Sunwing to hire foreigners using the LMO method

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Last year, just about all of Sunwing's foreign pilots, save for 4 who were hired with LMO's, were hired through CIC's reciprocal program.

This year, rumor has it that in early September CIC refused some of Sunwing's German pilots their work permits under the Reciprocity deal. Why? I have no idea yet, but that is great news. I am speculating here, but CIC's document called Canadian interests: Reciprocal employment, General guidelines R205(b), C20, a document used by CIC officers to assess work permits applications, states in the last paragraph pertaining to Reciprocity:

If evidence of reciprocity is not presented to the satisfaction of the officer, the work permit
may be refused, or the applicant may be notified that an LMO must be obtained for further consideration of a work permit.

And what do you know, on Sept 11th, Sunwing posted an ad right here on AvCanada for 737NG rated pilots:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=83935

I knew right away that this was a bogus ad whose sole aim was to go ask HRSDC for LMOs to hire foreigners instead of Canadians but I was still a bit perplexed since HRSDC's regulations state that :

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceski ... ment.shtml

NOC B Occupations
You will have conducted the minimum advertising efforts required if you:
• Conduct recruitment activities consistent with the practice within the occupation for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days (e.g., advertise on recognized Internet job sites, in journals, newsletters or national newspapers or by consulting unions or professional associations); and
• Advertise on the national Job Bank or its provincial/territorial counterpart in British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Quebec orSaskatchewan for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days during the three (3) months prior to applying for a LMO.
The advertisement must include:
• the company operating name;
• job duties (for each position, if advertising for more than one vacancy);
• wage range (i.e. an accurate range of wages being offered to Canadians and permanent residents). The wage range must always include the prevailing wage for the position – see “wage rate”;
• the location of work (local area, city, or town); and
• the nature of the position (i.e. project based, or permanent position).

Back in September, I searched the Job Bank Data base and could find no trace of any such advertisement, so Sunwing had not fulfilled one of the requirements for asking HRSDC for LMOs for its foreign pilots. Did they overlook it ? Was it a mistake ? I have no idea. But they have now fixed it. On Oct 5th 2012, they finally posted the ad on Job Bank also, fulfilling the remaining HRSDC requirement for making an LMO request.

http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/detail-eng.asp ... =No&PgNum=

As of Oct 19th, two weeks into the ad, they will be allowed to ask HRSDC for permission to hire foreigners, after telling them of course that they were unable to find qualified Canadians to fly their Boeing 737NGs. For Sunwing, the 65 Air Transat pilots that are being laid off are not qualified unless they can show first that they completed a 6 week course called a 737 NG type rating.

I wonder how many Canadians on EI are refused a $60,000/year job in favor of a foreigner on a temporary work permit because they lack a lousy 6 week course ?

Will common sense prevail this year ? We will soon know.

Should you want to express your opinion to the office in charge of delivering the LMOs for hiring foreigners, perhaps to tell them that you feel you are qualified to work at Sunwing despite not having a 737NG rating (that you couldn't get anywhere in Canada out of your own pocket anyway), you should write a polite and respectful letter to :

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Temporary Foreign Workers
140 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0J9
Canada
Fax : 819-997-5979

You want to write in a way to put these people on your side. In the past, HRSDC issued LMOs for Sunwing and Canjet because they were taken for a ride by these two companies and also because they did not totally grasp the concept of a type rating, what it took to get one, and how one got one. They thought not being rated on the 737NG was a major obstacle, the pilot equivalent of being a pediatrician instead of a heart surgeon. I did my best to inform them this year, but it wouldn't hurt if a few other people did the same before the LMOs were issued again.

They also do not know how many Canadian pilots apply for these jobs, and what qualification these applicants have. They are forced to take the airline to its word, and sadly, what the airlines really wants it to hire rated foreigners. Let HRSDC hear the other side of the story for once. Your side.

