Foreign Pilots

[vlatko]

I am a European flight instructor with a student visa and a temporary work permit. I have been looking at regional airlines as my next step but there is
one problem. In order to work a US based company, they have to be willing/eligible to sponsor you. Most regionals will not sponsor foreign pilots for a permanent working visa or a green card.
If anybody has any sort of information on this, please share, whether you know of somebody at your airline that has been through the same process or you know of an airline that sponsors foreing pilots. Any information would be of great importance! Thank you!

 

[scoreboard]

its very simple, there are to many willing and able US citizens who will fly regional, let alone asking a prospective company to go the extra step and take a risk of sponsoring an unknown foreign national, think about it... Not a slam, just the facts.

 

[SeanD]

The US has quite a few regionals. I would suggest calling each ones HR departments to see the requirements. Try looking on www.airlinepilotpay.com is has contacts for most of the regionals. Good Luck

 

[Flyingdutchman]

V -

US (121) regional airlines will NOT sponsor you. Suck it up, play the legal game for 5+ year (J visa >> H visa >> Green Card) and apply to a regional.

American Eagle hired some guys from the middle east (after 9/11) on false workpermits... This is why regionals won't touch people anymore (although this is in fact illegal for them to do) on H workpermits.

Frustrating ? maybe so, but it pays off to play the game by it's rules. If you don't like it, go back to the old country, get off your lazzy ass and finish all those damn 14 JAA ATPL written exams

FYI : don't be a smartass, and make sure you hire a GOOD immigration lawyer.

Have fun.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

PS: Are you from Russia or something (based on your name) ?? In that case you don't even have to get a JAA/European license right ?

Wouldnt it be easier to go to Russia/Eastern Europe, convert your FAA (ICAO) license to a local CPL and fly a aeroflot 76 around ? (blond young girls and cheap wodka... you do the math)

 

[vlatko]

Flying dutchman, like you said, I am trying to play by the rules and not take any shortcuts or exploit loopholes. I'm not sure what you mean by saying that. That is why I am here, asking questions, trying to find some valueable input. I also don't understand what the 5+ year game is. I've been in the US for the last 6 years, and things don't work the way they used to 15-20 years ago when you were automatically eligible for a green card after living in the US for 5 years. I have been through the F-1 (not J-1) process and I graduated with a BS in December. Now I have a temporary work visa that is good for one year, in which time I have to find an employer that can sponsor me.
The issue that I am facing is that regionals do not require a bachelor degree. In order for a company to sponsor me for and H-1 working visa, the first officer position would have to have a BS degree requirement which we all know that is not the case with most regionals. However there are some legal acrobatics that can be accomplished to sponsor a foreigner and I have heard rumors that Skywest does sponsor pilots from abroad. However they are the only ones that I know of that sponsor people so I'm trying to find out if there is anybody else that does the same thing.

No I'm not Russian, I'm Macedonian.

 

[BrazPilot]

If you are not married, find a good American girlfriend, fall in love, marry and that problem is solved. Good luck on the one that will follow, marriage.

 

[vlatko]

I have an american girlfrieng Braz. (Un)fortunatley she has very loving and caring parents that play a huge part in her life and won't let her marry a flight instructor that makes 14 an hour. So you see my pain here...
RIP Senna

Also, does anybody know a regional airline with low minimums (i.e. 1000/100)
that requires a Bachelor Degree?

 

[BrazPilot]

Also, does anybody know a regional airline with low minimums (i.e. 1000/100)
that requires a Bachelor Degree?

Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about But let them (and her) think and hope someday you will be flying heavy jets making some fairly good money. About regionals requiring a Bachelors, I believe none does, but they prefere at least an Associate. Plenty of regionals out there with 1000/100 or less mins.
Yeah, RIP Senna, he was and still is The Best.

Good luck Vlatko!

 

[SeanD]

Check out www.aviationinterviews.com read the gouges there. Interesting to see what mins the regionals hire at. Not one of them is consistant. Its a great website , lots of good info when your ready to interview