Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

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Viewsonic
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Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by Viewsonic »

Hey guys,

I have a good friend at Horizon who just let me know that Horizon is now hiring Q400 drivers and future E175 drivers. Still need a few more details from him but this is the preliminary stuff he told me. Not sure exactly how the visa stuff works, but it sounds like the company has and is willing to give them out. Over the past three years Horizons Upgrade times dropped from 8 years to less than one. I'll let you guys know what else I find out over the weekend. Probably should have waited to tell you all, but I'm sure there will be more good questions that I didn't think about.
  • Four Canadians in the last F/O class
    Junior Base is MFR
    First year pay is $40/hr with 4.2hr min credit/day (better than Porter's 4hr min :P).
    20k signing bonus. 10k after line indoc (IOE), and 10k after 12 months.
    Upgrades are down at the minimum 1000 Turbine. Might be a provision for DEC but need to hammer it out with the union? Not sure. First year Captain pay starts at $70/hr
    Referral bonus of $3000 paid to referring pilot, half right away, half after IOE.
    FAA commercial is a min with 1500hrs (unless you have military training or part 141 training). ATP training/licensing is done by the company.

    All in all, first year F/O pay is approx 65k USD or approx $78k CAD (A first year Captain at Porter makes this).
I know this isn't in the hiring thread, but this has huge implications for Canada if this starts becoming the norm.
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JBI
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by JBI »

As you alluded, the big question is the visa. I am curious as to which visas these Canadians had. Generally speaking, a company doesn't have a right to 'give out' a visa. It can make an application on behalf of an applicant for a specific job. There are some pretty strict guidelines on when that can happen and when that will be approved.

There are a few ways Canadians can get visas that give them the right to work in the US.

First, if they have joint US/Canadian citizenship, that's always an option.

Next, if they have a spouse that is an inter-company transferee from a Canadian company with an L1(A or B) visa, the spouse is eligible for an L2 visa. If a spouse is eligible under SOME employment based visas such as a TN visa under NAFTA, there isn't a right to work.

However, if it is an employment based visa, either permanent or temporary, there is a fairly long application and waiting process. As I understand it, the company first has to receive certification from the Department of Labor and there are then provisions as to how many workers are eligible per year.

I'm not saying its impossible, but going from not having a right to work in the US either by citizenship or spousal visa, to being employed by an airline isn't an instant process. If you're able to find out what visas these Canadians are on that would be very helpful information.

Edited to add: If anyone has more info I'd love to be proven wrong!
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Last edited by JBI on Thu Sep 28, 2017 8:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Inverted2
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by Inverted2 »

I know people in the medical community. If you are a nurse or doctor it's not a huge process to get the approval to work in the US. With the pilot shortage I'm sure it will be the same way soon. Good news either way.
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by Inverted2 »

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DanWEC
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by DanWEC »

I think it's inevitable that they could start hiring Canadian pilots, given the current alternative to proper staffing levels is parking airplanes.

Personally, I think it would be a win-win-win, as it would alleviate some shortage pressures in the US, which are currently more pressing than ours, open up much better paying jobs to our pilots, and cause domestic operators and the ATA to possibly get their feet off our heads, take the blinders off, and get wages in-line with the rest of the world.

I wonder how one could lobby the US for this?
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Stinky
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by Stinky »

1000hrs turbine isn't the minimum for an upgrade. You need 1000 hours part 121 experience. Foreign experience doesn't count. That's an FAA requirement.

The Canadians hired likely already had the right to work, possibly dual citizens. I think the economics of the increasing wages in the U.S and stronger dollar are just making it more appealing. I know of at least a half dozen people working for a regional in Canada that have the right and licenses to go to the US. Five years ago it would have been a pay cut, now it's a raise.
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by Localizer »

I sent an email to the listed employment address, the reply was brief and said all applicants require the right to work in the U.S and that the company is not sponsoring visa's nor do they plan to in the future.
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by BE20 Driver »

Viewsonic wrote:
  • First year pay is $40/hr with 4.2hr min credit/day (better than Porter's 4hr min :P).
    20k signing bonus. 10k after line indoc (IOE), and 10k after 12 months.
    Upgrades are down at the minimum 1000 Turbine. Might be a provision for DEC but need to hammer it out with the union? Not sure. First year Captain pay starts at $70/hr
    Referral bonus of $3000 paid to referring pilot, half right away, half after IOE