Gilles Hudicourt

[mbav8r]

Gilles, You are a real thorn in their side, thank you again for all you're doing. If you run for any position in the college of pilots, you have my vote! I will be applying to sunwing and will follow up with a letter to the above should I not recieve an offer of employment or interview.

[Rogerdodger2]

Gilles,
I think you may need to be careful on your wording. I don't think SW "HIRES" the foreign pilots they bring in. They are being paid by their own airlines and are not employees of SW correct?

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Gilles,
I think you may need to be careful on your wording. I don't think SW "HIRES" the foreign pilots they bring in. They are being paid by their own airlines and are not employees of SW correct?

You are most likely correct for at least most of the foreign pilots, although I am not certain that all the foreign pilots working at Sunwing had the same pay arrangements since they were sourced from different places. Last winter, some came from several TUI-owned airlines (Thomson, Arkfly, TUIfly etc), some came from an airline, which, like Sunwing, is partially owned by TUI (Air Berlin), some came from non-TUI owned airlines (Hungary and Czech Travel Service), and it seems that at least a few, around 6, came from an Irish contracting agency.

An insider might know ?

Edit: It wasn't long before someone wrote to me: all pilots, except for maybe the 6 pilots that came from the Irish contracting company (4 of which were LMOs), were not employed or paid by Sunwing but contracted out by their European employers.

[Tiny Tyke]

Is there a way to email them?

[richardhead]

Yet they're still bringing around 200 this season. Thorn?

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Thorn ? I hope I am a thorn to them or else I have been wasting my time haven't I ?. Here is some more thorns for them, in the form of the application form used to request an LMO from HRSDC:

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eforms/f ... -003)e.pdf

Question 65 states :

65. Is the position part of a union?

Has the union been consulted about the hiring of a temporary foreign worker?
No
Yes
If yes, what is the name of the union and the local?
If yes, what is the position of the union? Provide details. Attach documentation, if available.

Boy this is fun.

Has the Union been consulted ?

We'll soon find out.

What is the name of the Union ?

That I know. CAW Local 7378 (SUNPAC)

If yes, what is the position of the union? Provide details. Attach documentation, if available.

I have a pretty good idea. What will Sunwing tell HRSDC.

Please note that once Sunwing fills out that form, it will become public domain and I will ask for a copy of it under the Access to Information act and publish its contents right here on AvCanada.

Question 66, another interesting one:

66. Is there a labour dispute in progress?
No
Yes
If yes, please provide details.

We all know that Sunwing has created a wholly owned crewing company, to hire pilots and contract them to itself, outside the Union and at a B scale. Sort of Union busting. I don't even know how this can be legal. It will be interesting to read Sunwing's reply to this question.

Here is, by the way, what the Canadian legislation states about hiring foreign workers when there is a labor dispute in progress. Article 200 (3) (c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations:

200. (3) An officer shall not issue a work permit to a foreign national if
(c) the specific work that the foreign national intends to perform is likely to adversely affect the settlement of any labour dispute in progress or the employment of any person involved in the
dispute, unless all or almost all of the workers involved in the labour dispute are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents and the hiring of workers to replace the workers involved in the labour dispute is not prohibited by the Canadian law applicable in the province where the workers involved in the labour dispute are employed;

Question 67.

67. Have you attempted to recruit Canadian citizens/permanent residents for this job?
If yes, please provide details of your recruitment efforts and the results.
(Attach supporting documentation such as advertisements in local and national newspapers, recognized Internet job sites, job-specific and professional publications, recruitment drives, job faires, etc.)
Yes
No
If you posted on Job Bank (or the equivalent in some provinces) please provide, in addition to supporting documents, the order number:

Did they really attempt to recruit Canadians for this job ? I'll let you guys reply to this one. Sunwing will say yes, they made every attempt to recruit qualified Canadians and found none, because there were no 737NG rated pilots in Canada and that they knew nothing of the 6 I found and who all told me they sent Sunwing Resumes. They will also attempt to depict the 65 laid off Air Transat pilots as unqualified for Sunwing.

