View Full Version : Flight School in the US with J1 VISA
SAS-A321
4th Dec 2008, 16:51
Which flight schools in the US are approved for J1 VISA?
BigGrecian
4th Dec 2008, 17:23
As far as I am aware and according to AOPO there are only 8.
I know of two:
Orlando Flight Training
European Flight Training / Ari Ben Aviator (same location)
BRS_flyer
4th Dec 2008, 17:31
Additionaly:
Phoenix East Aviation in Florida
Hillsboro Aviation in Portland, OR.
NAIA in Conway, NC that did has now closed down.
OFT are not J1 approved at this time and don't have any plans to be as far as I know. If you are after a J1 you will need to be quick as the US govt have anounced that from some time next year they will not be avalible to flight school students, so check the exact date that that is hapening before making any definate plans.
I think the following may also issue J1 visas, has been some time since I looked into it though:
Flight Safety Academy
Delta Connection Academy
Pelican Airways
Fair_Weather_Flyer
4th Dec 2008, 17:46
The J1 visa is being phased out, hence the reason they can no longer issue.
SAS-A321
4th Dec 2008, 18:01
There seem to be some misunderstanding regarding the J1 VISA.
Yes, the US goverment will phase out the J1 VISA, but people who are already holding a J1 VISA and are in the US at the closing date will be able to use their VISA fully.
I found a link somewhere stating that a new type of VISA similar to the J1 will be created under the M VISA.
Flight Safety only hires US Citizens and maybe it is the same with OFT. That is their politic.
BRS_flyer
4th Dec 2008, 19:12
What a lot of people don't realise about the J1 is that you don't need to instuct at the same school that sponsored you for it. For example at OFT I was trained by a Norwegian who had got their J1 and done their training at NAIA but got hired at OFT, despite them not having a J1 program of their own.
nh2301
4th Dec 2008, 22:56
Flight Safety used to do the J1 and hire you, but they diddn't offer the same discounted training as they did for US citizens.
The ability to work at another school is subject to the permission of the sponsoring school. I know at least one individual who was offered a job at another school, but the sponsoring school (which paid foreigners only minimum wage) cancelled his visa for misconduct, because he looked for a job elsewhere.
The J1 leaves students exposed to the corrupt management at certain schools.
Fair_Weather_Flyer
5th Dec 2008, 14:15
What a lot of people don't realise about the J1 is that you don't need to instuct at the same school that sponsored you for it.
That's probably true in theory but as nh2301 says not quite how it works. NAIA allowed students to work at other schools but went out of business a few months back owing various people money. Secondly, other schools are not so accommodating and insist that you can only work for them. This was the attitude of my school.
The J1 leaves students exposed to the corrupt management at certain schools.
Very true of the school where I trained and worked. Overall, knowing what I know about the J1 and my own experiences I could not recommend any of the issuing schools. They are either cowboys or very expensive.
preetham
6th Dec 2008, 11:59
It will be faced out on June 2010.
MartinCh
8th Dec 2008, 03:50
preetham: It will be faced out on June 2010.
June isn't the omni-important (or without the hyphen) date. Phasing out is gradual - there isn't only one cut-off date.
It's rather end of December 2009 that's so. That is the last chance of current J1 sponsoring schools to issue DS forms for visa application at US embassy/consulate, to prospective students.
They just have to make it to the US by June 2010 (beginning or end, can't recall now) the first time. They could in theory cross the border to start the status - then they're safe, then pop in to school, do some training, get the DS form stamped by school and f*** off for a while (thus eating into their time allowance) in case they have month or two of important business to finish off elsewhere..
I was thinking of such thing, but due to funding timing and studies, it's not likely. I'm waiting to see what they're going to bang together (in theory, as AOPA and US Govt officials let into ether).
saintexupery
12th Dec 2008, 15:59
i think there were a couple of other schools in the san diego area, possibly scandinavian aviation academy and anglo-american flight training. and more in florida, including naples air center. the quality across them differs, as you may find in the relevant threads
MartinCh
13th Dec 2008, 04:02
saintexupery,
not to confuse J-1 schools and the ones that offer JAA training.
It ain't always the same. Anglo-American had some problems with SEVIS in the past so folks should check if they can sponsor M1 visas now.
Can anyone bring this thread current? Is the J1 Visa route to instructing at a US Flight School dead? I can't find anything current about it on AOPA's web site, or US government web sites. Phoenix East was approved for it, but there's no mention on their web site now. The last AOPA article was from around October 2009 and indicated the programme might get transferred to TSA and revived, but I can't find anything saying whether it is dead or alive now that Dec 31st 2009 has passed.
skyworks
2nd Feb 2010, 10:19
Please....always the same,.....do some research.... :mad:
J1 visa = NO!
