AC Pilots leaving to the US?

[schnitzel2k3]

No matter the package, Canadian aviators when AC hiring.

[Stinky]

The shortage in the US is pretty severe. I work for a US ULCC and we're losing more pilots than we can hire. We have a lot of airplanes on order and big growth plans but I don't know if they'll happen due to a lack of pilots. We can't even staff the planes we have. Those that choose to apply to UAL, AA, DAL are getting called within a couple of days of submitting an application.

I've run into a number of Canadians working at airlines here and the majority immigrated through marriage. That's your quickest route. If you're single and contemplating spending $20K on an immigration attorney you're far better off spending that money traveling to the US and dating Americans.

Most recently I met a guy that was going through the H1B process for a regional and it kind of fizzled out. He started dating American women and ended up marrying one and got a green card a heck of a lot faster.

[a220hereicome]

But from 2020, there was a substantial change in the scenario: there was a Bill in October 2020 entered in Congress "for the purpose of supporting and promoting civil and military aviation and aerospace in order to address the demands and challenges associated with ensuring a safe and vibrant national aviation system.", highlighting the national interest in resolving the upcoming shortage

This bill you mention, maybe you should read it?

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BIL ... 1752is.htm

It was reintroduced in May, 2021. It talks about encouraging high school students to get into aviation, promoting the Young Eagles club, etc. It also mentions assisting US military pilots to transition to civil aviation.

There’s not one word about lowering the immigration barriers to foreign pilots. Nada.

I know that many on this thread want to believe that the floodgates are about to open, but I just don’t see it.

[dumpsterfire]

I think the point is that they have formally established that there is a shortage of pilots in the US.

The Dhanasa case established the framework for immigrating through the National Interest Waiver

https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/920996/download

The "floodgates" are not the result of US actions as it is "case by case" so each pilot must sell their worth to US immigration.

The "floodgates" WILL be a result of pilots scrambling to get away from ACPA and the pack of cronies who continually look to stoke a dumpster fire of their own making. These "leaders" all got to go. 2024 is approaching rapidly.

Time to hose down this dumpster fire

[elite]

I wonder about the Canadian federal government’s role in this. Although, the U.S may be in favour of it, they still have a work out a bilateral agreement. And the Canadian federal government is always lobbied, especially by AC, against such measures that put more strain on their cost, especially after changing duty rules just recently.

[flyingcanuck]

I wonder about the Canadian federal government’s role in this. Although, the U.S may be in favour of it, they still have a work out a bilateral agreement. And the Canadian federal government is always lobbied, especially by AC, against such measures that put more strain on their cost, especially after changing duty rules just recently.

totally agree, the government is probably keeping us here

[MontrealCanucks]

Canada has zero say on who the US lets in through immigration. Nada.

If a company wants to hire a Canadian pilot through a H-1B visa, than that is a process that is followed in the US.

The Honourable Transport Minister Omar Alghabra can't do anything.

Same goes for Green Cards.

[a220hereicome]

I think the point is that they have formally established that there is a shortage of pilots in the US.

The Dhanasa case established the framework for immigrating through the National Interest Waiver

I think you’re really grasping at straws here.

“Formally established that there is a shortage of pilots in the US.” There’s general agreement that there’s a global shortage of pilots, nothing groundbreaking there. Question is, is there any active movement by the US government to address this by lowering the barriers to immigration? As far as I can tell, the answer is no.

This ‘Dhanasar’ thing. Mookesh Dhanasar is a foreign national with a PhD in engineering who does research on hypersonic propulsion. NASA and the DoD weighed in on his case saying that his research is in the national interest. I think it's a bit of a stretch to compare a pilot with a Canadian ATPL wanting to fly for Delta to this case. Do you expect Delta to intervene with the US government on your behalf?

A previous poster said that Dhanasar’s case allowed any foreign pilot with 3000 hours to work in the US back in 2016. I wave a big BS flag on that one. Do you not think that would have made the news and spread like wildfire on pilot forums worldwide? Yet somehow we heard nothing about this.

[rudder]

Major US airlines are including in their quarterly SEC filings that pilot supply chain issues are and will continue to negatively impact schedule integrity and growth. They are planting the seeds.

My guess is that the US will start by pressing ICAO for an Age 67 limit. Beyond that, they will press to increase the pilot supply chain by creating a facility within the US immigration system for either temporary or permanent resident rights for qualified pilots (either with or without an accompanying offer of employment).