68. What are the potential benefits to the Canadian labour market for offering this job to a temporary foreign worker (s)?
a) Filling a labour shortage
b) Transfer of new skills or knowledge to Canadians/permanent residents
c) Direct job creation or retention of Canadians/permanent residents
d) Other

To this gem, they will have to reply "Filling a labour shortage", even though 65 of my Air Transat colleagues, all checked on heavy jets, are now filling out EI forms. For Sunwing, if you don't have that 737NG rating on you licence, you are not qualified to work there. Unless the job is not seasonal, of course, in which case they don't care about the Type-Rating or whether you've even ever flown any jet for that matter. It's only when they hire in the fall that the type rating is a requirement. Seasonal requirements.......

Question 70:

70. Do you plan to train Canadians citizens/permanent residents for the position(s) for which you are requesting an LMO?

Before we comment on this question, let us look at another Immigration and Refugee Protection regulation: 203 (3) (e)

203 (3) An opinion provided by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development with respect to the matters referred to in paragraph (1)(b) shall be based on the following factors:
.....
(e) whether the employer has made, or has agreed to make, reasonable efforts to hire or train Canadian citizens or permanent residents;

In other words the LMO is granted on the condition the employer has agreed to hire or train Canadian citizens. That means providing them with 737NG type ratings. Canjet and Sunwing already both filled out this same form several times in previous years and every time they replied ..... ?"

I'll find out. Isn't all this stuff fascinating ?

[Cod Father]

I would love to hear this story on the Lang and O'Leary Exchange only because I want to hear Kevin say the magic phrase: Unions are a cancer.

BTW, don't get my wrong, I look upon this College of Professional Pilots as akin to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Law Society of Upper Canada, or the Alberta Professional Engineers and Geologist Association (APEGA). Professional bodies established to oversee collegial practices in medicine, law, and engineering.

Be sure to send your findings to the following opposition MPs so they can hammer the government with the issue: using a labour shortage provision when no labour shortage exists:

http://www.boulerice.org/

http://chrischarlton.ndp.ca/

[complexintentions]

I don't mean to take any attention away from the specific situation with Sunwing/CanJet and their use of "foreign temporary workers". But it would seem there will more full-scale abuse of the same tactic in other industries.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/bc ... story.html

Does this sound familiar at all?

Canadians “just don’t have the experience” operating the equipment needed to safely extract coal in underground mines, said John Cavanagh, chief executive of Vancouver-based Canadian Dehua International Mines Group Inc., a company founded by China-born Vancouver businessman Naishun Liu.

I hope everyone in Canada will fight as hard as they can in their respective industry against this practice, because if it takes hold (already has?), it will become the new "normal". If we thought off-shoring was going to be limited to manufacturing, we were sorely mistaken.

Spoken as an expat pilot who had to move overseas when he lost his flying job in Canada, and now watches as non-Canadians move in to take B737 jobs. It's all a bit sickening.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

I would love to hear this story on the Lang and O'Leary Exchange only because I want to hear Kevin say the magic phrase: Unions are a cancer.

BTW, don't get my wrong, I look upon this College of Professional Pilots as akin to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Law Society of Upper Canada, or the Alberta Professional Engineers and Geologist Association (APEGA). Professional bodies established to oversee collegial practices in medicine, law, and engineering.

Be sure to send your findings to the following opposition MPs so they can hammer the government with the issue: using a labour shortage provision when no labour shortage exists:

http://www.boulerice.org/

http://chrischarlton.ndp.ca/

I met Mr Boulerice in person in September along with one of my colleagues whose MP he is. I was pleased to find out that Mr Boulerice had already been briefed about the foreign pilot problem by Air Canada's ACPA.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

I just mailed an Access to Information request to HRSDC to ask to see all requests made to them this year by airlines wanting to hire pilots as temporary foreign workers under an LMO. As of yesterday, the Sunwing ad that Sunwing posted on Job Bank would have been 14 days old, fulfilling the advertising requirement before they can apply for LMOs for foreign pilots.

