Foreign pilots will be allowed to fly in Australian skies on two-year work visas, raising local concerns about the training and experience of those being hired.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is set to offer the positions under a scheme similar to the old 457 visa program in a bid to solve a national shortage of pilots.
Mike Higgins, chief executive of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia, said his body was talking to Mr Dutton about extending the visa period to four years, according to The Australian.
Foreign pilots will be allowed to fly in Australia on permits under new version of 457 visas
The body representing Qantas pilots has expressed concerns about the visa plan (stock image)
Australia is experience a shortage of pilots, forcing airlines to look overseas (stock image)
The shortage comes amid increasing foreign ownership of pilot training schools, including by Chinese companies training Chinese pilots.
Murray Butt, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, which represents more than 2000 Qantas pilots, questioned the quality of those likely to be interested in the visa offer.
‘Bringing in foreign pilots is definitely a very short-term fix and, given the market, I’m not sure of the quality of the pilots they are going to get,’ Mr Butt told The Australian.
Mr Higgins told the publication his association had convinced Mr Dutton to allow foreign pilots to be hired for up to two years.
He said the government had advised the decision would be part of a revised skilled occupation list to be released next month, replacing the former 457 visas.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is set to allow foreign pilots to work in Australia on visas
Local pilots have expressed concerns about the quality of foreign-trained pilots (stock image)
Mr Higgins said there were doubts experienced foreign pilots would want to relocate to Australia for just two years.
Entrepreneur and former chairman of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Dick Smith, said Australia had the safest airline in the world – Qantas – with highly-trained Australian pilots.
‘The fact that there is a need to bring in foreign pilots is outrageous,’ Mr Smith said.
A spokesman for Mr Dutton confirmed ‘airline pilot’ had been added to an Occupations List for Temporary Work Visas, for sponsored jobs in regional Australia.
‘Amendments to the occupations list are based on skills needs of the Australian economy, in line with the Turnbull government’s policy that Australian workers should have priority,’ the spokesman said.
Former CASA chairman Dick Smith says it is outrageous Australia needs to import pilots