Qantas Group Pilot Requirements 2026: Hours, Licence and Hiring Process
The Qantas Group hires through QantasLink and Network Aviation, the Qantas Group Pilot Academy in Toowoomba and periodic mainline campaigns; QantasLink’s Direct Entry First Officer stream was open at the last check while Jetstar was not accepting applications. The bar is a CASA ATPL or CPL with all Australian ATPL theory subjects, a multi-engine IR with 2D and 3D endorsements, ICAO English 6 on the licence, a CASA Class 1, and Australian citizenship or the right to work in Australia or New Zealand without sponsorship, with a passport valid 12 months. No direct-entry Captains.
Always confirm on the airline’s own careers page before applying. Every figure here is what the airline published at the date shown against it on our jobs board; entries marked Unconfirmed are ones whose requirements we found but whose current vacancy status we could not establish from the airline’s own pages. Vacancies open and close without notice.
Is Qantas Group hiring pilots now?
Recruiting at the last check on 21 September 2026 — First Officer seat: Recruiting; Captain seat: Not offered. QantasLink Direct Entry First Officer open: CASA ATPL or CPL with all ATPL theory, ME IR with 2D/3D, ELP 6, right to work in Australia/NZ
What the airline’s own material showed: Qantas Group’s own careers site (careers.qantas.com → Pilots and Flying Operations, with Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar sub-pages) and its published PDF “QantasLink Direct Entry Officer Minimum Requirements” appeared in search results on 21 September 2026, with QantasLink recruiting Direct Entry First Officers. Mainline Qantas pilots are largely sourced from QantasLink/Network Aviation flow and the Qantas Group Pilot Academy. Not read directly on the portal.
Requirements, as published
| Requirement | As published by the airline |
|---|---|
| Licence | CASA ATPL(A), or CASA CPL(A) with passes in all Australian ATPL theory subjects; Australian Multi-Engine Aeroplane Instrument Rating with 2D and 3D instrument-approach endorsements |
| Minimum hours | Not stated as a single figure in the QantasLink minimum-requirements PDF surfaced; check the current vacancy |
| Type rating | Not required — provided |
| Right to work | Australian citizenship, or the right to work in Australia / New Zealand without restriction or sponsorship; passport valid 12+ months with unrestricted access to all Qantas destinations |
| Medical | Current CASA Class 1 |
| English | ICAO English Language Proficiency Level 6 on the licence |
Entry routes
- QantasLink Direct Entry First Officer — open
- Qantas Group Pilot Academy (Toowoomba) — ab-initio
- Internal flow QantasLink / Network Aviation to Qantas mainline
- Qantas mainline direct entry — periodic, check the Qantas sub-page
- Direct entry Captain — not offered
Selection process
- Online application
- Psychometric and aptitude assessment
- Interview
- Simulator assessment
- Medical and background checks
Bases and fleet
Bases: Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane · Perth · Adelaide · Canberra · Cairns · Darwin
Fleet: A220 (QantasLink) · A320 family (Network Aviation) · A330 · A380 · B737-800 · B787 · Dash 8-400 · Fokker 100
How to prepare
QantasLink flies the Dash 8-400 and A220, Network Aviation the A320, and mainline the 737, A330, 787 and A380, so the A320 and B737 banks cover the jet fleets a direct-entry First Officer is most likely to touch and the ATPL theory banks the psychometric and technical stages. Qantas’ selection runs online application, aptitude testing, interview, simulator assessment and medical; group exercises and competency interviews are standard across the Group.
Then read the complete airline pilot interview guide for the HR and competency stages, and check Qantas Group’s entry on the jobs board for the latest status.
What we could not confirm
- Researched on 21 September 2026 from search-engine results of the airline’s own careers pages, job postings and industry job boards — not from a direct read of the portal. Confirm the vacancy is still open before you apply.
- The total-hours minimum for the current QantasLink vacancy
- Whether Qantas mainline is taking external applications in late 2026
These points are not published clearly by the airline. Treat them as leads, not facts, and confirm them on the careers page: careers page.
Common questions
Is Qantas Group hiring pilots right now? Recruiting at the last check (21 September 2026): First Officer seat recruiting, Captain seat not offered. QantasLink Direct Entry First Officer open: CASA ATPL or CPL with all ATPL theory, ME IR with 2D/3D, ELP 6, right to work in Australia/NZ Confirm on the airline’s own careers page before applying.
How many flight hours do you need to join Qantas Group? Not published · see vacancy. In full: Not stated as a single figure in the QantasLink minimum-requirements PDF surfaced; check the current vacancy.
Does Qantas Group hire direct entry Captains? No. Qantas Group publishes no external Captain route; command is by internal seniority, and experienced Captains join as First Officers.
Does Qantas Group provide the type rating? Provided. In full: Not required — provided.
Do I need the right to work in Australia? Australian citizenship, or the right to work in Australia / New Zealand without restriction or sponsorship; passport valid 12+ months with unrestricted access to all Qantas destinations.
What is Qantas Group’s pilot selection process? Online application → Psychometric and aptitude assessment → Interview → Simulator assessment → Medical and background checks
Prepare for the assessment, not just the application
Getting the interview is the easy half. v1prep has 16,000+ technical questions with every answer cited to its source — A320, B737, EASA ATPL theory and the FAA writtens.
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