There are a couple of things to consider before coming here. Keep your eyes wide open.
Compared to Oz, many things are different:
1. You are owned by the companies.
2. Your contract means little, and the company will interpret it in a way to suit themselves.
3. Don't expect 4 weeks paid holiday. You'll probably get 1 week in year one, and 2 in year 2. Receiving 3 or 4 weeks off a year in the regionals is unheard of.
4. Compared to Oz, the cost of living is a lot less. However so is the pay. Long term, and depending on your location, $250,000 can get you a fairly reasonable house. Try that in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, etc.
5. You may hear of "commuting". This is when you live in a town that may be many hours flight time away from your base. If you have a very good reason to live away from your base, then feel free, however if you've been flying for 9 or 10 hours, adding a few hours commute or a 3 hour drive to your day takes the fun away. Especially if the 6pm flight is full, and then you have to wait for the 9pm flight home.
6. Read up about FAA medicals. If you're over the age of 40, you start the job with a First Class Medical. However, if you are a Co Pilot, this lapses to a Second Class Medical after 6 months, so there's no need to spend money on an unnecessary medical examinations.
7. Speaking of medicals, don't expect your employer to pay for your medical. Or your uniform. Maybe they'll pay airport parking, but the only extra you can expect on top of a sign-on bonus is a "per Diem". This is an hourly rate (generally under $2) that starts ticking over when your duty starts. It is to pay for
beer food on your overnights. So in a 24 hour period you'll get $33 to $45 depending on your contract. However 1 x sandwich / salad / meal at a major airport will set you back $10, so many crews have esky bags with iceblocks and chilled meals for their time away from home.
8. The company will contribute to your medical insurance. However you will also see a deduction of $300-$500-$700 a month, depending on your family situation.
9. It is unknown if Mainline (ie: parent) companies like America, United, Delta will sponsor an E3. If you have plans to stay in the USA and want to flow up to the parent company, find yourself a nice Texas cheerleader, and get married.
10. The coffee here is crap.
11. Calling in sick is actually frowned upon (aviation safety, right?), and is a black mark against your record.
12. Petrol here is quite expensive at the moment - around AU$1.07 per liter
13. As a new hire, you may find yourself sitting on reserve for quite some time - maybe several months, from 5am to 7pm. This does not count as duty. After 1 to 4 months you'll "hold a line", in other words bid for, and get a regular series of flights.
14. Every month the company will publish hundreds of flights which are available for bid. They will be awarded on seniority. So you can hopefully select your month's flying and create some sort of life for yourself. However the chances of getting your top 10 or 20 picks will be low for the first 12 to 18 months. (Points 13 and 14 vary a LOT, depending on hiring and turnover of pilots).
15. Once you have carefully selected the flights you want, the company can change this with minimum notice during that month.
16. You know how you
thought tomorrow was a day off? Think again.
17. There is an upside. Living in the USA is like living in a movie. It's just a different reality to what people from Oz are used to. Where else can you...:
Go to Maine for lobster, visit the Grand Canyon, do a tour of the Boeing factory, have that selfie outside the Whitehouse, stand in awe under the Space Shuttle Discovery in a museum, roller skate at South Beach Florida?
18. Come if you want. Don't if you don't. But don't get here and whine about your employment conditions, predicated by "back in Oz, we'd....."