khalidazam
1st Jan 2024, 08:25
I need guidance from Canadian pilots .i have done my icao cpl/ir and having 197 hours of flying experience on c172p I want to convert my icao cpl to tc Canada cpl . i want to move Canada to continue my aviation journey as an international pilot have no idea about flying schools there neither i know the visa process so i need some help from an expert there . can i get a job after getting Canadian cpl . which path will be suitable for international pilots to follow need help .
India Four Two
3rd Jan 2024, 04:36
Hi Khalid,
Welcome to PPRuNe. I’m not a commercial pilot but I have flown in Canada for a long time and I have some background knowledge.
Anyone can come to Canada to obtain a pilot’s licence. All you need is a visa and enough money.
The tricky part is working in Canada after you get your licence. Generally you either need to be a Canadian citizen or a Landed Immigrant. There may be some exceptions - I remember reading that some new CPL holders could stay in Canada for a while, working as an instructor.
My advice is talk to Harv’s Air and ask them:
https://www.harvsair.com/international-students/
I have no personal knowledge of Harv’s but they are often recommended on PPRuNe.
Good luck
PS See here:
https://www.harvsair.com/international-students/employment-and-foreign-work-permits-need-editing/
Lots of great flying schools, of which Harv's is one. So too are Mitchinsons, the Victoria Flying Club, Spectrum Airways, and the Moncton Flying Club.
So the first question is not the school, but where in Canada do you want to live? There is no sense in giving recommendations for a school in one location if you want to live on the other side of the country; it's just too big for that!
Once you've decided that, we can help you narrow down the search for a school. That school can then help you with the conversion program, part of which will be comparing your experience against the Canadian requirements (https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/acts-regulations/list-regulations/canadian-aviation-regulations-sor-96-433/standards/standard-421-flight-crew-permits-licences-ratings-canadian-aviation-regulations-cars#421_30). You can do that now through the hyperlink. Just take what we require here in Canada and compare it against what you have in your logbook. Then you can do any clean-up hours before you come over. With only 197 hours, you are probably short somewhere. Unless you completed your CPL through an accredited college program, you are 3 hours short of total time. But, like I said, a school can help you go through your hours, it just might be cheaper for you if you can do the cleanup at home. Plus, doing it yourself will get you into the Canadian Aviation Regulations early, which you will need to have a general understanding of if you hope to work here.
As for the visa process, your best bet is to talk to an immigration consultant, which you can find through any good search engine. It all depends on whether you want to come to study and work or to immigrate to live, and those are the experts who can help you there. That is an entirely separate process to your licensing though, don't conflate the two.
Finally, as for a job after all this, yes you could get a job after. But that's a ways-a-way down the road. Focus on your visa process first, then the schooling, then the job.
rigpiggy
5th Jan 2024, 23:43
I need guidance from Canadian pilots .i have done my icao cpl/ir and having 197 hours of flying experience on c172p I want to convert my icao cpl to tc Canada cpl . i want to move Canada to continue my aviation journey as an international pilot have no idea about flying schools there neither i know the visa process so i need some help from an expert there . can i get a job after getting Canadian cpl . which path will be suitable for international pilots to follow need help .
if you can go to the USA, Canadian salaries are pitiful in comparison.