Australian pilots can work for US regionals.
I'd say that the usa has probably taken everyone that wants to go, with only trickles here and there now as people get their ATP mins and apply.
I would agree, that and it seems a lot of places here are struggling a little less now than in the last 6-12 months to recruit pilots so I'm sure the minimums they are hiring at (for sponsored pilots) is higher than before, I heard through a Aussie friend here that is mate was given the TBNT after interviewing recently after what he claims was a pretty good interview, the reality may have been different, but still I think its safe to say the landscape has changed here for hiring. The airline I am at has certainly raised the bar for who they will give job offers too and folks not really impressing are being turned away...compare that to 6-12 months ago where you just had to have pulse to get a job...
I found the interview process to be pretty straight forward for my airline. Although I did a lot of preparation in the lead up! I think if you do your homework they aren't looking to road block you. I think it would be pretty hard to fail if you at least show them that you have made some sort of effort. There are plenty of resources out there to make sure you have your eyes wide open going in.
Different companies would have different needs, but the general consensus that I've experienced is that there will still be a lot of hiring for the foreseeable future. But better to get in now as it doesn't seem to be as ripe as 6 months ago.. but there is still more going on over there than Australia currently!
Although I did a lot of preparation in the lead up! I think if you do your homework they aren't looking to road block you. I think it would be pretty hard to fail if you at least show them that you have made some sort of effort. There are plenty of resources out there...
Just out of curiosity, what kind of prep did you do for your interview ?
I started by speaking to as many people as I could who had done interviews already to find out what sort of things they had been asked. Then looked at airlineinterviews.com and had a read through interview experiences and HR/Tech questions for the specific airlines I was targeting.
This gave me an idea on which areas to focus on. Main areas I studied and brushed up on were the following;
Meteorology: Decoding METAR/TAF/TTF - The coding and layout have a few subtle differences to Australia.
US IFR Rules: Alternates, missed approaches, holding and approach speeds, etc. Again not the same as Australia.
Aircraft Systems & Aerodynamics: High altitude and high speed aerodynamics, gas turbine engines. Had a look at the systems and specs of the aircraft that the operators had in their fleets. Also refreshed knowledge on systems of aircraft I'm currently flying; fuel, electrical, landing gear, etc.
Approach plates: Had a look at SID/STAR/APP in Jepps, FAA and LIDO formats. Practice to brief each type smoothly and become familiar with the different layouts and symbols.
TMAT and HR: I prepared a number of tell me a time scenario questions from my experiences in GA, as you will be asked a few of those.
I also did research on each operators company history, fleet type and size, bases and compared pays and conditions.
The interview was a pretty straight forward and enjoyable experience that was split into two separate sessions. One was with HR and the other was with a check and training Captain. But in saying that it probably would not have been as straight forward if I had not come prepared!
bafanguy,
I started by speaking to as many people as I could who had done interviews already to find out what sort of things they had been asked. Then looked at airlineinterviews.com and had a read through interview experiences and HR/Tech questions for the specific airlines I was targeting.
This gave me an idea on which areas to focus on. Main areas I studied and brushed up on were the following;
Meteorology: Decoding METAR/TAF/TTF - The coding and layout have a few subtle differences to Australia.
US IFR Rules: Alternates, missed approaches, holding and approach speeds, etc. Again not the same as Australia.
Aircraft Systems & Aerodynamics: High altitude and high speed aerodynamics, gas turbine engines. Had a look at the systems and specs of the aircraft that the operators had in their fleets. Also refreshed knowledge on systems of aircraft I'm currently flying; fuel, electrical, landing gear, etc.
Approach plates: Had a look at SID/STAR/APP in Jepps, FAA and LIDO formats. Practice to brief each type smoothly and become familiar with the different layouts and symbols.
TMAT and HR: I prepared a number of tell me a time scenario questions from my experiences in GA, as you will be asked a few of those.
I also did research on each operators company history, fleet type and size, bases and compared pays and conditions.
The interview was a pretty straight forward and enjoyable experience that was split into two separate sessions. One was with HR and the other was with a check and training Captain. But in saying that it probably would not have been as straight forward if I had not come prepared!
I started by speaking to as many people as I could who had done interviews already to find out what sort of things they had been asked. Then looked at airlineinterviews.com and had a read through interview experiences and HR/Tech questions for the specific airlines I was targeting.