F1 visa= YES!
Hope this helps! :ok:
Skyworks,
I have done research, plenty of it. The trail is dead and there is nothing definitive other than the the fact that some of FTOs that used to have a J1 Visa FI exchange no longer list it on their web sites. The AOPA web site has no follow up stories. US Government web sites are coming up dry too. The various threads I have found on Pprune have no definitive answers either. You might have noticed that this thread has been dormant since 2008. How do you think I found it if I wasn't doing research?
SoCal App,
I did not have permanent US FI work in mind, just the two year exchange programme. What is the replacement for the J1 visa that you refer to, as nothing I have been able to uncover hints that there is a replacement.?
Skyworks,
Your rather cryptic clue may have lead to what I need. It doesn't appear the JAA FTO offering a course is approved for F1 Visas, so unless they are about to get it, they've been blowing smoke up my tail pipe. Sorry for the earlier rant.
skyworks
4th Feb 2010, 07:32
Adios,
Please, take a look: Flight School and Pilot Training Programs - Aviator Flight College (http://www.aviator.edu/home.aspx)
Good luck!
SoCal App and Skyworks,
I'm looking into it for a friend, who was offered an instructor sponsorship and I don't think the EU based FTO can actually fulfill it, since they only have twins in Europe. After learning that J1 exchange has met it's demise and seeing the way F1 works, I think they are blowing major smoke up someone's exhaust pipe. They don't own the US outfit they use, so I'd love to know how they could tell them who to hire as an FI. This one smells like a duck. :ugh:
tigermagicjohn
6th Feb 2010, 00:18
By accident I was "forced" to listen to a presentation by Delta flight academy.
There is no J1 visa anymore, "they said" there maybe will be some replacement by end of the year, I think they was full of BS to try to tempt students to their overpriced school.
They did admit now at present was not a good time to be a FI in the US. Basicly with EU passport, you can NOT legally work in the USA. You might go and take a degree course, think F1 visa, and you probably can get some instructing - but that means a degree course which in Europe will most likely be useless.
Nothing to do with anti US, but reality is that the chance to instruct in the US will be probably = -10. At least do not calculate "free hours" via instructing in the US, it seems that gravy train has gone.
Currently there is NO replacement for J1, and there is only a rumour that some school might be approved to use a replacement visa, however there is nothing carved in stone what this visa will be.
Krasnall
6th Feb 2010, 09:10
Sorry, but could someone explain to me what is the difference between two-years J1 and two-years F1? For me it's almost the same: one year of training and one year of instructing. Also, as I undersand it, when going on F1 visa you are allowed to do your OPT in any school which wants to hire you.
MartinCh
7th Feb 2010, 23:31
If you do J1 from zero flight time, yes, not as big difference.
If you have your PPL plus minus some hours, F1 is hassle.
(the possibility of having CPL/CFI finished within 6 months of J1 after returning post-M1 within allowed TT/training, offered more leeway in terms of looking for job and competitiveness for CFI jobs)
OR, a school may decide you're not worth it as you'd be supposed to do the whole program.
Upside, is, there is at least this F1 patch, better than nothing.
Downside is less flexibility. Not sure, from what I've been emailed by coordinator/manager of one of the schools, the max hours to get in (mind you, to their program) is still the same.
The thing with F1 is that getting onto F1 does not guarantee OPT, has to be applied in advance before finishing. Can be outside school per se, but with some, could cause friction potentially. So long it's in 'field of study', which shouldn't be problem to anyone.
It's fairly new thing to all schools with previous J1 rights.
I'm more into rotary F1 later on, so I can't give all the relevant info for FW only schools with F1.
I'm not sure one's allowed to get fulltime job authorisation before one academic year (read 9 months) of training.
Also, to comply with one of the F1 requirements, one has to finish the approved course of study, so may include CFII etc, not strictly vital for PPL instruction. Or whatever else one is supposed to do.
I didn't expect even this, so it's all good.
tigermagicjohn
8th Feb 2010, 05:59
But there is no J1 for pilots anymore, so whats the use to know what a J1 visa is?!!! :ugh:
shinners
5th Mar 2010, 08:41
hi
what are the schools that use a F-1 visa? (a part phoenix)??
thanks you a lot
stealth114
22nd Sep 2011, 18:29
Does anyone have any developments on this issue with the right VISA requirements for taking up practical training as a CFI at a US flight school ? Anything with SEVIS ? Read there were 8 flight schools in it but then this was discontinued
Im about to complete my initial CFI, got my multi and single commercial and the same flight school and the owner is keen on hiring me but they are unfamiliar with the process ! It be a great opportunity. Anyone can shed any light please.