Airline job opening for foreign nationals in canada
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Hey guys, I'm from india and I'm planning to do my pilot training in Canada. Is it a good idea in the first place?
And also how are the job opportunities in canada for a foreign national like me(Indian)?
Thank you
And also how are the job opportunities in canada for a foreign national like me(Indian)?
Thank you
Right now, there are a lot of unemployed pilots because of Covid... same as everywhere else around the world.
No one in Canada goes from flight school to airline. It doesn't work that way here. You have to get a job somewhere and build experience because there is a surplus of pilots here and Covid has exasperated this situation.
First thing you would need is the legal right to work here. You will have to look at the immigration pages of the Canadian government before you do anything else. Should you have the right to work here, then feel free to give it a try, but perhaps waiting until things get better might be wise.
As I said, you will not get a job with an airline right out of flight school, it just doesn't happen. We only have two major airlines in the country and both have laid off pilots waiting to get their jobs back. Canada does offer unique flying experiences where one can fly a lot of light aircraft in challenging and sometimes life threatening conditions into very remote areas. Depending on what the economy looks like a year or two from now, you may be working a dock or ramp somewhere hoping to get into an airplane for anywhere from a month to a couple of years... or the economy breaks loose and you get a job flying right away. There's just no predicting anything right now.
However, were I to pull out my crystal ball, I would predict that you want to avoid Canada as we are a dying country held under water until there's no signs of life left by our current government. Our current government has decided we need to solve the worlds global warming issue single highhandedly by taxation. They are putting some rather draconian carbon taxes into play, and planning to grow those taxes by 500% in the next 9 years. That will raise the price of everything while stopping anyone from investing any money into this country. As you know, an airline's second greatest operating cost is fuel and this will only compound that cost exponentially. I believe this will cripple the transportation industry and along with it, all other industries in this country.
Best of luck with your decision.
No one in Canada goes from flight school to airline. It doesn't work that way here. You have to get a job somewhere and build experience because there is a surplus of pilots here and Covid has exasperated this situation.
First thing you would need is the legal right to work here. You will have to look at the immigration pages of the Canadian government before you do anything else. Should you have the right to work here, then feel free to give it a try, but perhaps waiting until things get better might be wise.
As I said, you will not get a job with an airline right out of flight school, it just doesn't happen. We only have two major airlines in the country and both have laid off pilots waiting to get their jobs back. Canada does offer unique flying experiences where one can fly a lot of light aircraft in challenging and sometimes life threatening conditions into very remote areas. Depending on what the economy looks like a year or two from now, you may be working a dock or ramp somewhere hoping to get into an airplane for anywhere from a month to a couple of years... or the economy breaks loose and you get a job flying right away. There's just no predicting anything right now.
However, were I to pull out my crystal ball, I would predict that you want to avoid Canada as we are a dying country held under water until there's no signs of life left by our current government. Our current government has decided we need to solve the worlds global warming issue single highhandedly by taxation. They are putting some rather draconian carbon taxes into play, and planning to grow those taxes by 500% in the next 9 years. That will raise the price of everything while stopping anyone from investing any money into this country. As you know, an airline's second greatest operating cost is fuel and this will only compound that cost exponentially. I believe this will cripple the transportation industry and along with it, all other industries in this country.
Best of luck with your decision.
Last edited by Mostly Harmless; 22nd Dec 2020 at 20:37.
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Hey man,
Given the current circumstances I would say that coming to acquire your license in Canada is certainly possible as Canadian flight schools currently rely on foreign students heavily. That said be careful on what flight schools sell you to get you in the door. A career at a major Canadian Airline (or even LCC, Regional) may not be as likely as they make it seem. You must keep in mind that if you are coming on a student VISA that it does not give you the legal right to work in Canada more than 20 hours a week and when you have completed your studies you no longer have this right to live and work in Canada automatically.
As the previous poster mentioned thousands of pilots will have to be recalled over the next couple years and with the current government's attitude towards the aviation sector it will be a smaller industry in Canada going forward. That means the thousands of airlines pilots who hold seniority
numbers at these carriers will need to be recalled before a single new pilot can be hired in which case there will be a number of pilots from smaller carriers lining up for those jobs all of which already have the right to live and work in Canada. I personally don't believe that we will see the movement we saw in the previous years for sometime if ever again.
Obviously this just my opinion not trying to deter you, just trying to be realistic.
Either way good luck to you which ever route you choose.
Feel free to PM if you have any further questions.
-C
Given the current circumstances I would say that coming to acquire your license in Canada is certainly possible as Canadian flight schools currently rely on foreign students heavily. That said be careful on what flight schools sell you to get you in the door. A career at a major Canadian Airline (or even LCC, Regional) may not be as likely as they make it seem. You must keep in mind that if you are coming on a student VISA that it does not give you the legal right to work in Canada more than 20 hours a week and when you have completed your studies you no longer have this right to live and work in Canada automatically.
