Foreign Pilots

[shakey]

I agree top fuel we should also allow foriegn operators into the country then you might change your tune. By the way I'm gainfully employed and happy just still think its wrong about the permit thing. I also notice that your company is constantly looking for people must be a reason for that.

[Twin Helix]

I think the industry can do much better too.

 

Certainly there are many clients with outrageous requirements for very lame flying.

 

I don't think the customer requirements are the real bottleneck though. Helicopters are a very expensive way to get around and nobody hires them unless its the only way to get a job done efficiently. If nobody was available that was able to meet their requirements believe me they would lower them before they would just stop working.

 

Of course no operator is going to turn down work willingly but if you can't get visas you wouldn't have a choice.

 

In light of last week's announcements from the fed about temporary foreign workers, it will be interesting to see if there's any impact in our business. More importantly, what impact is it going to have on the service at my local Tim Hortons.

 

In all seriousness though, is it a standard work visa that non-canadian pilots come on or are they under the temp foreign worker program?

[Winnie]

In all seriousness though, is it a standard work visa that non-canadian pilots come on or are they under the temp foreign worker program?

 

Anybody coming in to work are under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

 

THere is an "exchange visa" available for one year if you are under 35, but it is tricky to get.

 

The process to get a temp work permit is as follows:

 

#the employer applies for a Labor Market Opinion from HRDC. They may have to have an add out to get that, then WHEN they get a positive LMO (can be for 1 or 2 or 3 years) they send that to the applicant, and they come to the border and get the visa stamped. This Work Permit only allows them to work for the specific company, and can be renewed. But if the worker wants to change jobs, he has to get a different company apply for an LMO.

 

I have not seen what is going on right this moment with work permits, and have not kept up, but it seems to be not too hard to achieve right now.

 

Cheers

H.

[deuce bigalow]

And there you have it. Mystery solved. Our friends at HAC once again working hard to look after the interests of Canadian pilots.

 

www.h-a-c.ca
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May 8, 2013
Honourable Jason Kenny
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
325 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Honourable Minister:
The Helicopter Association of Canada’s members collectively operate over 80% of the commercial helicopters in Canada today.
The Association has been watching with interest the discussion relating to the use of temporary foreign workers in Canada, and prospective changes to the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion process under discussion and, we feel that you should be aware of the importance of temporary foreign workers to our industry segment.
The Canadian helicopter industry depends on highly skilled seasonal foreign workers to supplement the growing shortage of experienced helicopter pilots in Canada.
The global shortage of experienced helicopter flight crews has drawn many experienced Canadian pilots to international locales both in support of Canadian companies working internationally, but also to work for foreign companies. Experienced Canadian helicopter pilots and Maintenance Engineers are sought-after around the world, and during the busy summer months, many of our members have difficulty finding qualified Canadians to meet their needs. The recognition of foreign aircraft maintenance qualifications makes temporary access by foreign maintenance personnel even more complicated.
2
Furthermore, a growing number of our Canadian clients impose experience requirements that make it difficult to find and employ newly-licensed Canadian helicopter pilots and, the seasonal nature of the helicopter business only aggravates the problem when the demand for experienced crews spikes during the summer months. The process of building time and experience as a helicopter pilot is difficult and time-consuming and, the transition from a newly-licensed helicopter pilot to a readily-employable pilot is a challenging one for both pilots and employers. It takes years of experience to be able to read weather, perform external load operations, or just manage the new more sophisticated aircraft our customers demand. A pilot with 1,000 hours on a small piston engine powered aircraft is not the same as a pilot with experience on a new generation multi-engine aircraft
In Canada, helicopter operators generally have a very short operating season and sometimes unpredictable demands - on short notice for extra flight crews in a busy fire season, for example, can aggravate the shortage. We absolutely need access to temporary English and French-speaking foreign workers, sometimes on an accelerated basis.
Our foreign contractor-pilots are generally paid according to Canadian flight crew standards. It is not a question of finding a cheaper temporary source of experienced flight crews – but one of simply finding experienced temporary flight crews.
Any changes to the temporary foreign worker program should contemplate the needs of our industry for seasonal pilots and maintenance personnel. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter to ensure that service to our customers is not interrupted by a short-sighted change to the temporary foreign worker program or to the accelerated Labour Market Opinion process.
We would be pleased to meet with you at your convenience on this issue. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Fred L. Jones BA LLB
President and CEO
Helicopter Association of Canada
“Bringing the Industry Together”
130 Albert Street, Suite 500
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Office: (613) 231-1110 x239
Cell: (613) 884-1422
Fax: (613) 369-5097
Website: www.h-a-c.ca

[Twin Helix]

And there you have it. Mystery solved. Our friends at HAC once again working hard to look after the interests of Canadian pilots.

 

 

 

A bit of good, a bit of bad...It's nice to see specific reference to the challenges facing new pilots, hopefully someone reads between the lines and it leads to a dialogue on how to get more experience for low-time guys/girls.

 

I don't think it's very realistic to think that the industry will ever be able to ween it's self entirely from foreign labour, nor do I think it's necessarily a desirable long-term objective...the real challenge is finding the right balance. If moves are made to develop "new pilot-friendly" programs, the industry will still very much need supplemental labour until the program has a chance to work it's way through.

 

Unfortunately, such a project would (I suspect) play out like highway improvements...build today to accomodate the demands of 5 years ago.

 

Either way, good on Fred et al for at least keeping our industry on the radar of the government.

