air canada

Canadian pilots are fleeing cities like Toronto for better pay south of the border

If you're struggling to afford basic life expenses, you're certainly not the only one, as even higher-income residents are feeling the squeeze of inflation and the exorbitant cost of living that has people crossing the border to get a better deal on groceries — and to secure better-paying jobs.

Wages in Canada simply haven't kept up with the ever-increasing price of housing and life in general, prompting many to flee pricier cities like Toronto, or the country in general, if they can.

Our air industry may be the next to be hit with even worse staffing shortages, as new data has revealed that increasingly more pilots are opting to take higher salary offers for the same job in the U.S. instead of staying here at home.

Canadian applications for commercial jet licenses in America tripled in 2022 compared to the year prior, with a total of 147 pilots looking to secure better work — and cheaper costs — south of the border versus just 39 in 2021.

It's not just more captains from the Great White North who are making the move, either, as the U.S. has aimed to fill tens of thousands of vacancies post-COVID.

These newly-released numbers from the FAA are "definitely a concern" in Canada, especially for smaller regional carriers, experts told Reuters this week. According to the outlet, for some airlines, "at least" 10 per cent of their pilots are actively trying to relocate.

Lead photo by

Jack Landau


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