Ex-USAF, recently moved to the southern hemisphere with my Aussie, and just completed a FAA ATP to CASA ATPL conversion. Here’s the scoop…

2 main issues facing a pilot wanting to work down under presently:

Immigration: if you wanna fly jets with the major players i.e. QANTAS, Virgin Blue, Jet Star you MUST hold Australian Permanent Residency with either a visa, Oz passport, or citizenship (most all the regionals also have a similar requirement). Presently pilots aren’t on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) but are on the Employer Nomination Scheme Occupation List (ENSOL). The short of this is that Oz won’t just be giving you a visa to come work as a pilot. You’ll either need to get a visa on your own merits (birth, spouse, family) or be nominated by a specific airline employer (QF/VB/J* don’t nominate). If the regional do start doing this, know that this is a position specific visa so you just can’t quit one airline and join another - you’ll need a new visa.

Licence Conversion: presently this is not an easy or inexpensive process. My background is USAF, nearly 8 years of world wide heavy flying experience, and I hold numerous jet type ratings on my FAA ATP. In order to convert my licence I was required to pass 3 written exams:

Instrument Rating Exam (IREX): 3.5 Hour Exam / 70% to Pass
CPL Flight Rules & Air Law (CLWA): 2.0 Hour Exam / 80% to Pass
ATPL Air Law (AALW): 1.5 Hour Exam / 80% to Pass
*NOTE: some airlines want credits in ALL ATPL Theory subjects (that’s 7 written tests).

Also unless you have formerly flow in Australia, you will have to do a flight test for the initial issue of a Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating (MECIR) which is separate from the ATPL. I know it is odd for us North Americans, but you can have an ATPL and not be instrument rated in Oz.

Now the flight test, isn’t some quick All-ATPs course where you get ‘the gouge’ and fly a few approaches. In order to get all the NAVAID endorsements on your initial MECIR you will need to fly an ILS / NDB / VOR / RNAV (GNSS) / DGA (DME or GPS Arrival – Aussie procedure) and HOLD, all while getting the usual run of single engine, circling, and missed approaches. I liken it more to a full route check as you are expected to fly to another airport, utilize airways, and know and operate under all of Australia’s vast expanse of Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) and Orders (CAOs). In my case that equated to a 3 hour flight test, that covered 4 different airports, to get all the endorsements.

By now I am sure you are wondering what low, low, price all this mandatory fun will cost me…

Cost: (Presently .90 AUD = 1 USD)
Flight Training (in a light twin BE76 / PA44). Costs vary 300-500/hr DUAL depending on region. Unless you are current/proficient in a light twin expect about 10 hours of flight time including your flight test: 4000 / 3600

Examiner Fees: 400 / 360

CASA Certificate of Validation (needed for initial flight training): 150 / 135
CASA ATPL Licensing / Ratings / Endorsements Fee: 180 / 162

CASA Class 1 Medical
Medical Examiner Fees: 150 / 135
Ophthalmologist: 160 / 144
Blood Work: 40 / 36
CASA Processing Fee: 75 / 68

Written Exam Fees
IREX: 174 / 156
CLWA: 154 / 139
AALW: 144 / 130

Publications (must maintain own copy – none provided by CASA for testing/flight)
Approach Plates: 177 / 160
CAR, CAO, ERSA, AIP, Charts (their FARs etc): 660 / 594

Aviation Security Identification Card (Background check): 196 / 176

GRAND TOTAL (TO CONVERT YOUR LICENSE): 6660 AUD or 5995 USD

So now with a visa and licence in hand you can start hunting for that dream job! Other things to consider are the fact that the Oz aviation scene is closer in relation to the very thorough, if not a pit padantic, British/JAA aviation system. Given that aussie pilots tend to be more theory based, one must recognise that the system is just different here and that this may not be to your liking. Also Australia is a large supplier of pilots to the world market (Cathay, Emirates, etc) so be fore warned there will be a large amount of pilots chasing the big jobs.

Like all things in aviation this is subject to change, but it should give you an idea of the PRESENT system and some of the issues.

The bottom line is that if you are willing to jump through the hoops you will find a job in Oz! But I think it will take more than just a love of kangaroos to keep you going some days.

MayFly

P.S. After 5 months I still don't have my VISA and am looking to off shore contract work in the interim.

Other info on Oz Aviation:
CASA at http://www.casa.gov.au/fcl/transfer.htm
Australian Federation of Air Pilots http://www.afap.org.au
Dunnunda and Godzone forums at http://www.pprune.org