I just can't wait to see that application.

[DeltaHotel]

Again Gilles, great work!

Please let us know when-if you get the numbers.

Im optimistic all your hard work will pay off.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

As most of those who've been following these foreign pilot-related threads know by now, if a local airline which has no reciprocal agreement with an overseas airline or if it wants to hire a number of foreign pilots in excess of what the reciprocal agreement will allow, it must hire its foreign workers through HRSDC's Temporary Foreign Workers Program and ask HRSDC for an LMO. This LMO is a paper which HRSDC gives to the employer which allows them to submit a work permit application to CIC on behalf of the foreign worker. It's done that way because Human Resources, Skills and Development Canada (HRSDC) is the Government expert on the employment situation of all professions in Canada. It is not an expertise at Immigration Canada (CIC) which has the mandate to supply the work permits, not to determine if there is a shortage of labour in Canada.

One of my furloughed colleagues went to browse on HRSDC's Website and found they had a page on every Occupational Group in Canada, providing employment projection summaries for each group. Pilots of all stripes are grouped with flight engineers, transportation officers and controllers into Group 227. These include the following subgroups:

Air Pilots, Flight Engineers and Flying Instructors (2271)
Air Traffic Control Occupations (2272)
Deck Officers, Water Transport (2273)
Engineer Officers, Water Transport (2274)
Railway and Marine Traffic Controllers (2275)

And this can be read here on HRSDC's Website

http://www23.hrsdc.gc.ca/.4cc.5p.1t.3on ... jsp?tid=44

Over the 2008-2010 period, employment in this occupation dropped and the unemployment rate increased slightly. The average hourly wage, one of the highest for all occupations and the highest for occupations requiring a college diploma, increased at a faster rate than the average for all occupations. According to key labour market indicators, the number of job seekers was sufficient to fill the job openings in this occupation.

Based on projections and considering that labour supply and demand in this occupation were balanced, it is expected that the number of job seekers in this occupation will remain sufficient to fill the job openings over the 2011-2020 period. Retirements will be the main source of job openings for this occupation. The retirement rate is higher than the average because workers are older and they retire later than in other occupations. Similar to the 2001-2010 period, job openings resulting from economic growth will be few in number. In fact, expansion demand was practically nil because of the events of September 11, 2001, the financial difficulties experienced by airlines, and the rising cost of fuel. Over the projection period, expansion demand will continue to be limited as a result of fuel costs. With regard to labour supply, the vast majority of job seekers will come directly from the school system. Moreover, because of the specific skills required to work in this occupation, very few workers from other occupations can work in this one.

Yet in 2011, 395 work permits were delivered by CIC to foreign pilots, but 224 of those were delivered under so-called reciprocal agreements, although it is clear that fery few, if any, Canadian pilots found work overseas as a result of those foreign pilots coming to Canada. Out of those 395 work permits, 171 were delivered thanks to LMOs provided by HRSDC to airlines claiming that there was a shortage of pilots in Canada. They claim that anyone, no matter how experienced, is unqualified if he/she is not type rated on the aircraft they operate.

I hope that in 2012 things will be different.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Sunwing Airlines put an ad for pilots on AVCanada on Sept 11 2012.
They posted an ad on Job Bank on Oct 05 2012.

But in Europe, they have been advertising for pilots for many months.