[Skidz]

This is an example of a situation where if pilots and engineers had an organisation to speak for them there could be a rebuttal to HAC. Mr. Jones fails to mention that the bulk of foreign pilots that come here are not "with experience on a new generation multi-engine aircraft", but in the 1000 - 3000 hour range VFR pilots...

 

And I find the statement "Our foreign contractor-pilots are generally paid according to Canadian flight crew standards. It is not a question of finding a cheaper temporary source of experienced flight crews – but one of simply finding experienced temporary flight crews" misleading. Why do so many Canadian pilots go work overseas ? Perhaps the fact that wages in the domestic VFR market haven't changed significantly since the early 90's is a factor...

[pilot5]

 

A bit of good, a bit of bad...It's nice to see specific reference to the challenges facing new pilots, hopefully someone reads between the lines and it leads to a dialogue on how to get more experience for low-time guys/girls.

 

I don't think it's very realistic to think that the industry will ever be able to ween it's self entirely from foreign labour, nor do I think it's necessarily a desirable long-term objective...the real challenge is finding the right balance. If moves are made to develop "new pilot-friendly" programs, the industry will still very much need supplemental labour until the program has a chance to work it's way through.

 

Unfortunately, such a project would (I suspect) play out like highway improvements...build today to accomodate the demands of 5 years ago.

 

Either way, good on Fred et al for at least keeping our industry on the radar of the government.

 

 

HAC- Owners club!

 

I would have written something to this effect..

 

Dear Mr. Kenny

 

Industry stake holders have been burdened by a serious shortage of experience well trained Canadian helicopter pilots . This is due to the present day client and insurance requirements and ever decreasing margins and lack of foresight by senior managers of some stakeholders in past decades. Unfortunately instead of being able to hire inexperienced Canadians and train them on the job, industry takes the economical path to outsource in foreign juristctions and by doing so for the last decade has created an increasing dependency and subsequent shortage of Canadian experience commercial helicopter pilots. Today there exists an enormous gap between what is required and what is available from the current Canadian Labour force. Unfortunately this problem is in part due to substandard training requirements and criteria demanded by TC Canada in terms of management training to assist those with decision making authority acting on behalf of operators and stake holders to assure full compliance with both federal and provincial laws. All to often it is far less expensive to hire a foreign pilot and subvert the rules than to hire and train a young Canadian .

 

It would be in the interests of all Canadians and to the benefit of Canadian workers and families to end this dependence on foreign workers in this very small skilled profession by visiting the existing Canadian Action plan and job training incentives to assist operators to hire and train young Canadians. and once and for all put the jobs back into the hands of Canadians. I look forward to working with you and your colleagues to find a solution to put an end to an over dependence on foreign workers.

 

 

Or something like that........

 

 

Jones is an air head! Playing it up for the owners club and not representing the Canadian crews or the best interest of all industry stake holders and demonstrate some foresight and find a long term solution ..."LONG TERM" Total Lack of leadership...but then agin for the most part he is put in place as a puppet of the owners club so I really don't expect anything more...

 

Same old same old....!. Blaaaaaa

 

Several valid points in all previous posts. All point to the same systemic problem...

 

IMHO

 

P5

[skullcap]

What do they say now, haters hate.

[Skidz]

 

 

HAC- Owners club!

 

I would have written something to this effect..

 

Dear Mr. Kenny

 

Industry stake holders have been burdened by a serious shortage of experience well trained Canadian helicopter pilots . This is due to the present day client and insurance requirements and ever decreasing margins and lack of foresight by senior managers of some stakeholders in past decades. Unfortunately instead of being able to hire inexperienced Canadians and train them on the job, industry takes the economical path to outsource in foreign juristctions and by doing so for the last decade has created an increasing dependency and subsequent shortage of Canadian experience commercial helicopter pilots. Today there exists an enormous gap between what is required and what is available from the current Canadian Labour force. Unfortunately this problem is in part due to substandard training requirements and criteria demanded by TC Canada in terms of management training to assist those with decision making authority acting on behalf of operators and stake holders to assure full compliance with both federal and provincial laws. All to often it is far less expensive to hire a foreign pilot and subvert the rules than to hire and train a young Canadian .

 

It would be in the interests of all Canadians and to the benefit of Canadian workers and families to end this dependence on foreign workers in this very small skilled profession by visiting the existing Canadian Action plan and job training incentives to assist operators to hire and train young Canadians. and once and for all put the jobs back into the hands of Canadians. I look forward to working with you and your colleagues to find a solution to put an end to an over dependence on foreign workers.

 

 

Or something like that........

 

 

Jones is an air head! Playing it up for the owners club and not representing the Canadian crews or the best interest of all industry stake holders and demonstrate some foresight and find a long term solution ..."LONG TERM" Total Lack of leadership...but then agin for the most part he is put in place as a puppet of the owners club so I really don't expect anything more...

 

Same old same old....!. Blaaaaaa

 

Several valid points in all previous posts. All point to the same systemic problem...

 

IMHO

 

P5

 

I can't fault Fred Jones' actions. HAC is a lobby group funded by operators for operators. My understanding is he's done a great job for the industry with respect to his predecessor (from the operator's point of view of course). It always surprises me when some pilots and engineers naively think that HAC is looking out for their interests. When we tried to get HEPAC off the ground, a lot of the flack we got was of the sort "HAC is already there, why do we need to be burdened with another association?"...

 

We have no representation, and it's our own fault.

[HeliRico]

I'm curious to see how many 500/600h pilot are working at the moment .. or recently hired .. Anybody ?