$100K Signing Bonus - Hiring Pilots

[newlyexpat]

Quick note for those looking to head to the US, upgrading to Captain at a regional or airline (Part 121 operator) needs a certain amount of Part 121 (or PIC in Part 91 or 135 - General/Charter aviation). This NEEDS to be time acquired on US registered aircraft. So even if you have x thousands of hours as an RJ Captain in Canada, you are not eligible to go direct entry Captain at a US Regional.

This was NOT the case for me (although for Biz Jet 135 Capt with similar requirements).

If you experience the above mentioned restrictions, a FAA POI can write an exemption letter based on foreign flight experience.

Also note that SIC/FO type ratings are NOT transferable from a Canadian to USA licence during the conversion process.

The work around is to attend a FAA upgrade/recurrent type rating course for the particular aircraft type. Even if you are current on an aircraft type (PIC/SIC), part 135/121 operators will require you to attend a recurrent course as part of their initial pilot training program (regardless if you recently completed a TC recurrent/initial course in the very recent past). If you fly for a part 91 operator, these above mentioned rules may not apply to you.

[yycflyguy]

I can share I am a Canadian Citizen / Resident who has been flying Private Jets for past 5 years. Being type on a jet they operate was very beneficial.

The company who hired me used their own immigration law firm as they have been hiring and sponsoring foreign pilots over the past few years. They set everything up for me in regards to immigration.

Hope this helps.

What was your extraordinary ability?

O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement

The O-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements.

For more information, see USCIS Policy Manual Volume 2, Part M.

The O nonimmigrant classification are commonly referred to as:

O-1A: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics (not including the arts, motion pictures or television industry);
O-1B: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry;
O-2: Individuals who will accompany an O-1 artist or athlete to assist in a specific event or performance; and
O-3: Individuals who are the spouse or children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders.

Please see the FAA Conversion thread regarding this topic:

viewtopic.php?t=136330&start=20

In summary, copied from that thread:

I was able to meet 4 of the 8 extraordinary criteria (3 are required for O-1 Visa eligibility).
Google search O-1 eligibility for a detailed list if interested. I met the following criteria:

1. Have you ever participated as a judge of the work of others.. - You meet this if you have ever managed or trained pilots/staff, conducted performance reviews, review/supervision of day to day work, involved in hiring/promotion of staff, conducted/reviewed FOQA audits, Quality Assurance Audits, Safety Management Investigations, hold an ACP/flight test examiner, etc.

2. Have you produced any original scientific, scholarly, or business related contributions of major significance in your field of expertise - You can meet this if you have ever worked in the business side of aviation, worked on any major projects for your company, worked on aircraft acquisition projects, reviewed or set profit/loss goals, financial goals, authored manuals, procedures/sop's, work instructions, or other business/operations projects, etc.

3. Have you ever worked in a “critical or essential” capacity for an organization - You can meet this requirement if you have held a training captain, supervisory, leadership or management role within an organization.

4. Have you, or will you, receive a high salary - You can meet this criteria if you are at the top salary range, essentially a senior captain or manager should be able to meet this criteria. Also starting captain salaries in the USA on a heavy biz jet tend to be in the 250k USD range annually which additionally qualifies you in this category.

The advantage of the O-1 visa is that if you qualify, there are unlimited number of these Visa's issued (therefore very fast processing times). Most other visa's are generally lottery based with long vetting/wait times (6 to 12 months). There are a set amount of these lottery based VISA's issued annually. This makes it more competitive, and generally you require significant skills and flying experience for approval. This being said, being sponsored by an employer in most cases guarantees approval and gives you a much higher approval advantage in regards to lottery based visas (or any Visa). Having access to a good immigration lawyer is also highly recommended.

One other issue one may experience in regards to this process is Visa interview wait times (once formally approved) are very long in Canada. Current wait times for interviews in Canada range from 70 to 120 days dependant on embassy/consulate location. Wait times in Europe and South America for interviews can be as quick as 1 to 7 days (I travelled to South America as I need my visa ASAP). This is the last step in visa issuance.

This information is based on my experience and information from my immigration lawyer. Your experience may differ.

