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UK pilot to work in the US as a CFI
I have been around the forums quite a bit the last few weeks, and have been finding it difficult to find any real answers.
I am fully aware that the process is very difficult but not impossible, as I know pilots who have managed this in the past. My hope is that someone on here who may have had a similar experience can shed some light on the process and how to make my dream a reality. I am almost at the end of my training in the UK and will have my FI and frozen ATPL. I understand that to be able to work in the US you need a work visa or permanent residence and must have a full ATP in order to work for the airlines. My question is this. Is it possible to work as an instructor for flight training schools located throughout the states? ( In terms of offering EASA training, or would any school be willing to sponsor me if I choose to my further FAA training with them?) My course mate who trained for his PPL in the States has said there were many foreign pilots and his examiner was from the same school he attended in Edinburgh! It's possible! |
It's possible, you will have to find a school that offers an F-1 visa or M-1 visa followed by OPT. Since you already have quite a bit of training, you will have to find a school that is willing to put you through enough training to qualify for a visa and OPT.
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Thanks! That's cleared up a lot of questions.
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If you are already well down the route to a ATPL, you are not going to be eligible for a F1 visa in the US. F1 exists for the new or very low houred PPL.
You cannot work in the US on a M1 visa as it is not an employment visa. The chances of getting somebody to sponsor you is low. You have no residency or employment rights in the US and no FAA certs. |
Originally Posted by Gomrath
(Post 9815223)
If you are already well down the route to a ATPL, you are not going to be eligible for a F1 visa in the US. F1 exists for the new or very low houred PPL.
You cannot work in the US on a M1 visa as it is not an employment visa. The chances of getting somebody to sponsor you is low. You have no residency or employment rights in the US and no FAA certs. Surely the F1 would work in terms of getting your CFI to be able to teach in the tastes followed by an OPT? Or these schools sponsor your visa? Or would that come under a different visa? |
You should read up on the SEVIS website as to what a F1 visa is all about.
Coming to the US for training is totally different than coming for employment - which it seems is what you are after. The F1 is aimed at the zero hour student and at the end of the full course of study, the individual may be able to get OPT but it isn't guaranteed (regardless of what the Flight School might advertise). OPT is also time limited so any mention as to how many hours can be accomplished - take with a large pinch of salt as there will be plenty of others in the same position. If a Flight school wishes to employ a fully qualified person from overseas they can sponsor that person for a full employment visa -e.g. an H1. but they cannot bring them in on an F1 or an M1 and they certainly cannot employ them without a work visa. |
If you're an EASA instructor but don't hold a US green card or citizenship, then your only hope is with a school with a US campus giving EASA instruction that requires an EASA qualified instructor. That school would have to sponsor you based on the lack of US citizen/green card already qualified instructors.
You would still have to gain FAA commercial + instructor ratings. |
I know some schools sponsors H1b for CFI, but H1bs are difficult to get these years because of the lottery system only allows 65,000 caps with bachelor degree applicant plus 20,000 with advance degree from U.S. The problem is if you are thinking about getting H1b, you will have to have some sort of degree relate to your job, because H1b is a specialty work visa, and your cap are subject to lottery in every April UNLESS you work for cap exempt company which could be university, non-profit or research company. I know some school done that on the regular basis like Riddle, UND, and FIT...and I was on H1b with one of them, some school even offer pathway to Green Card with different requirements.
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CFI
We are looking for CFI's If I can help you get to us let me know what I can do. Obviously we will put you thru our interview process and nothing is absolute or guaranteed.
Thanks Doug |
Try Tiffin Aviation in Nogales AZ. I saw few foreign instructors working there. They all came with student visa and working there ever since. I don't know what kinda deal they have, but worth checking out I guess.
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Gomrath I don't think you are 100% accurate.
I am from the UK, and I have a Canadian CPL licence, and have completed my EASA ATPL exams and I have been offered an F1 visa before, not an issue. So stick in there Pilot Mairi, and start emailing a few flight schools and see what they come back with. |
Originally Posted by pilot_mairi
(Post 9813915)
I have been around the forums quite a bit the last few weeks, and have been finding it difficult to find any real answers.
