Air traffic controllers are being recruited across borders, and aviation officials say the trend exposes staffing gaps that raise concerns about air safety and travel disruption, Reuters reported.

Australia, Canada and South Africa are competing for experienced controllers, and some countries are turning to foreign workers to fill vacancies. Reuters cited a 2025 CAE forecast that 71,000 new air traffic controllers will be needed globally by 2034.

Controllers and union officials told Reuters that staff are leaving for higher pay, better conditions and, in some cases, the chance to work beyond their home country's retirement age. Two people with knowledge of the matter said some Airservices Australia controllers are moving to Qatar, which has recently advertised for staff. Qatar's civil aviation authority did not respond to a request for comment.

Scott Nugent, president of Civil Air Australia, said "we are aware of dozens of ATCs (air traffic controllers) across multiple locations in Australia, including some in Sydney, who have either resigned from Airservices to work overseas, or are exploring the opportunity to do so." Airservices Australia said its national attrition rate for controllers was within expectations.

NAV CANADA said it used an external firm for "a limited, targeted measure" to recruit eight foreign controllers willing to immigrate to Canada. South Africa's Air Traffic and Navigation Services limits how many staff it seeks from any one country after losing 28 controllers within eight months between 2024 and last year. Its chief operating officer, Josia Manyakoana, said, "We don't want to do that to any one specific country."

The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, a trade group, is examining how to share training costs between current employers and the organizations that trained controllers, according to a spokesperson. Indonesia's AirNav has agreed to deploy five controllers to Australia next year, through 2030. Setio Anggoro, AirNav Indonesia's director of operations, said, "Australia needs more controllers and we have a surplus at the moment."

Officials say recruitment alone cannot solve the imbalance, and countries need to train more controllers while improving retention.