As the previous poster mentioned thousands of pilots will have to be recalled over the next couple years and with the current government's attitude towards the aviation sector it will be a smaller industry in Canada going forward. That means the thousands of airlines pilots who hold seniority
numbers at these carriers will need to be recalled before a single new pilot can be hired in which case there will be a number of pilots from smaller carriers lining up for those jobs all of which already have the right to live and work in Canada. I personally don't believe that we will see the movement we saw in the previous years for sometime if ever again.
Obviously this just my opinion not trying to deter you, just trying to be realistic.
Either way good luck to you which ever route you choose.
Feel free to PM if you have any further questions.
-C
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Indeed. By late 2021 or early 2022 I forecast a resurgence of hiring a thousand (1,000) furloughed and laid-off Canadian pilots, but I do NOT foresee a surge of hiring new pilots. Stay in India, China and Africa for the interim.
Last edited by evansb; 15th Jan 2021 at 16:37.
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Guys and girls,
I am going to echo the same sentiment as others; now is not the time to hope for a job in Canada. Any job.
I am retired from big jet charter and large regional airlines, but still kept busy working, just to get out of the house, with professional skydiving outfits operating Twin Otters and Caravans, and medevac with king airs. That was pre covid only a few months ago
To give you an idea of what is going on here, one guy who was dropping skydivers on a very casual basis just for the fun of it but was just about to go from right seat to left seat in a big jet is now flying the twin Otter full time since he has lost his job. Another, who just got on with a regional carrier, is now back full time dropping skydivers. Both have no idea if they will be called back or not. I am out, and understandably so, they need a job more than I do. We all get along quite well.
At the other place, new entrants in the industry are doing ground jobs with the promise of getting a copilot job in small planes, it's not happening.
So come and get your training, however the chances of getting a flying job in Canada are near zero. Your chances of getting a job in your home country are probably higher after you finish your training.
Sadly, I think it will be this way for many years. Carriers are expecting to ''get back to normal'' around 2022 to 2023, and that is highly optimistic, it is going to be more like 2024-2025 to my mind.
I am going to echo the same sentiment as others; now is not the time to hope for a job in Canada. Any job.
I am retired from big jet charter and large regional airlines, but still kept busy working, just to get out of the house, with professional skydiving outfits operating Twin Otters and Caravans, and medevac with king airs. That was pre covid only a few months ago
To give you an idea of what is going on here, one guy who was dropping skydivers on a very casual basis just for the fun of it but was just about to go from right seat to left seat in a big jet is now flying the twin Otter full time since he has lost his job. Another, who just got on with a regional carrier, is now back full time dropping skydivers. Both have no idea if they will be called back or not. I am out, and understandably so, they need a job more than I do. We all get along quite well.
At the other place, new entrants in the industry are doing ground jobs with the promise of getting a copilot job in small planes, it's not happening.
So come and get your training, however the chances of getting a flying job in Canada are near zero. Your chances of getting a job in your home country are probably higher after you finish your training.
Sadly, I think it will be this way for many years. Carriers are expecting to ''get back to normal'' around 2022 to 2023, and that is highly optimistic, it is going to be more like 2024-2025 to my mind.
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How is the job market currently? Has it improved? I am planning to come to Canada next year if the job market has improved.
Alphaq,
There are other people here who can comment on the current job situation, but I would like to point out that unless you are a Canadian Citizen or have Canadian Permanent Resident status, don’t waste your money coming to Canada. You will not be able to work in Canada, at ANY job.
There are other people here who can comment on the current job situation, but I would like to point out that unless you are a Canadian Citizen or have Canadian Permanent Resident status, don’t waste your money coming to Canada. You will not be able to work in Canada, at ANY job.
I have been hearing about a coming pilot shortage my entire life... It has arrived. However, the executives of companies are having a difficult time coming to terms with the change in power dynamics and continue to hold on to the old idea that pilots are everywhere. Small operators (CARs 703 704) are being quicker to adapt schedule and pay for experienced people. 705 operators (airlines) are attempting to lower wages and working conditions throughout most of the country. Aircraft are parked for lack of crew, but the executives seem to be okay with that issue as of right now.
So, the answer to your question is complicated. It really depends on what type of experience you have, what type of flying you would like to do and what type of wages you are willing to accept. The simple answer is, that the largest barrier in Canada won't be finding a job, it will be acquiring the right to work in Canada... as stated by India Four Two.
If you can go to the USA, go there. Double or triple the Canadian wages and half the taxes. Canadians are shut out of going to the USA by the NAFTA (USMEXICAN or whatever it's called now) agreement except for certain professions like nurse or doctor.
So, the answer to your question is complicated. It really depends on what type of experience you have, what type of flying you would like to do and what type of wages you are willing to accept. The simple answer is, that the largest barrier in Canada won't be finding a job, it will be acquiring the right to work in Canada... as stated by India Four Two.
If you can go to the USA, go there. Double or triple the Canadian wages and half the taxes. Canadians are shut out of going to the USA by the NAFTA (USMEXICAN or whatever it's called now) agreement except for certain professions like nurse or doctor.