Just watch.

[a220hereicome]

Major US airlines are including in their quarterly SEC filings that pilot supply chain issues are and will continue to negatively impact schedule integrity and growth. They are planting the seeds.

My guess is that the US will start by pressing ICAO for an Age 67 limit. Beyond that, they will press to increase the pilot supply chain by creating a facility within the US immigration system for either temporary or permanent resident rights for qualified pilots (either with or without an accompanying offer of employment).

Just watch.

I'm watching.

Circle back to you in a year’s time.

[Arnie Pye]

Canada has zero say on who the US lets in through immigration. Nada.

If a company wants to hire a Canadian pilot through a H-1B visa, than that is a process that is followed in the US.

The Honourable Transport Minister Omar Alghabra can't do anything.

Same goes for Green Cards.

Not quite true. An opportunity was missed when the USMCA was put together. Labour mobility could have been negotiated into the free trade agreement like Australia did with it's Aus/US version of NAFTA.

[twa22]

Major US airlines are including in their quarterly SEC filings that pilot supply chain issues are and will continue to negatively impact schedule integrity and growth. They are planting the seeds.

My guess is that the US will start by pressing ICAO for an Age 67 limit. Beyond that, they will press to increase the pilot supply chain by creating a facility within the US immigration system for either temporary or permanent resident rights for qualified pilots (either with or without an accompanying offer of employment).

Just watch.

I'm watching.

Circle back to you in a year’s time.

Why are you so against (or seem to be against) Canadian pilots going to the US? The WAWCONs are an absolute joke in this country for every single airline (some worse then others). This is considering what the cost of living was... now it'll be even worse with how much higher the cost of living will be in the future with everything going on...

[hithere]

He is not against anyone going to the States, he is just trying to be realistic about one’s chances of actually successfully scoring a airline job down there with the current immigration policies

[737Maximilian]

He is not against anyone going to the States, he is just trying to be realistic about one’s chances of actually successfully scoring a airline job down there with the current immigration policies

+1

It's truly bizarre to see so many posters on this thread attacking someone simply for posting factual information. I'm sure we all wish the US border was open to pilots, but for now, that simply isn't the case.

[twa22]

He is not against anyone going to the States, he is just trying to be realistic about one’s chances of actually successfully scoring a airline job down there with the current immigration policies

Sorry, but that doesn't seem to be the tone being set... And one could argue that it's being pessimistic. Sure, the chances are slim to get a green card, no doubt about it, but if we all just say "ah screw it, it's too hard it'll never happen", that doesn't do us any good as a pilot group. Anyways, I hope the floodgates do open, better to be hopefully then not, and better to try then to sit on your ass and say it'll never happen

[digits_]

He is not against anyone going to the States, he is just trying to be realistic about one’s chances of actually successfully scoring a airline job down there with the current immigration policies

Sorry, but that doesn't seem to be the tone being set... And one could argue that it's being pessimistic. Sure, the chances are slim to get a green card, no doubt about it, but if we all just say "ah screw it, it's too hard it'll never happen", that doesn't do us any good as a pilot group. Anyways, I hope the floodgates do open, better to be hopefully then not, and better to try then to sit on your ass and say it'll never happen

You are discussing the ideal situation.
Other people are discussing reality.

Go try it and spend 10k on lawyers if you think it's better than saving 10k

[twa22]

He is not against anyone going to the States, he is just trying to be realistic about one’s chances of actually successfully scoring a airline job down there with the current immigration policies

Sorry, but that doesn't seem to be the tone being set... And one could argue that it's being pessimistic. Sure, the chances are slim to get a green card, no doubt about it, but if we all just say "ah screw it, it's too hard it'll never happen", that doesn't do us any good as a pilot group. Anyways, I hope the floodgates do open, better to be hopefully then not, and better to try then to sit on your ass and say it'll never happen

You are discussing the ideal situation.
Other people are discussing reality.

