Australian pilots can work for US regionals.

[havick]

Originally Posted by Jerry Springer

Would it be possible to get an E3 Visa for a 415 FO job in the USA? This would be my dream job, but I guess the E3 is for Regionals only?
Thanks,



https://www.aviationjobs.me/2019/12/...Ic8nA8INZ7fv6Y

There’s a bunch of Aussies on E3’s flying on fires in helicopters and some on 802 Air Tractors in the Aussie off season. Fire operators only really take experienced pilots that meet all the contract minimums on E3 that can slot straight in and get carded by USFS/DOI as a Captain as that’s what they would be short on (if they are short at all).

The fixed wing fire carding process in the US is quite onerous (don’t have them in front of me right now), but you need X number of drops, X hours in mountainous terrain, X number hours PIC on type etc etc.

So even someone with a bunch of hours and a bunch of multi float time probably won’t even hear back unless they can contractually slot straight in as a Captain. They can organically grown FO’s locally so no real need to hire an FO on a 415 on an E3.