View Full Version : Can I do Flight Training in Europe?
I am a Canadian citizen just out of High School and I want to do my flight training in Europe so that I can possibly get a job at a European Airline. I came here to ask is that possible? Or in different words, can I apply for a student visa in the U.K. or Germany (as I speak fluent German B2) if I get accepted into a flight school in either of these countries and then after possibly apply for a work visa after my training?
Thanks for any responses.
SeventhHeaven
19th Feb 2017, 18:16
You can apply but you won't get a work visa based on your pilot credentials. We got a massive surplus of 0 experience pilots ready to sell off a kidney for job!
Also, airlines want permanent residence, not temp work visa holders.
Best of luck mate, but I doubt Europe is the way forward for you :)
RedBullGaveMeWings
19th Feb 2017, 18:56
Stay in Canada. After your training go up in the North or become a flight instructor and move your way up through small planes. That's actually how it is supposed to be. I wish we had the same career paths here in Europe...
wiggy
19th Feb 2017, 19:47
Blimey, second query along these lines in less than a week, are the Canadians giving pilots away?
Anyhow as has been said you are unlikely to get a visa for the EU as long as there's a surplus of pilots in Europe, those Canadians I do know flying for a U.K. outfit have visas etc by virtue of family history, family connections.
On a general point there does seem to be a bit of an assumption from several posts I have seen recently that it is a case of "have licence will travel." ...a lot of the world isn't like that.
Thank you all for your responses!
I have discovered an interesting option for living/working in the U.K. I think I could get a student visa if I did a degree in aviation which would co-inside with flight training and then after that apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa which is only available for "Commonwealth" countries and it is a two year visa so I could do pilot jobs such as scenic flights, parachute flights, etc in the U.K for the two years which after that is finished I will have been in the U.K for 6 years and can apply for citizenship which in the end would grant an EU citizenship... and then comes the issue with Brexit but for this I am not including Brexit. I know it's broad but I thought I'd get your opinions on this :)
Again, thanks for any responses!
Officer Kite
20th Feb 2017, 09:56
I admire your enthusiasm, however I wouldn't do that. What's so wrong with staying in Canada? You're relying a lot on even getting a job to begin with, I have a UK passport, thousands of others have various other EU passports, we are all struggling in our individual ways in trying to get our foot on the ladder ... you haven't even got the passport yet (that will be your biggest hurdle), and even when you get that ... you'll be level with me and thousands of others who can't find jobs ... it really is not worth it. Stay home, you likely stand an equal chance of making it work in Canada than you do here.
peekay4
21st Feb 2017, 07:42
Forgive my ignorance on this but aren't Canadians able to get US working visas quite easily?
Not for pilot jobs, no.
Thanks for the response Qtr Life Crisis. I haven't looked into that yet because I didn't think it would be an option (Because I don't want to work/live in america.) But a quick google found that Lufthansa actually do have a "base" in Arizona. Like peekay4 says it may not be easy to get a working visa for America but i'm sure it's easier than to get a european passport!