Foreign CFI/ii in US,
 

Ive been lurking on this website for a long time now, but never had anything concrete to add to it. Now though, im faced with a dilemma, and im hoping this community would help me in my decision.

Im currently a foreign instructor (CFI/II) working in the US, my dream was to join the airlines here, but the hard truth has finally hit- regionals wont hire internationals, and i dont see them doing so any time soon. I currently have close to +650hrs with no types and no ATPL. Ive been working as an instructor for a while, but now i feel my time is not taking me anywhere, and im not sure where to go from here. I could go back to school and get my masters which would buy me some time to figure out my situatution, but eventually i would want to continue with a flying career. Ive looked into flying in Asia and Africa, and even though that kind of lifesytle excites me, i dont know if airlines / charters would take me, considering i only have a CPL, no type, and all FAA licenses.
Anyone been in my shoes? Anyone has opinions or advice as to what i should do next?

Clarifying your residency status would help shape the answers people can give you.

By foreign do you mean you're an immigrant to the U.S with a work visa? A naturalised citizen? An American citizen with immigrant parents?

No, foreign citizenship in the US, currently on student visa OPT, but will be getting my work visa sponsored soon.

But where exactly are you from? Do you have the right to work/reside in Europe? The GCC?

Telling us where you're from will make all the difference in being able to help you.

P.S. By where you're from, I mean what passport do you hold.

Oh i see, im from Jordan. I could go back, convert licenses, and work with RJ...except i dont want to do that. Going back home is not really an option for me.

Given the movement in recent times to regional airlines I would be surprised to find nobody would take you. You still have 950 hours to go until you can apply though, so how do you know they won't hire internationals? I can only imagine for right to live and work indefinitely in the USA reasons.

Have you consulted any immigration specialist Lawyers about eligibility to obtain citizenship?

Beggars can't be choosers really. If you're confident of employment with RJ, then why not? As tech log says, you have 950 hours to go before you would even be considered for employment by a US regional.

I havent met anyone that actually went to the regionals on a work visa. Ive met several pilot recruiters but its all the same answer. Although RJ in itself is a fine airline, i dont want to go back, for personal reasons. I would rather go to Asia, or work with my management degree in aviation.

Where did you get that idea that regionals wont hire internationals??


I dont have a Green card or a work visa, thats why i had to go back to this dump called Europe but when i was there working as a CFI i knew a a spaniard and a french dude that got lucky, got the Green card and were hired no problem once they hit the 1500 hour mark.

If you have the ability to work in the US YOU WILL FLY A JET.


That said, why are you trying with only 650 hours?? You wont get in the RHS unless you have 1500. That is a regulatory limit unless you didnt know.

Im eligible for a restricted ATP, meaning i need only 1,000hrs.

As for your comment on the greencard, youre right airlines would take me with that. But, getting to the greencard bit is the hard part! Work visas can lead into greencards, but not with my employer, nor with many flight schools either. Also, im not going to use up my six year work visa limit as a CFI, at that point i would elect to work elsewhere, where the chances of getting the green ticket are much higher.

Well, my work visa got denied, and im honestly lost. Ive got 860TT, but as before, i dont know what to do next.

Are you on a visa now? If you're still in status, you can apply for change of status.

Limited options if you don't want to go home. Maybe places like Susi Air in Indonesia. 860TT is above their requirement and they like hiring FAA CFIs.

I was on OPT, was trying to get a status change to H1B, but it got denied. Im going to see if i can appeal it, but im not too hopefull. Very interested in something along the lines of Susi though. Looks like on their website theyre looking for pilots and instructors, i wouldnt mind doing some of both.

I think you kinda knew it was a long shot anyways. You should have utilised your OPT status very well with a reputable sponsor company as an interim measure in the overall process of getting to H1B visa status. Then H1B to Greencard (Even Harder). I hope you also knew USCIS introduced a separate H1B quota for International students. That adds to the complexity of getting a H1B Visa status!

BTW what i don't understand is how come from Jan to June you have only added 210TT on your log book? With the current high demand for pilots, lots of flying schools are loosing their CFI's to regional airlines and as such the remaining CFI's are over worked!

Something is not adding up!

Actually i did not see that coming. A lot of people working for the flight school are international, and i dont even know of anyone who got denied the visa before. The school was also cap exempt.

As for the time accumulation, yes, for most schools it is rather slow, but unlike most schools i was doing ground instruction as well.