Should I stay, or should I go ?

[Tunfisk]

Dear all.

To make a long story short. I was laid off my flying job, soon 2-years ago.

Been working ever since at a office job. Some days ago, I received my 1-year work visa for Canada. The thing is; The boss just promoted me, send me to all kinds of courses, with higher salary and all, if I put my pilot career on hold.

I’ve been activily searching jobs all over Europe now, for 2 years without luck. And where hoping to go to Canada and maybe land a job there. (I do possess close to 2000hr with both kingair and caravan experience, got both jaa & faa licenses)

What are my chances in Canada to land a descent flying job now-a-days. Or for that matter, a decent paying job anywhere in Ca.

My boss said, if I don’t take this chance, he need someone that are willing to take it, and he said he got people lining up for this job.

So, pack my bag, gamble for a job, or stick with the desk job, and no flying job…….

Is the grass greener over there?

[jurassic]

The grass is not greener. It is dirty brown and needs fertilizer and water. There are a few green shoots here and there, but they are actively pursued by Canadian pilots who have spent a lot of time doing bush flying, medevac, instructing or any job to get some hours.
If your prospects of a good flying job are not good in Europe, then take the desk job and get on with your life. Flying jobs are easier to get in Europe than in Canada.

[Tunfisk]

What about getting a bushjob, medavacs?
I have serious doubts what to do..
What about a regular job, maybe in the aviation industry, or something else?

[cplpilot]

Bush and Medavacs pilot jobs pay veryyyyyy bad in Canada....
You ca "start" your visa just visiting Canada for few days and then you have few years to go back... if you have a job now, i would keep it and save as much money as you can. Be ready to jump if an opportunity comes after all this nonsense crisis ends.
Just my 2 cents...

[EmanuelDesperados]

How did you get a Canadian visa? Was it diffucult to get?

- Fellow Norwegian...

[aviatn]

I would stay, if I were you. It is always easier to look at he grass on the other side, which appears so green. But when you are actually on the lawn you will see the true shade, which is as brown as on the lawn on which you stood before.
I did the instructor route in Canada and found it very unrewarding, financially. You meet very nice people, but they don't pay your bills.
The industry will recover as it always has. Don't do anything you might regret later just because of flying.

[altiplano]

got both jaa & faa licenses

Won't do much good unless you get a TC license too...

[Tunfisk]

Well, i'm growning tired of this desk-job.
I think I've made up mind... Go knock on doors, and see if they need any pilots.. If not, I will get drunk and go fishing for a month and go back.

I feel this is better than run of to the nearest trto and buy a typerating.

I'd rather fly a bush plane, than buy myself a job.

[Luszam]

I maybe chipping in a bit late in this discussion but my view is stay with the desk job.

Your story is the same as mine basically. Came to Canada quite a few years back with ATPL, Full QFI, IR, DCA authorised examiner and all that. Got my Canadian licences but no job.. Took an 'office' job in a financial company as a temp solution and kept looking for a flying job.

To cut a long story short.. No flying jobs available so stuck with office job. Today working for same company as senior manager. Making more money now than I would have if I kept trying to fly and not mention I would have been laid off numerous times.

Don't get me wrong, I would still love to be flying but with a family to look after it is not always easy and one needs to do teh best with what ever situation one is in.

In any case good luck in whatever you decide !

[Tunfisk]

Well, still in serious doubs if I shall travel or not.
I do possess a work-visa, both rated on King Air and Caravans.
What is the general marked for aviaible jobs (not aviation related), in general in Canada. I will see this trip as an adventure, do something completely new for a change…¨
Thinking about Alberta, NWT areas.

[ajet32]

Well first you will need a Transport Canada ICAO licence. You can convert an FAA one to Canadian fairly easy. The JAA is not really recognized here. The time will be but you will need a medical exams etc.
Jobs are few and far between here in Canada. In the west perhaps a better chance but no guaranty. There will be others with a TC licence also looking.
Good luck.

