Jetstar to employ foreign pilots

[Greg McDonald]

From ninemsn.com.au:

Jetstar will use foreign pilots employed under 457 work visas in the first large-scale hiring of international flight crew in Australia since the pilots' strike of almost 20 years ago.

The budget Qantas offshoot has reportedly secured the support of federal Immigration Minister Chris Evans and Employment Minister Julia Gillard, to employ 75 foreign pilots.

Jetstar said the move, which was expected to be opposed by aviation unions, was needed to address the chronic pilot shortage, The Australian Financial Review reported on Monday.

"We are in a global industry and we should be able to source a global talent pool," Jetstar chief executive Alan Joyce told the paper.

The foreign pilots will be used on Jetstar's domestic and international routes, and the first visa application was processed last week.

Jetstar has also recently hired 20 foreign cabin crew on 457 visas and has government approval to hire up to 60 more.