Originally Posted by stoki

companies like qatar and emirates have more applications then they know what to do with, all from experienced pilots. Qatar is so backed up that from getting the invite to actually starting training is taking most half a year to hear back. Emirates is also hiring due to growth. But they are not short.

Asian companies are mainly looking for skippers and almost all want current type-ratings with at least 500 hours on type, and yet they too are still capable of staffing the airplanes. Then come the nationals that are in training in the u.s in the dozens, who come home and fill all those right seats, eventually they will catch up to their needs, then where will all the expats go? Since they already left since there is no work in their company.

Are there jobs? Yes. Is there a shortage? Absolutely not. Not even of experienced pilots.

Once all these places start parking planes because they can't crew them, or drop their entry requirements because they can't find the experience they are looking for, then we can say there is a shortage of experienced pilots. But while you need a tr with at least 500 on type (in vast majority of cases a a320 or 737tr) to work most of these places, they aren't short of guys experienced guys who have it.