This gave me an idea on which areas to focus on. Main areas I studied and brushed up on were the following;
Meteorology: Decoding METAR/TAF/TTF - The coding and layout have a few subtle differences to Australia.
US IFR Rules: Alternates, missed approaches, holding and approach speeds, etc. Again not the same as Australia.
Aircraft Systems & Aerodynamics: High altitude and high speed aerodynamics, gas turbine engines. Had a look at the systems and specs of the aircraft that the operators had in their fleets. Also refreshed knowledge on systems of aircraft I'm currently flying; fuel, electrical, landing gear, etc.
Approach plates: Had a look at SID/STAR/APP in Jepps, FAA and LIDO formats. Practice to brief each type smoothly and become familiar with the different layouts and symbols.
TMAT and HR: I prepared a number of tell me a time scenario questions from my experiences in GA, as you will be asked a few of those.
I also did research on each operators company history, fleet type and size, bases and compared pays and conditions.
The interview was a pretty straight forward and enjoyable experience that was split into two separate sessions. One was with HR and the other was with a check and training Captain. But in saying that it probably would not have been as straight forward if I had not come prepared!
Skywest definitely seems to be filling their classes with 50 Americans every 2 weeks. I think PSA would be having an easier time with their recent pay increase too.
I think its quite obvious that, for whatever reason, base pay seems to attract more people than bonuses do. I'd imagine that Mesa and Air Whiskey are still operating on the pulse mentality when it comes to recruitment.
I think its quite obvious that, for whatever reason, base pay seems to attract more people than bonuses do. I'd imagine that Mesa and Air Whiskey are still operating on the pulse mentality when it comes to recruitment.
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Piedmont just got the pay rise also, $50 per hour, or a round figure of $200 per hour when at the top premium pay which they are offering a lot of this US summer to keep the metrics high. Captain base rate now circa $80 per flight hour.
Trans States posted their E3 ad again on May 27th:
https://www.afap.org.au/pilot-jobs/p...20by%20Airline
https://www.afap.org.au/pilot-jobs/p...20by%20Airline
This appeared in the latest ALPA magazine and concerns their feelings about H1B and E3 visas. I wouldn't let it deter me if I were contemplating a trip north as the wheels of the kakistocracy turn slowly if at all but here it is just FYI:
"In spring 2016, the Air Wisconsin Master Executive Council made ALPA’s Government Affairs Department aware that it had received notice that a Labor Condition Application (LCA) had been filed by Air Wisconsin to hire a foreign pilot through the H-1B Visa program. What began as a single LCA notice has grown into an increasingly concerning issue. ALPA has been working behind the scenes with its supporters on Capitol Hill to get more information and to let the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service and the Department of Labor (DOL) know that Congress is paying attention.
While the first LCA sought to hire a foreign pilot through the H-1B program, the real concern has been the potential use of E-3 visas. The E-3 Visa program provides U.S. work visas to citizens from Australia. In recent years, there has been a flood of E-3 visa applications to hire foreign pilots. A vast majority of the E-3 visa applications has been submitted by a carrier with non-ALPA-represented pilots. Some airlines with ALPA-represented pilots are increasing their use of the E-3 visa program as well. It’s important to note that the number of LCAs filed is much greater than the actual number of Australian pilots hired using E-3 visas.
ALPA has expressed its opposition to the use of both visa programs on several grounds. Most importantly, they require that the occupation for which the foreign worker is being sought is defined as a “specialty occupation.” To qualify as a specialty occupation, an occupation must require at least a bachelor’s degree in the specific occupational specialty as a minimum for entry—and air carriers don’t require airline pilots to hold degrees in academic fields directly related to their employment.
While H-1B visas remain an important concern, the rapid growth of E-3 visas is particularly worrisome, both because of the magnitude and because E-3s lack some of the key labor protections applicable to H-1B visas. Among other things, H-1B employers must disclose whether they’re “H-1B dependent.” For large employers, this means that H-1B employees make up 15 percent or more of the workforce. If an employer is H-1B dependent, the employer must provide assurances that U.S. workers haven’t been displaced and that good-faith efforts have been made to recruit U.S. workers. Employers using the E-3 visa program don’t have to provide such assurances or demonstrate that good-faith efforts to recruit workers have been made.