Like this June 14 note on a Swiss Aviation forum :

http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/news/1 ... us_thread

14JUN2012: Air Berlin planning Canadian winter leases next season

Air Berlin (AB, Berlin Tegel (TXL)) is currently looking for pilots willing to operate on behalf of Sunwing Airlines (WG, Toronto Lester B. Pearson International (YYZ)) next winter season indicating that it now also plans to dry-lease some of its aircraft to the Canadian leisure charter carrier next winter season. Many European carriers provide additional capacity to Canadian and US charter carriers during the winter season, while Canadian and US aircraft operate in Europe during the summer. While the highest demand for typical beach vacation packages in Europe is during the summer, the opposite is true in Canada allowing carriers to make optimal use of capacity by essentially sharing the aircraft based on demand.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

As mentioned earlier, when a Canadian employer wants to hire Temporary Foreign workers, it must make an LMO request to HRSDC. For pilots, the following application must be filled out:

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eforms/f ... -003)e.pdf

I just obtained copies of two such applications Sunwing made last year to import Foreign pilots as temporary foreign workers. The first was for Captains, the second for First Officers. They can be viewed here:

https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B9nKb ... 6TODjW6e_v

To question 27, If you are currently employing temporary foreign workers, please indicate the number employed at the location of employment covered by this LMO:

They replied 96.

To question 28, Were any employees laid off in the past 12 months? they checked the no box.

To question 59, Experience/Skills Requirements of the Job: (including occupational designations such as CA, CMA, CGA, RN, P.Eng,), they replied:

Must have valid and current Airline Transport licence. Must be qualified to operate Boeing 737-800/900 aircraft. Must have valid aviation medical. Minimum 3000 hours total flying time with a minimum of 500 hours on Boeing 737-800/900.

To question 61, Wage in Canadian Dollars and Number of Work Hours

$11,000 / month

To question 62, Benefits (medical and dental insurance, vacations, pension etc) :

Blank

To question 65, is the position part of a Union ?

NO

That was true in Oct 2011, when that form was filled. Sunwing's pilots have since joined CAW.

Question 67, Have you attempted to recruit Canadian citizens/permanent residents for this job?

They checked the "no" box. Then they wrote "please see supporting documents and lawyer's submission attached". I do not have a copy of those documents but the regulations require that Canadians be recruited before any foreigners can be provided with LMOs.

Question 68, What are the potential benefits to the Canadian labour market for offering this job to a temporary foreign worker (s)?

They checked two boxes here, "to fill a labour shortage" and "other". They then wrote to see "please see supporting documents and lawyer's submission attached"

Question 70. Do you plan to train Canadians citizens/permanent residents for the position(s) for which you are requesting an LMO?

They checked the "Yes" box and explained:

"there is no training plan in place but it is expected that the hired workers will demonstrate and train our existing personnel on the operation of such specific planes"

The foreign pilots who come to Canada to work for Sunwing will train the Canadians on how to operate the B-737-800? Even the foreign F/O. That's preposterous.

The replies on the first officer application were the same as above, except as follows:

To question 61, Wage in Canadian Dollars and Number of Work Hours

$8,000 / month

[gonnabeapilot]

I hope after viewing those salary figures, people will at least stop referring to the foreign pilots used at Sunwing as "cheap labour that allows Sunwing to under-cut other operators" as $96,000/year for an F/O and $132,000/year for a Captain means that using foreign crews is a much more expensive option than using Canadians on Sunwing's payscales....

[Gilles Hudicourt]

I found out that all Temporary Foreign Workers who come to work in Canada are expected to apply for a Social insurance number and declare Canadian Revenue to the Canada Revenue Agency.

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceski ... shtml#osin

Obtaining a Social Insurance Number
In addition to all CIC requirements, after receiving a work permit from CIC, you need to obtain a Social Insurance Number from Service Canada when working in Canada. The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number used in the administration of various Canadian government programs, noting that all Canadians (and foreign workers) require a SIN to work in Canada or to receive government benefits.
• Learn more about obtaining a Social Insurance Number
Taxes
If you work temporarily in Canada during the tax year, you may have to file a Canadian tax income return. Review the following section for information about your Canadian tax obligations.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/nd ... s-eng.html

Non-residents

You are a non-resident for tax purposes if you:

normally, customarily, or routinely live in another country and are not considered a resident of Canada; or
do not have significant residential ties in Canada; and
you live outside Canada throughout the tax year; or
you stay in Canada for less than 183 days in the tax year.

