non-US resident getting a job with a regional?

[G-LOC]

The header says it all. I have been working in the US as a flight instructor now for 2yrs on the J-1 visa program. I now have the hours for a regional and I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time trying to get in with an airline being a British citizen with no permanent residency here.
If you can help, please post or email.
Thanks all...

[email protected]

[inverted flatspin]

Marry an American or get another job that will sponsor you for your greencard, these are the only options, a good thing to try is ask the school you are now working for if they can get you a H1 visa, this may be possible because at the moment the only place there is a genuine shortage of pilots is flight instructing, If they get you a H1 visa begin your quest for a green card (actually pink) right away, it takes about two years. Go see an immigration attorney before you do anything, they are not that expensive.

[Flare_you_fool!]

Finding a company to sponsor you is going to be pretty difficult they have to do a lot of paperwork and prove to the INS that they cannot find a US citizen that can do the job. That means advertising for the job and finding no suitable applicants. Getting them to fill out the paperwork and advertising may be difficult enough in its self, what motivation do they have.
Marrying a US citizen is the easiest way to go but even that will take approx 2 years to get the "green card" however you will have employment authorization about 2-3 months after you file your adjustment of status paperwork(Form I485)from J1 visa to alien resident. Assuming you will want to leave the country a some point(maybe to visit home or even work an international sector) you will also need to file for advance parole(travel authorization)Form I130.
Hope this helps, to answer your original question, yes, you are wasting your time at the moment with your current visa.
From a fellow Brit(married to an American)
FYF

[britavia]

Ditto marry an American. See my post in the US section. From another Brit married to an American!

[EggBeta]

Shoot George W Bush, then you should get 100 million Americans to sign your petition for US citizen ship, of the 100 million, 50% should be female, so you could marry one of them aswell.
Apart from that H1b needs company sponsorship, difficult to find a company that will do this, and then it takes apx 6 months to come thru', then they will apply for a green card which takes about 3 years. Problem is that there are plenty of yank pilots. If you find a company that will sponsor your H1B then they have to prove to the INS that they cannot find an American who could do the job.....loads of Yank pilots around.
As the other guys have said..marry an american chick.