Just really a reference post for any non-australians who happen to be reading through this thread.
From my research, the E3 is the H1B visa renamed with just a separate quota for Australians and with no specific application date, unlike the H1B which has to be applied for some 6 months in advance and usually at the start of the visa cycle. The quota for the E3 is 10,000 per year, H1B approx 60,000-80,000 per year but with something like 200k+ applicants! -so even then a lottery you will be successful, compared to the E3 where the cap is never reached.
If you are able to go via the Marriage route, best get a K1 visa before leaving your home country and then you have 6 months to enter USA, from there its 90days upon entering USA to get married. Then apply for the Green Card. It currently takes 3-5months to get a work authorisation to hold you over, and 5-10months for the Green Card to be in your hands. If you leave USA before the work authorisation is issued the application is considered abdandoned. So you have to have a way to support yourself for those 3-5 months, and even then would a airline hire you as your work status is not confirmed long term until you get that green card.
The EB3 visa option also looks viable, but the processing time is a barrier, maybe if the regional airlines get truely desperate they can get a version of this one happening. There is also a 'B-1 in lieu of H-1B Visa', with a very fast issue time, but requires a company outside of USA to pay you, -if the US airline has an affiliate outside of US to pay you then this would work!
Last edited by DeltaT; 14th Mar 2018 at 23:44.