Sunwing- Hiring Pilots from Germany

[Gilles Hudicourt]

The issue here is reciprocity. Sunwing brought in 150 or so pilots from Europe and wetleased an airplane for those that probably couldn't get through the FLV process (I won't go there). TUI has only placed 48 Canadian pilots in Ireland and Poland. No one had the opportunity to exercise reciprocity and work in Germany for the summer.
It is all about the numbers.

Actually they use 3 methods to bring foreign temporary pilots:

1) Reciprocity, where they are supposed to send to work overseas in the summer the same number of pilots that were brought into Canada under the CIC reciprocity rules (Section 205 (b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations)

2) Then they bring in more pilots than the reciprocity rules would allow by a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from the Minister of HRSDC. This is the scheme where they put an ad requiring pilots that already have a 737NG type-rating, no one qualifies, so that serves as proof to our Minister that there is a shortage of pilots in Canada and she in turn, tells the Immigration Minister that based on her analysis (the LMO) he can authorize the issuance of temporary work contracts to foreign pilots to fill in this pilot vacuum in Canada with foreigners (This is under section Section 203 (1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations)

3) And finally when that is not enough, they Wet-Lease aircraft which come with more foreign pilots. This last category does not need to come with a Visa or a FLV as groups 1 and 2 above.

Using the three above methods is how Sunwing was able to bring in about 200 pilots this past winter and how they will bring in even more next year. In fact they are now hiring a full time employee whose sole duties will be to manage their foreign pilots:

http://www.flysunwing.com/flybetter/Car ... asp?id=213

If you don't agree with method #1 above, the Immigration Minister, the The Honourable Jason Kenney (Ministre@cic.gc.ca) would like to hear about you, as well as the Minister of Transport, The Honourable Denis Lebel, who thinks that it's in the "Public Interest" to give these pilots a Foreign Licence Validation under CAR 421.07 (2) (j).

If you don't agree with method #2 above, the same 2 Ministers above would like to hear from you, but also write to the The Honorable Diane Finley, HRSDC Minister, who thinks that there is a shortage of qualified pilots in Canada. Perhaps some of you would like to suggest to her that she may be mistaking.

If you don't agree with method #3, then the Canadian Transportation Agency, who issues the Wet-Lease authorizations, would like to hear from you. All these people just love hearing from the public whose interests they are appointed to defend.

By the way, I went to renew my Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) last January and I'm still waiting for Transport Canada to finish investigating me 3 months later. The Foreign pilots who come to Canada under scheme #1 and #2, although they come here for contracts of under 6 months, seem to have to problem whatsoever in receiving one. They seem to go through some sort of priority line which is not available to Canadians.........

[STOLskunkworks]

Would like to apply and go work there. I might be prone to moments of rash decision making. Loosing paperwork. And otherwise making it nearly impossible for SUNG VING to be properly staffed at the last minute.

What would they do fire me and hire a foreigner.

[STOLskunkworks]

Sorry about the last post.

I just realized that this job posting is just to prove that there are no Canadian foreigners.

Which of course means they can hire a Bangladeshi to manage this position.

[gonnabeapilot]

By the way, I went to renew my Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) last January and I'm still waiting for Transport Canada to finish investigating me 3 months later. The Foreign pilots who come to Canada under scheme #1 and #2, although they come here for contracts of under 6 months, seem to have to problem whatsoever in receiving one. They seem to go through some sort of priority line which is not available to Canadians.........

This issue about the RAIC really seems to annoy you as you've mentioned it several times in several threads. To put your concerns to rest, the foreign pilots who come to Sunwing receive no special treatment when it comes to receiving a RAIC. They apply for it just like everybody else and, like everybody else, recieve a temporary RAIC while they await approval of their permanent one. Some of them get it right away and some end up waiting months and months to receive approval.... in the exact same random way it seems to work for every Canadian that applies. In fact, the application for a RAIC for the foreign pilots has become somewhat of a running joke because the majority of them seem to finally get their red pass with-in about 2 weeks of the date that they are set to return to Europe. Say what you want about the hiring practices of Sunwing, but as far as the issue of special treatment for the RAIC goes, there's nothing there.

[.......]

This issue about the RAIC really seems to annoy you as you've mentioned it several times in several threads.

Everything about Sunwing's and Canjet's way of exploiting the loopholes in the programs, along with the unashamed help of our Government, annoys us.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have to keep on repeating and repeating it, so that the concept finally gets understood by the vast majority of the PROFESSIONAL PILOT community in Canada, although as history shows, a consensus will never be reached within.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

This issue about the RAIC really seems to annoy you as you've mentioned it several times in several threads. To put your concerns to rest, the foreign pilots who come to Sunwing receive no special treatment when it comes to receiving a RAIC.

"Annoy" is an understatement. I've had one since 1992. That'S 20 years. I've been waiting 3 months for them to RENEW mine. It's not a new application, it's a RENEWAL. They know everywhere I've lived and worked in the past 20 years, they've fingerprinted me many times, the've scanned my irises, so yes, I am somewhat "annoyed" at my own government for issuing RAICs (not to mention LMOs and Work Permits, and Foreign Licence Validations) to foreign pilots so quickly when they cannot even RENEW my old one inside of three months. My present card expires May 2 and I'm going to have to get a yellow temporary pass written "Escort Required" while I wait for the new one. I better not run into a Foreign Temporary Worker pilot with a Red one while I wait.....

[Gino Under]

There are countries who, in varying degrees are presently experiencing either a serious pilot shortage, a pilot shortage or no pilot shortage at all. I'm talking about pilots who are experienced, ATPL, type rated and current for those markets.

Countries like the Emirates, Qatar, India, Vietnam, and China are hooped. They have squat for a pilot supply and advertise quite extensively that fact and for some, the pilots they do have are protesting quite vociferously to their governments to stop it. You'd expect that.

Airlines in those countries have to recruit foreign pilots, Canadians among them. It is their reality.

So, where do any of you see reciprocity as having anything to do with what we're talking about here in Canada? A complete misuse of the term, I'd say.

If it's airline to airline (as some suggest), how is 200-some vis a vis 60-some fair reciprocity? C'mon! Give your head a shake.

Canada does not YET have an acute shortage of pilots anywhere near the extent necessary for any Canadian carrier to contract, hire, or recruit foreign pilots. Period!

This is not what either Sunwing or Canjet would have you or our government believe. They are merely using the type rating (or lack thereof) as a deal breaker and there isn't a pilot in Canada who doesn't see what they're up to and, whether or not it's contract or seasonal employment, Canadian pilots should at least be given the opportunity to decide for themselves whether or not to accept employment on that basis.

Ask European pilots if contract or seasonal pilot hiring is common in Europe? You'll find it's been going on over there for decades and completely normal to them. However, in Canada, it's a recent phenomena and most have trouble getting their heads around it.

It's time a few out there woke up and smelled the coffee. It IS what it is.
Stop trying to convince others it's an acceptable practice or good for the Canadian pilot. It isn't!

Gino Under