Your tax obligations

As a non-resident of Canada, you pay tax on income you receive from sources in Canada. The type of tax you pay and the requirement to file an income tax return depend on the type of income you receive.

Generally, Canadian income received by a non-resident is subject to Part XIII tax or Part I tax.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/cm ... r-eng.html

Non-residents rendering services in Canada
Who is taxable?
If you are a non-resident who renders services in Canada, you may have to pay tax on the income you earn in Canada. You should know your rights, entitlements, and obligations concerning this income.
Withholding and reporting requirements
Any person, whether a resident of Canada or not, who pays a non-resident for services rendered in Canada has to withhold a portion of the gross payments and remit this amount to the Receiver General for Canada. He or she also has to provide an information slip for this amount to the person who renders the service and to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
• For more information on making payments to non-residents who render services other than employment services in Canada, see RC4445, T4A-NR - Payments to
Non-Residents for Services Provided in Canada.
• For information on making payments to non-residents who provide employment services in Canada, see the T4001, Employers' Guide - Payroll Deductions and Remittances.
If you are a non-resident who receives income for services rendered in Canada, you may have to report this income by filing a Canadian income tax return with the CRA to determine your final Canadian tax liability.

Let's find out what the tax man will have to say about all these high earning foreigners who come to work in Canada, pay no taxes here, deprive would be tax paying Canadians of good jobs, and in the process deprive the Canadian Revenue Agency of a lot of income.

Eventually, we will level the playing field to the point that these airlines will realize that its less trouble to just play by the rules.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Sunwing has a new ad for 737NG rated pilots on AvCanada again, posted today:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=85227

What games are they playing? We have over 50 laid off Air Transat pilots who are ready to work. There is a B-737-800 simulator right here in Montreal. These guys could all be trained in time for Sunwing's winter season. They are all experienced jet pilots, they have all been to most of Sunwing's southern destinations which are the almost all the same as AT's.
If hired, not only would they not go on EI, but unlike those foreigners, they would pay income taxes to Revenue Canada.

How long is Sunwing going to play these foolish games ?

Cheating on Reciprocity.
Claiming lack of type rating is tantamount to pilot shortage
Using A lot of wet-leases (7 aircraft already in 2012)
Having foreign pilot "employees" that pay no income taxes, do not contribute to the Canada pension plan or to EI.

[justwork]

It sucks, totally agree.

How long is Sunwing going to play these foolish games ?

I'm willing to bet that they'll be doing it until the second they go bust.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

I got an email from one of my buddies who was laid off by Air Transat recently. Here is the essence of what he wrote (I am paraphrasing):

I received confirmation that the foreign pilots on work permits in Canada are employed and paid by European companies and pay not a cent here in Canada.

I am totally disgusted. I am leaving my wife and baby behind to go work in .....stan when those Canadian jobs should be available to us. This situation is not only ludicrous but also outrageous.

[RogerCheckCopy]

For what it is worth, I am not sure that Sunwing would consider the laid off AT pilots even if they were only hiring Canadian pilots. Why? I am guessing they will all be recalled in order of seniority so from a business perspective I would not hire anyone in that position unless they presented a letter of resignation first. That said, I hope they all find themselves back in a cockpit soon whether it be back at AT or elsewhere.

