Hello Everybody,
I am 29 years old with zero flight experience looking to start my flight training to eventually become an airline pilot. I am a Canadian Citizen, but I am interested in pursuing my aviation career in the United States. I am not sure if it is better for me to stay in Canada to do my flight training or If I should go to United States to do my training. Really my goal is to work and live in the United States, but the there is no guarantee I can obtain a work visa. The flight schools in America say that my chances of gaining the right to work is better if I do my training over there.
My first option is that I can get an M-1 or F-1 Visa to pursue my flight training in the States, with some flight schools offering paid internships to become a flight instructor after. After getting my licences I can network and try to see any available pathways to gaining legal right to work.
My second option is to stay in Canada, get my licences and convert them to FAA once I am ready. I can build experience here and try to seek sponsorship, which may be hard or impossible...I really don't know.
Training in Canada will cost me $80-90K CAD, while the States can easily become $160k CAD. Any suggestions as to what I should?
Also, what is the process of converting ones licence to FAA or vice vera and does one get to keep both licences once once converted? I've heard is very easy and it doesn't cost much.
Should I do my flight training in Canada or USA?
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, Right Seat Captain, lilfssister, North Shore
Re: Should I do my flight training in Canada or USA?
Interesting situation. Why not do Air Transat's cadet program? They do their training in the USA so you get your FAA licenses and then you do your conversion exams to get the canadian equivalents. This way you get the best of both worlds, and you can even go work for Air Transat afterwards if you want to build up time for the American 1500 hr rule.
Of course, the program costs approx. 135 000 USD + 5000 CAD...but such is the cost of direct to airline career paths.
Of course, the program costs approx. 135 000 USD + 5000 CAD...but such is the cost of direct to airline career paths.
Re: Should I do my flight training in Canada or USA?
Interesting that you brought up this program. It's looks like a promising option for someone like myself who is older and can greatly benefit from a faster training program + job offer. But realistically, I don't know how promising the job offer is. I can do the work, study hard and stay consistent but will that be enough to survive the program.
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borntoflyy
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Re: Should I do my flight training in Canada or USA?
Hi there,
Wondering which career path you end up taking? I am currently in same boat and looking into Flair and Air Transat cadet programs.
Wondering which career path you end up taking? I am currently in same boat and looking into Flair and Air Transat cadet programs.
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Modecharlie
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- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2024 1:57 pm
Re: Should I do my flight training in Canada or USA?
Without a doubt, Canada. I'm in a similar position, though I am neither a Canadian Citizen or a US citizen. Based on my research, Canada is hands down the best place to train as a pilot in 2024, whether you are a foreigner or a Canadian permanent resident/citizen.
USA: The F1 VIsa is the option to chose if you are going work as a paid CFI until 1500 hours with the OPT progran. The problem that you will face is bridging the end of that OPT (Optional Practical Training) with right to work permanently thereafter. Once your CFI experience has ended you must return to your country as airlines /operators are very unlikely to sponsor you for the H1B visa or an employer based work permit with your level of experience. The most logical option is to get married to a US Citizen , which unless you actually fall in love and legitimately intend to marry, is not a risk worth staking your $160K investment on. Should the marriage route go wrong for any kind of suspected "immigration fraud" you can kiss your aviation career goodbye. A pilot that can't get granted entry into the USA is dead in the water.
F1 VISA Schools. There are very few Flight schools in the USA that can issue F1 visa training.NOTE: when I say few flight schools, I mean Pure Flight Schools and not 4 year University programs like Embry Riddle...UND, Purdue etc. You can literally count them on one hand: The ones that I have found are: Phoenix East at KDAB, L3 Harris at KSFB, Spartan College in Tulsa, OK and Hillsboro in Portland. All of these schools have training agreements with the majors like Amerucan, Atlas, Spirit, Horizon etc...(L3 having the most). However, If any flight school promises you a spot or a job on any of these programs post CFI and 1500 hours as a foreigner they are definitely blowing smoke up your a**....or flat out lying.
Costs: All of the schools that I have named are priced at about the same: $95K USD to $108KUSD... without living expenses, add $30KUDD for living expenses for about 18 months, then from $21-23.00 USD an hour as a CFI. Consider sunny Florida rents onaverage of $1200USD per month.
