Our sources at the CAC disclosed that 5 majors have applied for 67 new routes and the regionals are going to expand their intra-China traffic by 70% despite the multi-billion development of high speed bullet train routes. Some lucrative business destinations are still beyond reach of rails and may remain so for at least the next five years.
Also take note that the contracts are getting much better lately with less unpaid time and more per diem allowances. ELOs remain an issue since some pilots enjoy them while others detest them, depending on the location of course. Not many pilots complain about an extra 2 days in Sanya with all expenses paid.
At any rate, we anticipate 1,800 - 2,000 expat ATP pilots to be hired starting in September and if you want a jump on the pack and a "No BS" placement, or any other relocation assistance, send us your most current resume and photo and we'll start search our database twice weekly on your behalf, free of charge.
And as always, beware of recruiters who want you to sign up with them without providing full disclosure on the actual position. Recently we caught three different recruiters advertising non-existent lucrative "Captain position with a Chinese major" only to do a bait and switch on applicants. It is always best to work with expats in China that can verify and confirm the real deal in a day or two than some yahoo on a phone in LA who processes pilots like a herd of sheep.
Also while medical exams will become more lenient in the near future, background checks will become more stringent. See:
China Pilots Association To Assist 9 Chinese Airlines With Background Checks For Expats Seeking Jobs | PRLog Some good news is that 3 of the majors have agreed to extend their age limit from 55 to 58. Soon or later they will have age discrimination laws in China, but probably not for the next 3-5 years. China has less than a one-fifth the laws & regulations of America, but sometimes that can actually be a good thing! (not often).
Lastly, I thought this article put out by the Chinese government might be of some interest to you as you an see the huge demand in the civil aviation market, yet the restrictive air space issues still bog things down. Over 80 flying clubs have formed yet finding "legal" airspace to fly is still highly inconvenient and flight plans still take up to 30 days to get approved.
Half a million new pilots on China's horizon - China.org.cn.
The good news is that China is getting a lot better a lot sooner under the new leadership of China which has the vision to see the value of commercial and civil airspace. Come check it out for yourself. South China can be a taste of heaven on Earth while North China still struggles with severe pollution issues, especially during the winter months