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Expat pilots hoping to take off in China told their credentials are no longer a hot ticket

China’s aviation market still attracts foreign pilots but they face high competition, rigid standards as overseas experience loses its shine

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Two commercial airline pilots walk through the departure hall of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, as foreign pilots seeking to launch a career in China are warned of stiff competition and rigid standards. Photo: Getty
Frank Chenin Shanghai
China remains on the radar of foreign aviators keen to scout out opportunities in the world’s second-largest economy, with many unfazed by the sector’s prolonged recovery and the dwindling number of expat pilots.
Those expats still flying in China hail high job satisfaction and long-term outlook, but they also warn newcomers of competition and that overseas credentials and experiences are losing their acclaimed status.
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Jang Kwang-chol, an instructor captain with Chengdu Airlines who hails from South Korea, has witnessed from his cockpit the appeal and shifting landscape of one of the world’s largest aviation markets.

“I recently posted an article on LinkedIn titled ‘Will China Become a Golden Market for Expat Pilots Again?’, and many have contacted me, expressing strong interest,” he said.

“What stood out to me was the enduring interest in China. There seems to be expectation that opportunities there may open up again despite the changes since Covid.”

Official data shows a 70 per cent slump in the number of foreign pilots flying in China in 2024 from a pre-pandemic peak.

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Still, Chinese carriers with a sizeable pool of overseas talent, like Spring Airlines and Hainan Airlines, keep cropping up in discussions on forums popular among trainees and cadets, while agencies like Flight Crew International and Pilot Career Centre list active openings across Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

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