Once heavily recruited, foreign pilots in China now see their presence shrink below 2% as local talent surges. The "golden era" of expat aviators, marked by high pay and fast promotion, faded after 2019 due to policy shifts, pandemic cuts, and rising domestic captain reserves. Those who remain are a small, specialized group, optimistic about China's aviation future.
Source: OT-Team(G), 观察者网
Once soaring high in China's skies, foreign pilots now find a new chapter — in a market still full of opportunity.
Two decades ago, as China's commercial aviation market began its rapid ascent, foreign pilots with international credentials found unprecedented opportunity. Airlines hungry for experienced captains rolled out generous contracts, fast-track promotions, and minimal additional barriers, creating what many describe as a "golden era" for expatriate aviators.
"Beyond the standard reminders — no smoking, no drinking — foreign captains were essentially on an express career runway in China," recalled one expatriate captain still flying for a Chinese low-cost carrier. "It was an exciting time."
Today, although China has grown into the world's largest aviation market by scale, the presence of foreign pilots has shrunk to near insignificance.
A South China Morning Post report on February 3 describes how foreign aviators once arrived to a red-carpet welcome — enjoying high pay, privileges, and rapid advancement — but are now largely departing quietly, often on overnight "red-eye" flights out.
Foreign Pilots Once in High Demand
Like many fast-developing industries in China, commercial aviation once depended heavily on foreign expertise before domestic capacity caught up.
"When I came to China in 2016, the country still couldn't 'mass-produce' enough local captains," said Jang Kwang-chol, a South Korean instructor captain with Chengdu Airlines. His résumé was tailor-made for recruitment drives at the time: former South Korean Air Force fighter pilot, experience with Asiana Airlines in Seoul, type ratings on both Boeing and Airbus aircraft, and certified instructor status.
Captains like Jang were actively courted. Beginning in the early 2000s, Chinese airlines launched overseas headhunting campaigns, favoring pilots with backgrounds at major international carriers. After the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) introduced standardized management rules in 2005, foreign pilot recruitment accelerated, peaking in the 2010s.
"Captains are core assets. Their numbers determine an airline's staffing strength and operational capacity," said veteran aviation consultant Brian Yang Bo. "To expand fleets and route networks, you first have to secure enough qualified professionals."
A single commercial aircraft typically requires five to seven captains to sustain near round-the-clock operations.
From the 2000s through the 2010s, China faced a structural captain shortage. Training a captain is a lengthy process. "A first officer usually needs about 1,500 flight hours and multiple evaluations to qualify as a captain — the process takes at least seven years, often longer," Yang said. "Compared with training cadets from scratch, hiring foreign captains was the shortcut."
Chinese carriers paid accordingly.
"I really wanted to work in China. The working conditions and pay were more flexible and attractive than at my previous company in Korea," Jang said. At the time, he added, "captains around the world wanted to come to China."
Italian captain Pietro Soddu has flown for Shanghai-based Spring Airlines for 13 years. With three decades of flight experience, he first looked to China during a crisis in Italy's aviation sector. After receiving what he called "the best contract I had ever seen," he relocated to Shanghai, later marrying there. While many peers eventually left, career prospects and family ties kept him in place. "I don't regret choosing China," he said.
2019: A Turning Point
Demand intensified through the 2010s as Chinese airlines expanded route networks and took delivery of large numbers of aircraft.
The proportion of foreign captains rose accordingly. Between 2017 and 2018, for example, foreign captains reportedly made up nearly one-third of those qualified to operate advanced widebody jets such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 at China Southern Airlines, primarily on routes to Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.
"Foreign professionals brought rich experience and expertise, helping us accelerate internationalization," a China Southern flight department executive said in 2018, noting recruitment from global heavyweights such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa.
The trajectory shifted in 2019, when the CAAC issued new guidelines to standardize the recruitment and management of foreign pilots. The rules called for the proportion of foreign pilots to be kept within a "reasonable range" and cautioned against hiring individuals with personality or communication issues that could hinder regulatory compliance or crew coordination.
The report describes the guidelines as an early signal that the golden era was nearing its end — soon followed by a "double blow."
The pandemic triggered a collapse in passenger demand and a wave of flight cancellations both internationally and domestically. Facing sustained losses, airlines cut staff, and higher-cost foreign captains were often among the first affected.
While China's aviation sector is now recovering, carriers are slowing fleet renewal and expansion. Growing adoption of domestically produced aircraft has also reduced demand for pilots specialized in foreign-built types. Notably, no foreign captains have yet been reported flying the COMAC C919.
"Those Who Stay Are the Lucky Ones"
Even at their peak, foreign captains were a minority. CAAC data show they accounted for about 9% of China's active certified captains in 2018, with many operating international trunk routes during the country's global expansion phase.
Six years later, that share has fallen to under 2%. Jang said those who remain are "the lucky ones."
The number of foreign holders of Chinese licenses has also dropped sharply. By the end of 2024, 1,926 foreigners held Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) licenses in China, out of a national total of 29,995. In 2020, the figures were 3,802 foreign ATP holders out of 26,241.
Yang argues the decline reflects broader industry evolution and a shift in recruitment patterns, as domestic pilot numbers and skill levels have surged. As early as 2019, a CAAC annual pilot development report said talent shortages had been "significantly alleviated."
An executive at a Chinese airline said that after the CAAC called for foreign pilot ratios to be "reasonably controlled," carriers accelerated the promotion of local first officers to captain. "Large-scale recruitment and training investment have created today's substantial captain reserves," the executive said.
Still, he emphasized that overseas talent will not disappear entirely. "Foreign captains in China will become a small but necessary group, supplementing local captains and meeting airlines' diversified needs. Civil aviation is inherently international. The key to success is retaining and making good use of talent."
Soddu said he has watched young Chinese pilots mature rapidly and feels proud to have contributed. "They also see flying as something beautiful, not just a job. That's the passion I tried to share when I first came. Now I see the same flying spirit in them."
Although expatriates now form only a small share of airline staff, he said those who remain are "highly satisfied with both work and life."
Jang is equally optimistic, planning to continue building flight experience in China. "The Chinese market is extremely attractive, with huge growth potential ahead," he said. "I hope it will continue to offer opportunities to foreigners in the future."
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