Best of Luck!

Process sounds similar to a cross of TN1 and EB2 NIW with an interview. I’ve been watching closely the EB2 process for AC pilots as I’ve held FAA ATP rating since 2001 and have flown both 135 and 91 in the US. What Bizjet are you on?

[newlyexpat]

Process sounds similar to a cross of TN1 and EB2 NIW with an interview. I’ve been watching closely the EB2 process for AC pilots as I’ve held FAA ATP rating since 2001 and have flown both 135 and 91 in the US. What Bizjet are you on?

Challenger Jet

[JHR]

Are you based somewhere warm? (That would be a definite prerequisite lol)
I might have missed it. Are your ops 91 or 135?

[newlyexpat]

Are you based somewhere warm? (That would be a definite prerequisite lol)
I might have missed it. Are your ops 91 or 135?

Based in Florida & Part 135

[JHR]

Lucky guy. Enjoy!

[JBI]

Quick note for those looking to head to the US, upgrading to Captain at a regional or airline (Part 121 operator) needs a certain amount of Part 121 (or PIC in Part 91 or 135 - General/Charter aviation). This NEEDS to be time acquired on US registered aircraft. So even if you have x thousands of hours as an RJ Captain in Canada, you are not eligible to go direct entry Captain at a US Regional.

This was NOT the case for me (although for Biz Jet 135 Capt with similar requirements).

If you experience the above mentioned restrictions, a FAA POI can write an exemption letter based on foreign flight experience.

Also note that SIC/FO type ratings are NOT transferable from a Canadian to USA licence during the conversion process.

The work around is to attend a FAA upgrade/recurrent type rating course for the particular aircraft type. Even if you are current on an aircraft type (PIC/SIC), part 135/121 operators will require you to attend a recurrent course as part of their initial pilot training program (regardless if you recently completed a TC recurrent/initial course in the very recent past). If you fly for a part 91 operator, these above mentioned rules may not apply to you.

Oh that's great to hear! Thanks for the update.

[Stinky]

For part 121 captain you need 1000 hours in part 121 or 135. No exemptions that I’ve heard of.

[CanadaAir]

Q400 pilots at Horizon Air (in US dollars, $US 90 first year First Officer is $121 Canadian, $US 149 first year Captain is $200 Canadian):

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[CanadaAir]

If you don't think a 704/5 regional pilot can triple their salaries in one year, take a look at MESA's pay scale (USD).
They went from $36/hour to $100/hr in one year.

BTW $100/hr USD is $134/hr CAD.

No Canadian pilot, especially ALPA, should be flying a Dash8, ATR, SAAB, RJ or light jet for less than $120k CAD a year.
Same for 737 or bigger operators.

It's ok to triple your salary in one year - you aren't crazy.

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Here's the rates for RJ captain in the US. Lowest rate is $US 153/hour or $206 Canadian per hour.
Porter pilots are still behind on Captain pay.

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MESA also pays pilots 60% of flight pay for all time spent deadheading/repositioning.

[CanadaAir]

703 two crew King Air captains who are able to make over $200,000 per year, as posted by the employer.

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Although there are captains making less than $200,000 at the company, this shows that $200,000 or higher King Air jobs do exist and are available to experienced captains. Boost salary even more above $200,000 if you have the ability to do training or SOP development.

Still many 704 and 705 captains making less than $100,000 on Dash 8, ATR, RJ, Metros, 1900, Citations, Lear

Lots of Medevac Captain hiring right now. Long term jobs at $150,000 to over $200,000 available based in major centers or doing the week on week off, 2 on 2 off.

Better lifestyle than sitting as a junior seniority at 705s and taking 10 to 15 years to even catch up with Medevac captain salaries. Roughly same crew you work with every flight. More stable schedules and ability to vacation.

G1000 avionics and nicer autopilots on many King Air, better than steam gauges and old CRT screens.


There are Medevac companies which have poor working conditions. They might be going out of business if they can't improve their working conditions and pay to find captains.