[kesskidi]

all posters are right here, one suggestion I might add is stick with western provinces (west beginning in ontario) and avoid french speaking provinces (there is only one obviously), you won't have a chance as a foreigner ;)
best of luck.

[Wildpilot]

I'm an English pilot flying Beaver/ floats in Oz, I have applied for CA residence and have been successful in being excepted as I heard that you will have next to no chance on a work visa as you can show no long term commitment to a company. Also remember there are so many good CA bush pilots kicking there heels looking for work right now so it will be a challenge for you but good luck.

I would take the search CA for a job rather than flying your desk option, but then if I could make good decisions I would not have become a pilot!

All the best.

[Tunfisk]

I do posses FAA license as well.
Africa, hmm, might be fun, but I do find the artic quite exiting.

How's the general work marked, say, NWT, Yukon and Alb.
Is it easy to get any kind of work?

[DA42_Pilot]

Well guys... asking advice in such a forum is pointless. We are all here competing against each other. What makes you think anyone here would say "oh sure, come right in... it's not like we don't have enough competition"?

Hey, here's my advice. If you have a foreign license / foreign passport, you will have a very very hard time finding a job here... and even if you didn't have a hard time, I would still tell you that you will have a hard time. Why would I want more people fighting for the same jobs?

1. There are a lot of Canadian pilots who are out of work and they should come before ex-pats.

2. When I went to Europe, they pretty much told me to F... Off (unless I pay 20,000 Euros for JAA conversion) and they made things VERY difficult for me. I also hold a E.U. citizenship... Would I help a foreign pilot out? Absolutely not. Not unless he was my friend... and a good one for that matter.

3. Truth is, a good paying job is a good paying job and nothing more. You have to ask yourself "do I want money, or do I want to fly?"

4. Good luck... go somewhere else... The Canadian market is saturated with low time pilots. I just got my first flying gig (well almost, but not before putting in a year on the ramp...) and believe me, I didn't get my job by asking on a forum. I went door to door and started calling old friends...

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but you wanted a truthful answer, you go it. To sum it up. Yes, there are jobs, but the competition is fierce. Not having a Canadian license / work visa can make it harder on you. Not knowing people here in the industry is almost a guarantee that you won't get a job. But hey... try... can't hurt...

[Tunfisk]

DA42pilot.
Thank you for your brutal honesty.
Reason is I'm fed up with my current office job, and the way aviation is going over here. More and more people are buying typeratings, even hours. To this date, my former employees bought the ratings I have. The way it should be, in my eyes.

I heard rumours that in Canada, you could work your way up, just like you could here. By going the good old way, ramp -> flight instructor -> air taxi etc.

I've done all this, but due to the economy i'm back at the office, just working paying bills.

I don't too much about the economy in Canada, but where hoping there might be some jobs far north NWT, Youkon.

I did get a work visa, and it was surpriseingly easy to obtain.

How is the general job market, are there any other jobs, I could just take another job over there, see the world, other than sitting here..
:ugh:

[DA42_Pilot]

Tunfisk,

I know what you mean with the office jobs. I've had an office job for quite a while, since I have a degree in something else before I started flight training. The aviation industry is ridiculous when it comes to money and job stability.

Companies will take advantage of desperation [of new pilots] and do whatever they want with their employees. Some are okay though. I make only one third of what I used to make working in the office but thank God I can still have a little consulting business on the side which makes me some money.

The Canadian North is not quite as vast as some people think (in terms of aviation). There are a few companies fighting for government contracts or things of other sort (crew changes, scientific charters, regional airline).

Good luck. If I were you, with your hours I'd try Asia or Africa. You have a much better chance of flying there. And remember... forums are NOT the place to get info. Knock on doors, visit company websites, talk to friends.

I've done okay in aviation so far, but not before I lost 66% of my income and went from being a middle manager of a firm to loading planes. The company I work for though is cool and people are awesome.

Is it worth it? No... not yet, but you see the dream of being a captain on a wide-body jet one day seems to keep me going. Will we ever be happy? That depends on the individual.