ALPA has engaged the DOL on several occasions. Alexander Acosta, DOL secretary, and his staff have been thoroughly briefed on the issues and have expressed their willingness to help ensure that neither of the visa programs are misused. ALPA will continue to engage the DOL and work through other avenues as necessary to ensure that the E-3 visa process isn’t misused to hire foreign pilots to undercut the market for U.S. pilots."
https://www.alpa.org/news-and-events...019-hot-topics
"In spring 2016, the Air Wisconsin Master Executive Council made ALPA’s Government Affairs Department aware that it had received notice that a Labor Condition Application (LCA) had been filed by Air Wisconsin to hire a foreign pilot through the H-1B Visa program. What began as a single LCA notice has grown into an increasingly concerning issue. ALPA has been working behind the scenes with its supporters on Capitol Hill to get more information and to let the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service and the Department of Labor (DOL) know that Congress is paying attention.
While the first LCA sought to hire a foreign pilot through the H-1B program, the real concern has been the potential use of E-3 visas. The E-3 Visa program provides U.S. work visas to citizens from Australia. In recent years, there has been a flood of E-3 visa applications to hire foreign pilots. A vast majority of the E-3 visa applications has been submitted by a carrier with non-ALPA-represented pilots. Some airlines with ALPA-represented pilots are increasing their use of the E-3 visa program as well. It’s important to note that the number of LCAs filed is much greater than the actual number of Australian pilots hired using E-3 visas.
ALPA has expressed its opposition to the use of both visa programs on several grounds. Most importantly, they require that the occupation for which the foreign worker is being sought is defined as a “specialty occupation.” To qualify as a specialty occupation, an occupation must require at least a bachelor’s degree in the specific occupational specialty as a minimum for entry—and air carriers don’t require airline pilots to hold degrees in academic fields directly related to their employment.
While H-1B visas remain an important concern, the rapid growth of E-3 visas is particularly worrisome, both because of the magnitude and because E-3s lack some of the key labor protections applicable to H-1B visas. Among other things, H-1B employers must disclose whether they’re “H-1B dependent.” For large employers, this means that H-1B employees make up 15 percent or more of the workforce. If an employer is H-1B dependent, the employer must provide assurances that U.S. workers haven’t been displaced and that good-faith efforts have been made to recruit U.S. workers. Employers using the E-3 visa program don’t have to provide such assurances or demonstrate that good-faith efforts to recruit workers have been made.
ALPA has engaged the DOL on several occasions. Alexander Acosta, DOL secretary, and his staff have been thoroughly briefed on the issues and have expressed their willingness to help ensure that neither of the visa programs are misused. ALPA will continue to engage the DOL and work through other avenues as necessary to ensure that the E-3 visa process isn’t misused to hire foreign pilots to undercut the market for U.S. pilots."
https://www.alpa.org/news-and-events...019-hot-topics
Last edited by bafanguy; 26th Jun 2019 at 20:43. Reason: Add Source
ALPA said pretty much what one would expect them to say. It's just interesting they're commenting on an issue that in the Big Picture really doesn't involve many foreign nationals hence many US jobs.
When regionals can fill all the class seats they need without expats, they'll stop hiring expats. I think Skywest is an example ?
In the meantime, gotta keep the wheels turning.
When regionals can fill all the class seats they need without expats, they'll stop hiring expats. I think Skywest is an example ?
In the meantime, gotta keep the wheels turning.
I think skywest turned off the E3 tap when new hire pay went to $45 an hour. Majors slowing hiring at the moment probably helped too.
Did some quick math and figure there are less than 200 E3 pilots in the USA. Thats less than a fraction of 1%
Did some quick math and figure there are less than 200 E3 pilots in the USA. Thats less than a fraction of 1%
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I think regionals don’t necessarily WANT to hire Australians or anyone else. It’s just a reality of not having any other options.
Hiring someone from overseas means extra costs (tickets, hotels and etc.)
So no matter how much ALPA or any other entity express their concerns, the show will go on. Unless there are thousands of American nationals cueing in front of regionals offices.
Hiring someone from overseas means extra costs (tickets, hotels and etc.)
So no matter how much ALPA or any other entity express their concerns, the show will go on. Unless there are thousands of American nationals cueing in front of regionals offices.
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“Hiring someone from overseas means extra costs (tickets, hotels and etc.)”
Not my experience. The airline only picked up the tab from LAX and they pay for the motel for U.S. pilots anyway.
Not my experience. The airline only picked up the tab from LAX and they pay for the motel for U.S. pilots anyway.