[OPEC6-Heavy]

I'm sure your buddy is also having thoughts as to why 200+ Canadian and foreign pilots at Canjet are taking his job as well (Transat Flying). I can not imagine how pissed he must be with all Foreign pilots here in Canada regardless what company they fly for, I would be too. But also Canadian pilots paid by your own employer (lower operating costs). Unfortunately I think Air Transat management is quietly sighing in relief that you have put so much focus on other companies Foreign pilots and have just renewed their vows recently with Canjet to expand their outsourcing in a much more corporately branded way. Not to mention 1 additional A310 to be parked. I see the Foreign pilot side of this, that's obvious. What about another Canadian company essentially taking Transat jobs (nothing against CJ, good guys). Gilles I'm curios what your views are on this topic, it seems to be completely off the radar. And NO i'm not trying to change the subject "Sunwing is still bad".

[Gilles Hudicourt]

What about another Canadian company essentially taking Transat jobs (nothing against CJ, good guys). Gilles I'm curios what your views are on this topic, it seems to be completely off the radar. And NO i'm not trying to change the subject "Sunwing is still bad".

You are not changing the subject, you are being your usual self. The quotes below speak for themselves and emit a loud and clear opinion on what you just wrote above. These are just a few examples of what I wrote. There are many more. Have you no shame ?

I deducted that the FLVC issued to foreign pilots flying on behalf of Canjet and Sunwing could only be issued under (j), that is "if, in the opinion of the Minister, it is in the public interest and not....

the foreign pilots who come to Canada to fly Canadian Registered aircraft such as Sunwing's and Canjet's, need to obtain from Transport Canada a Foreign Licence Validation Certificate.....

Air Berlin pilots were denied work permits to fly on contract for Sunwing 2) Contract pilots for Canjet were provided with work permits and a......

We are fighting Canjet harder than we are fighting Sunwing because Canjet only imports its foreign pilots under LMOs and we categorically oppose LMOs period. I do not ...

I later collected the Resumes of about 70 Canadian pilots that had applied at Sunwing and Canjet which our Union Head delivered in person to a Government office in Ottawa, to prove to them that there were qualified pilots in Canada that were ...

A bit like when they claim that all the European contract pilots who come to Canada to fly Sunwing and Canjet aircraft are "employees" of said airlines to conform to CAR 203.03 (1) (d) and CAR 223 (3) (d) which requires them to be

Here I am writing on a public forum about CAR violations that go on year after year by both Canjet and Sunwing, and ....NOTHING

The regulation clearly states that the applicant, Canjet and Sunwing, when applying to have a Foreign Registered aircrat in their fleets, must provide to Transport Canada: evidence establishing that ...

I just received an email informing me that some European pilots coming to work for Canjet have received their Canadian Work permits and are due to arrive in Canada this week.

Last year, some of it was in Amsterdam I was told. Canjet signed a contract with a simulator company in Florida, although there is a Boeing 737-800 simulator right here in Montreal.

I heard that Canjet is planning 32 foreign pilots this winter. Have they arrived ? Anyone know ?

Most have mortgages, car payments, young children, and they are looking for work and applying for EI while Sunwing and Canjet are looking the other way and applying for work permits for European pilots so these can come and take jobs that should go to Canadians

Of the 171 foreign pilots whose work visas were obtained through an LMO in 2011, about 30 to 40 came to work for Canjet and 4 for Sunwing.

Canjet and Sunwing already both filled out this same form several times in previous years and every time they replied ..... ?

In the past, HRSDC issued LMOs for Sunwing and Canjet because they were taken for a ride by these two companies and also because they did not totally grasp the concept of a type rating, what it took ...

[OPEC6-Heavy]

Gilles,
I realize your concern with Foreign pilots Includes Canjet and not just Sunwing (cut and paste not necessary). I get that... what about Canadian Jobs taking Canadian Transat jobs? that was my question. Looking for your opinion, that's all. Seems like a difficult spot for ALPA as both groups are represented by them.

[60N30W]

Hello OPEC 6,

In simple terms I think most of us (TSC pilots) are beyond pissed that our parent compnay gives flying to anyone else. We would like to see 100% of Group Transat flying done by TSC pilots, and that is a battle we have waged in house, and continue to wage.

That being said this is a different issue in my view.

Regards,

60N30W