I am fully aware that the process is very difficult but not impossible, as I know pilots who have managed this in the past. My hope is that someone on here who may have had a similar experience can shed some light on the process and how to make my dream a reality. I am almost at the end of my training in the UK and will have my FI and frozen ATPL. I understand that to be able to work in the US you need a work visa or permanent residence and must have a full ATP in order to work for the airlines. My question is this. Is it possible to work as an instructor for flight training schools located throughout the states? ( In terms of offering EASA training, or would any school be willing to sponsor me if I choose to my further FAA training with them?) My course mate who trained for his PPL in the States has said there were many foreign pilots and his examiner was from the same school he attended in Edinburgh! It's possible! |
I believe EFT in Florida will sponsor an FI for a visa
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Originally Posted by mauricioqsjr
(Post 10224854)
Any news about? I want to do the same, but I'm starting PP in Brazil, my question is I need to do the CP and IFR in USA to have a F-1 visa to work as a CFI or I can convert my CP and IFR and enroll in a CFI training with F-1 visa?
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Any good news so far ? I know exactly how confusing this process can be cause am almost going through the same process I also have an EASA CPL ME IR and I passed all 14 subjects since 2016 , am in the states now with a green card and willing to convert my license to an FAA and get a CFI rating afterwards , i’ll Share what I realized so far regarding the process starting from EASA to Instructor so , first , You need to apply for a verification letter from the FAA which requires filling application form AC 8060-71 for foreign airmen certification branch and send it to the FAA via email address [email protected] after choosing the nearest FSDO ( flight standard district office ) in USA . Second , after receiving the verification letter on email You have to WALK IN the selected FSDO which already received a copy of the verification letter and they’ll issue you an FAA restricted PPL . Third , since the required hours for FAA CPL issuance are 250 which I have already 233 of them you need to apply for an aviation school which will help with assessment of all your flying hours and what’s missing On exercises such as night cross country flights , landings , approaches.....etc fourth , sit for CPL written exam and IR written exam to be prepared for combined FAA CPL IR skill test with a certified examiner after completion of missing hours and endorsement by most likely chief instructor or head of training . fifth , after passing the Skill test You can start CFI training which will combine 30 hours of flight training and 40 hours of ground instruction and after completion You can start instructing building hours towards ATPL 1500 required hours . Note : You can sit for ATPL written exam which valid for 5 years after passing CPL and IR written exams straight but , the issuance of ATP license requires 1500 hours total time and a separate check ride with a certified examiner . This is the process and steps if you decided to go the FAA way . |
Good write up but a couple of things:
Originally Posted by comandos
(Post 10226512)
On exercises such as night cross country flights , landings , approaches.....etc fourth , sit for CPL written exam and IR written exam to be prepared for combined FAA CPL IR skill test with a certified examiner after completion of missing hours and endorsement by most likely chief instructor or head of training . fifth , after passing the Skill test You can start CFI training which will combine 30 hours of flight training and 40 hours of ground instruction and after completion You can start instructing building hours towards ATPL 1500 required Hours. There is no requirement for 30 hours of flight training and 40 hours of ground training. This may be a specific requirement for a specific approved 141 course, but there is no requirement for minimum training for the CFI under part 61. Also, approval from a head of training or chief instructor is also not an FAA requirement. It may be an internal requirement for a specific school, but don’t let a school over charge you because they impose extra training requirements. Note : You can sit for ATPL written exam which valid for 5 years after passing CPL and IR written exams straight but , the issuance of ATP license requires 1500 hours total time and a separate check ride with a certified examiner . |
Ooh I totally forgot about ATP-CTP see , checklist checklist checklist haha . i already done ATP -CTP ( certified training program ) which valid for life . I’ve called Sheppard for preparation of CPL and IR written exams but they said the conversion exam is different than the regular FAA exams so they added more confusion to the table lol , please confirm !! |
Convalitadion and Conversion
Originally Posted by MarkerInbound
(Post 10225963)
There's no conversion at the commercial level in the FAA system. You could convert your Brazilian PVT to a FAA PVT (there's a requirement to hold a FAA PVT to get a FAA COMM) but you would have to go through the same process as an American pilot. IR written, IR training, IR checkride, COMM written , COMM training, COMM checkrideYes,.
Most of US schooll I talk sayÇ PP ICAO to PP FAA convalidation PC ICAO to PC FAA conversion and some schools like King Sky say convalidation too to PC. Example attached in the PDF and in Aerocadet website. Tks for your time, if need any help about Brazil just ask. |
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