ETOPS:
Will Air Canada or any US airlines hire anyone without first being a green card holder right? I am very sure that you need first to be a Permanent residence before you can even apply to those airlines. Simple....so no expat can be hired onto these airlines...
Yes this is correct. However, I think what Jinglied was trying to say is a little different. He was talking about residing there (Canada) while being gainfully employed by a foreign company. That's a different scenario altogether. Back to your question, practically speaking if one were a highly experienced pilot - by "highly experienced" I am referring to meeting wide-body DEC requirements for a major Asian flag carrier - it would not really be in your favor financially to try to go to Air Canada or any US airline. Because no matter your flying experience, you'd be going in at the bottom of the pile and start building your seniority from there. By the time you get back up to where you were before, you'd be so far behind the curve you may as well be starting your own carpentry business on the sideline to make up the difference. Only if you had age very much on your side would this be a viable option.