aeroplane, to get my first IFR rotary gig. It’s payed back many times over. We make excuses, or we make it happen. Personal choice.