Airline says it's exploring 'multiple avenues' to address shortage of pilots
WestJet and the federal government are facing criticism over the airline’s application to hire pilots through the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program.
According to the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), the federal government has granted approval for WestJet to employ foreign pilots to work at WestJet Encore under the program.
“ALPA Canada is deeply concerned that WestJet Inc. is citing an inability to attract Canadian pilots to its airline as the rationale for hiring temporary foreign pilots to fill vacancies in their aircraft,” says Captain Tim Perry, president of the union.
The TFW Program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available.
In a statement to CBC, WestJet spokesperson Julia Kaiser said that the airline is exploring the labour market impact assessment (LMIA) process as one of "multiple avenues" to meet a shortage of WestJet Encore captains.
However, Perry claims there is no lack of available talent. Rather, it’s about WestJet management’s failure “to address the very real issue of career progression and job security for pilots within the company”.
“Their request to hire foreign pilots is problematic and short-sighted and will cause irreparable damage to labour relations. There are more practical solutions to attracting and retaining skilled professional pilots that do not involve utilizing a federal program that was never intended for this purpose.”
‘Short-circuit’ of hiring process, says expert
Aviation expert John Gradek, a faculty lecturer in aviation management at McGill University, agrees with ALPA.
He claims that WestJet’s approach is not the way the airline should address its staffing issues, according to the CBC report.
"WestJet is trying to short-circuit the process of hiring Canadian pilots," he said.
"This is not the way we basically look at hiring high-quality, good-paying, very demanding pilot jobs in Canada."
Neither WestJet nor Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) have confirmed whether the government has approved the airline's application, according to CBC.
Ottawa made numerous significant changes to immigration rules in 2024.
Consultation around hiring through TFW Program
ALPA also urges the federal government to consult the union representing impacted employees during the LMIA process.
“There should be considerations required when assessing highly skilled, licensed, unionized workers employed under terms set out through collective bargaining. In this case, the Program fails to encourage the employer, WestJet Inc., to address the reality of its internal labour issues in a meaningful way.
“As we have said before, ALPA Canada supports legal immigration, which includes a stable pathway to citizenship, with labour mobility rights. However, we do not support the status of these employees in Canada when it is under the control and subject to the whims of an employer.”
It is through the LMIA process that the employer needs to show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job.
Overall, the number of positions approved to be filled by temporary foreign workers in 2023 stood at 239,646, more than double the 108,988 recorded in 2018, CBC previously reported, citing data from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
WestJet’s Quebec City closure
ALPA has also called on WestJet to reverse its decision to close the YQB base in Quebec City, citing the severe economic and cultural impact it will have on the community.
In 2022, the WestJet Group announced a deal to buy Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations. The acquisition closed in May 2023. WestJet subsequently announced operational changes as part of the acquisition, including the closure of the YQB base, with the pilots being transferred to Montreal.
In January, the Supreme Court of British Columbia directed WestJet to produce additional harassment complaint files related to flight attendants, rejecting the airline’s attempt to limit document production.