Go try it and spend 10k on lawyers if you think it's better than saving 10k

I didn't say go spend 10k, I'm talking about the principle of being united as a pilot group to stand up to what's right. Whether that means getting together to petition better wages, or collectively trying to find a solution to getting the right to work in the US, it's the mentality to improve our conditions... But as well all know, that's a pipe dream in this country, as clearly demonstrated in this thread. Call it reality, fine, might aswell just call everything reality and never try to improve anything, because why bother, that's "reality". Everyone is individualistic and looks out for themselves, such a shame

[digits_]

Sorry, but that doesn't seem to be the tone being set... And one could argue that it's being pessimistic. Sure, the chances are slim to get a green card, no doubt about it, but if we all just say "ah screw it, it's too hard it'll never happen", that doesn't do us any good as a pilot group. Anyways, I hope the floodgates do open, better to be hopefully then not, and better to try then to sit on your ass and say it'll never happen

You are discussing the ideal situation.
Other people are discussing reality.

Go try it and spend 10k on lawyers if you think it's better than saving 10k

I didn't say go spend 10k, I'm talking about the principle of being united as a pilot group to stand up to what's right. Whether that means getting together to petition better wages, or collectively trying to find a solution to getting the right to work in the US, it's the mentality to improve our conditions... But as well all know, that's a pipe dream in this country, as clearly demonstrated in this thread. Call it reality, fine, might aswell just call everything reality and never try to improve anything, because why bother, that's "reality". Everyone is individualistic and looks out for themselves, such a shame

Ok. What do you want people to do then?

[172ReliefPilot]

I am married to a US citizen and am currently waiting for my green card to be processed (maybe another 5 months). I fly for a Canadian regional and the COVID shutdown/lack of flying last year/uncertainty with airlines is what kickstarted us to try to get me on that side of the border.

Anyway, if youre lucky enough to marry a US citizen/Permanent resident there is still A LOT of scrutiny from the USCIS. Essentially you have to prove that your marriage isnt fraud and that you intend to stay married etc. Not to mention that the wait time can differ drastically based upon where your US relative lives. California office wait times for spouses is like 22-25 months or something (the quickest family category) + the time it actually takes to get an interview at a consulate or field office and the entry visa in your passport.

I dont see the USCIS offering green cards based on employment for pilots anytime soon. Like Canada's immigration theres a whole "why cant an american fill this role" that needs to be surveyed.

Always open for a friendly chat regarding the process. It really wasnt that hard to apply.

[Scuderia]

For your information I am in the process with a lawyer; for the new NIW that is applicable to pilots. At the moment it takes up to 18 months to complete the entire process (including a medical exam) then you get the green card. No need a job offer but a FAA ATP and extensive flying experience on jets. My lawyer got about 3000 applications/requests from Canadian pilots but they have selected about 220 pilots with the appropriate experience to pursue the application.

I've seen this "new" NIW mentioned in several places on this forum and elsewhere but nowhere else. Do you have more information on it?

[schnitzel2k3]

For your information I am in the process with a lawyer; for the new NIW that is applicable to pilots. At the moment it takes up to 18 months to complete the entire process (including a medical exam) then you get the green card. No need a job offer but a FAA ATP and extensive flying experience on jets. My lawyer got about 3000 applications/requests from Canadian pilots but they have selected about 220 pilots with the appropriate experience to pursue the application.

I've seen this "new" NIW mentioned in several places on this forum and elsewhere but nowhere else. Do you have more information on it?

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my- ... al-ability

[a220hereicome]

Major US airlines are including in their quarterly SEC filings that pilot supply chain issues are and will continue to negatively impact schedule integrity and growth. They are planting the seeds.

My guess is that the US will start by pressing ICAO for an Age 67 limit. Beyond that, they will press to increase the pilot supply chain by creating a facility within the US immigration system for either temporary or permanent resident rights for qualified pilots (either with or without an accompanying offer of employment).

Just watch.

Circle back in another year.

[flying4dollars]

Heard a story that at least 10 pilots from AC are in the process setting up working permits to fly for majors in the US, with 10 more behind? Is there any truth to this?

No

I've flown with 3 guys already in the process. One has an offer from a US major. It is indeed happening.

[Ash Ketchum]

Heard a story that at least 10 pilots from AC are in the process setting up working permits to fly for majors in the US, with 10 more behind? Is there any truth to this?

No

I've flown with 3 guys already in the process. One has an offer from a US major. It is indeed happening.

All EB-2 NIW visas or do they have family ties/spouse from the US?

[flying4dollars]

No

I've flown with 3 guys already in the process. One has an offer from a US major. It is indeed happening.

All EB-2 NIW visas or do they have family ties/spouse from the US?

One has dual, the other two do not and are mostly through the process. That's about all I know. Costly process for a family that's for sure.