    All in all, first year F/O pay is approx 65k USD or approx $78k CAD (A first year Captain at Porter makes this).
  • Pay is better than Encore even before the 20% currency bump. Encore is also 4.0 hour mins.
    You can get a DEC with Encore but I don't think the starting pay is $70/hour.
    Signing bonuses and referral bonuses are unheard of at any airline in Canada.
    $65,000 USD as a first year FO is approximately $80,000 CAD and as far as I recall, that would be better than an Encore Captain, even including ESPP.
I have a friend that also said Air Wisconsin is also sponsoring visa applications. This is likely how Horizon is doing it too. Much like our TFW program here that has been used and abused, the company essentially has to demonstrate that they are making a reasonable effort to find Americans first. Once they're out of Americans they can can demonstrate an economic need for foreign talent. [

I was asked in a previous thread about which company I talked to back in 2005/2006 ish that was offering to sponsor Canadians. I am pretty sure it was Air Wisconsin. Back then I was working an office job and saw their ad. I spent a while speaking with their HR department and confirmed that they would assist the "right candidate."

Big difference between the Sunwings and Canjets out there is that American feeders actually increased the wages, offered signing bonuses and made a genuine effort to actually recruit domestic talent.
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mmm..bacon
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by mmm..bacon »

Just got my email back from one of the HR people listed:
Hi {Bacon},

At this time Horizon Airlines is not Sponsoring VISA's. However, we are looking into it and if our policy changes, I will contact you. We are keeping a list of those interested. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thanks,
Deja
So, it would appear that the door is closed at the moment unless you have a work permit, but there is light coming from around the jamb and sill.
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by FOD_Vacuum »

I applied just out of fun to see what my their response would be. I got a call less than 12 hours after applying asking if I had any FAA license to which said no, and asked them if they will hire Canadian pilots to which their answer was not at this moment but would keep my application incase the doors open up to out of country applicants.
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hawker driver
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by hawker driver »

DanWEC wrote: I wonder how one could lobby the US for this?

Contact the Regional Airline Association (RAA) they are the lobby group representing the Regional airlines in the US to the government and members of congress.

http://WWW.RAA.ORG
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by BE20 Driver »

It's telling that they are taking names in case of a policy change in the near future. It's certainly not a hard no.
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by yycflyguy »

NAFTA is currently being "re-negotiated". Extending TN visas to pilots could be an option if it is viewed as beneficial to US Airlines.
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flyer 1492
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by flyer 1492 »

yycflyguy wrote:NAFTA is currently being "re-negotiated". Extending TN visas to pilots could be an option if it is viewed as beneficial to US Airlines.
Once they (USA) open the door, we will have a pilot shortage here in Canada in record time.

Flyer
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by yycflyguy »

flyer 1492 wrote:
yycflyguy wrote:NAFTA is currently being "re-negotiated". Extending TN visas to pilots could be an option if it is viewed as beneficial to US Airlines.
Once they (USA) open the door, we will have a pilot shortage here in Canada in record time.

Flyer
There are already indications that demand is exceeding supply as companies are offering signing bonuses, retention bonuses and some operators are cancelling/consolidating flights. It will take some time to trickle up to affect WAWCON at the major airline level.
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neiva
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by neiva »

FOD_Vacuum wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:20 pm I applied just out of fun to see what my their response would be. I got a call less than 12 hours after applying asking if I had any FAA license to which said no, and asked them if they will hire Canadian pilots to which their answer was not at this moment but would keep my application incase the doors open up to out of country applicants.
Me too, unlikely with the current administration. The wall still holding strong....
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Re: Horizon Airlines in SEA/PDX/MFR hiring Canadians

Post by BE20 Driver »

neiva wrote: Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:47 amunlikely with the current administration. The wall still holding strong....
You never know what the current administration might do from one minute to the next. He self identifies as "pro-business." Maybe all the airline CEO's have to do is pitch it to him as something that they need in order to remain competitive on a global scale. The right pitch at the right time by the right people might just open the flood gates. If it doesn't, the problem only gets worse over the next three years and whomever takes over this dumpster fire might just be forced to make a bigger move.
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