Regional hiring requirements

[UKflyer]

Hi

I know i have a long way to go before even attempting to apply for a job with a regional, but i just have one question...

I am a UK citizen with a UK passport, but i have a US VISA which allows me to work in the US. I plan to do all my training in the US - is it feasible for me to be hired or do i need to be a US citizen?

Thanks for any response.

JB.

 

[PennEagle]

What type of Visa?

I am a UK citizen with a UK passport, but i have a US VISA which allows me to work in the US.

First question has to be ~ what type of US Visa do you have?

The majority of visa's are linked to specific work opportunites, and have an expiry date associated with them. For example, if Company A offers you a job then they have to apply for a J1 Visa which is good for 3 years and renewable for a further 3 years after that. During that 6 year period, Company A needs to sponsor your application for a Green Card which will give you the right to work anywhere in the US. During this whole process, the Dept of Labor have to be convinced that there are no Americans that have your particular skills.

There are also educational visas where people come to this country to learn to fly, and then get jobs associated with that training such as CFI at the institution where they conducted their training. I know Flightsafety has a program like that.

Hope this helps ..... It's been a while since I had anything to do with visas, so the info on particular visa types has faded somewhat.

 

[Andy Neill]

SkyWest has a UK citizen in its newhire class now. Does that answer your question?

 

[UKflyer]

Thanks guys, that will answer my question!!!

My step-mother is American who has sponsored my VISA application.

Many thanks.

JB.

 

[FlyingDawg]

I can count 12 non-US citizen pilots at my company. Thats just the ones I've flown with, I'm sure there's more!

 

[Andy Neill]

FlyingDawg,

I think UK fLyer would be interested to know how many of those 12 were hired since 9/11.

 

[UKflyer]

Andy,

I am sure that there have been none, and i wouldn't be surprised. However, i hope that in a couple of years we have moved on in the world and that we can again trust those that whatever they want to do with their lives, can.

JB.