I have been in recent talks with reps from these schools so my info is 2024. From research, the biggest school (L3 Harris) has the biggest fleet 100+ planes, the most expensive course $103 or $108K IIRC... but has class sizes of 40 students for ground school. PEA at KDAB has a good (70 planes) reputation except that KDAB is also home to Embry Riddle with an equally large fleet and is also major airport. I have heard horror stories and there is ampic somewhere on reddit of a line of 100 cessnas (A little hyperbole) lined waiting for takeoff...so just know where your money is going while your meter is running and you are on a taxiway. The best option I have found is Spartan College in Tulsa Oklahoma, which for similar price $95kusd (2024) you also get an associates degree....they pretty much have the airfield to themselves....Oklahoma is one of the cheaper parts of the USA.
I'm not going to pretend that the reason you want to settle in the USA is for the better pay, but if it is: Consider that you would be investing double your $CAD for the same thing in the USA, In canada you have a far greater choice of flight schools where you can train and instruct at post CPL /CFI/FI for a fraction of the cost...and your initial career progression would probably be about the same. Yu won't be hindered by immigration hurdles...but your aviation career will still move forward....you can still do the most expensive integrated course or Diploma course for $115K CAD tops including flight instructor rating and apply for jobs nationwide...Canadians have this option and so do international students under an unrestricted PGWP program.
USA: The F1 VIsa is the option to chose if you are going work as a paid CFI until 1500 hours with the OPT progran. The problem that you will face is bridging the end of that OPT (Optional Practical Training) with right to work permanently thereafter. Once your CFI experience has ended you must return to your country as airlines /operators are very unlikely to sponsor you for the H1B visa or an employer based work permit with your level of experience. The most logical option is to get married to a US Citizen , which unless you actually fall in love and legitimately intend to marry, is not a risk worth staking your $160K investment on. Should the marriage route go wrong for any kind of suspected "immigration fraud" you can kiss your aviation career goodbye. A pilot that can't get granted entry into the USA is dead in the water.
F1 VISA Schools. There are very few Flight schools in the USA that can issue F1 visa training.NOTE: when I say few flight schools, I mean Pure Flight Schools and not 4 year University programs like Embry Riddle...UND, Purdue etc. You can literally count them on one hand: The ones that I have found are: Phoenix East at KDAB, L3 Harris at KSFB, Spartan College in Tulsa, OK and Hillsboro in Portland. All of these schools have training agreements with the majors like Amerucan, Atlas, Spirit, Horizon etc...(L3 having the most). However, If any flight school promises you a spot or a job on any of these programs post CFI and 1500 hours as a foreigner they are definitely blowing smoke up your a**....or flat out lying.
Costs: All of the schools that I have named are priced at about the same: $95K USD to $108KUSD... without living expenses, add $30KUDD for living expenses for about 18 months, then from $21-23.00 USD an hour as a CFI. Consider sunny Florida rents onaverage of $1200USD per month.
I have been in recent talks with reps from these schools so my info is 2024. From research, the biggest school (L3 Harris) has the biggest fleet 100+ planes, the most expensive course $103 or $108K IIRC... but has class sizes of 40 students for ground school. PEA at KDAB has a good (70 planes) reputation except that KDAB is also home to Embry Riddle with an equally large fleet and is also major airport. I have heard horror stories and there is ampic somewhere on reddit of a line of 100 cessnas (A little hyperbole) lined waiting for takeoff...so just know where your money is going while your meter is running and you are on a taxiway. The best option I have found is Spartan College in Tulsa Oklahoma, which for similar price $95kusd (2024) you also get an associates degree....they pretty much have the airfield to themselves....Oklahoma is one of the cheaper parts of the USA.
I'm not going to pretend that the reason you want to settle in the USA is for the better pay, but if it is: Consider that you would be investing double your $CAD for the same thing in the USA, In canada you have a far greater choice of flight schools where you can train and instruct at post CPL /CFI/FI for a fraction of the cost...and your initial career progression would probably be about the same. Yu won't be hindered by immigration hurdles...but your aviation career will still move forward....you can still do the most expensive integrated course or Diploma course for $115K CAD tops including flight instructor rating and apply for jobs nationwide...Canadians have this option and so do international students under an unrestricted PGWP program.
