Originally Posted by
clinton86
Hi everyone.
So im asking for a friend, he has his FAA CPL ME/SE/IR with about 500 hrs. He has the opportunity to get his green card holder through some people. As the saying goes "its not what you know its who you know". he's keen to jump on the band wagon but I think its a gamble to just go get the green card straight away. even with a green card he still doesn't have the hours to even be considered hirable, I'm I wrong or right?. I told him, one doesn't need be a green card holder to work in the US as a pilot he can get a work visa but first he needs to build more hours.
Im not a US citizen so I don't have much knowledge on what the pilot situation or the hiring process is if companies are only hiring foreigners with green cards due to the headache and cost of having to sponsor someone especially with low flight hours that he has.
So should he go get the green card (takes months even a few years t get it before he can work form my understanding) and hope for the best or
first build the hours get at least 1500hrs and then apply and hope that someone will sponsor him for a work visa
Any light shed on this would be much appreciated.
Safe flying everyone..
My thoughts on this, if he can get a green card, then get it. That way, he can work on building his hours in country and once he has his hours, he can apply to any airline that he qualifies for. Not just those willing to sponsor. Having the green card will open a lot more opportunities for him. From instructing, pipeline patrol, jump planes, anything really for low time pilots.
Hoping for someone to sponsor him will only allow him that one shot at the sponsoring carrier.