For pilots who are already experienced in 705 operations, they can contact the Medevac owners and state their terms. Experienced pilots don't have to wait for companies to post job openings or for the company to dictate the terms. Arrange a meeting with the company owner, show them your experience and ask for $150,000 to start and the working conditions you want. Don't be surprised if they agree.

If they don't agree, you still have your 705 job and they might call you this summer when they desperately need a captain or face grounding aircraft.


704 and 705 captains making less than $150,000 better start to learning to negotiate better terms.

[khedrei]

703 two crew King Air captains who are able to make over $200,000 per year, as posted by the employer.


-.png


Although there are captains making less than $200,000 at the company, this shows that $200,000 or higher King Air jobs do exist and are available to experienced captains. Boost salary even more above $200,000 if you have the ability to do training or SOP development.

Still many 704 and 705 captains making less than $100,000 on Dash 8, ATR, RJ, Metros, 1900, Citations, Lear

Lots of Medevac Captain hiring right now. Long term jobs at $150,000 to over $200,000 available based in major centers or doing the week on week off, 2 on 2 off.

Better lifestyle than sitting as a junior seniority at 705s and taking 10 to 15 years to even catch up with Medevac captain salaries. Roughly same crew you work with every flight. More stable schedules and ability to vacation.

G1000 avionics and nicer autopilots on many King Air, better than steam gauges and old CRT screens.


There are Medevac companies which have poor working conditions. They might be going out of business if they can't improve their working conditions and pay to find captains.

For pilots who are already experienced in 705 operations, they can contact the Medevac owners and state their terms. Experienced pilots don't have to wait for companies to post job openings or for the company to dictate the terms. Arrange a meeting with the company owner, show them your experience and ask for $150,000 to start and the working conditions you want. Don't be surprised if they agree.

If they don't agree, you still have your 705 job and they might call you this summer when they desperately need a captain or face grounding aircraft.


704 and 705 captains making less than $150,000 better start to learning to negotiate better terms.

I think you should read a bit more about this company before promoting them on here. Literally the post above it advertises the same job for the FO offering MINIMUM wage.

Not sure whats worse, that they are paying minimum wage or that they are willing and able to pay 7 times that to the captains but still choose to pay the FOs the lowest possible wage that they legally can.

[CanadaAir]

703 two crew King Air captains who are able to make over $200,000 per year, as posted by the employer.


-.png


Although there are captains making less than $200,000 at the company, this shows that $200,000 or higher King Air jobs do exist and are available to experienced captains. Boost salary even more above $200,000 if you have the ability to do training or SOP development.

Still many 704 and 705 captains making less than $100,000 on Dash 8, ATR, RJ, Metros, 1900, Citations, Lear

Lots of Medevac Captain hiring right now. Long term jobs at $150,000 to over $200,000 available based in major centers or doing the week on week off, 2 on 2 off.

Better lifestyle than sitting as a junior seniority at 705s and taking 10 to 15 years to even catch up with Medevac captain salaries. Roughly same crew you work with every flight. More stable schedules and ability to vacation.

G1000 avionics and nicer autopilots on many King Air, better than steam gauges and old CRT screens.


There are Medevac companies which have poor working conditions. They might be going out of business if they can't improve their working conditions and pay to find captains.

For pilots who are already experienced in 705 operations, they can contact the Medevac owners and state their terms. Experienced pilots don't have to wait for companies to post job openings or for the company to dictate the terms. Arrange a meeting with the company owner, show them your experience and ask for $150,000 to start and the working conditions you want. Don't be surprised if they agree.

If they don't agree, you still have your 705 job and they might call you this summer when they desperately need a captain or face grounding aircraft.


704 and 705 captains making less than $150,000 better start to learning to negotiate better terms.

I think you should read a bit more about this company before promoting them on here. Literally the post above it advertises the same job for the FO offering MINIMUM wage.

Not sure whats worse, that they are paying minimum wage or that they are willing and able to pay 7 times that to the captains but still choose to pay the FOs the lowest possible wage that they legally can.

The post was to promote that King Air captains are making $150,000 or more a year and for some captains at this company over $200,000. This adds perspective to all the 704/705 captains who are working for less than $100,000 and the 705 FOs who are paid even less.

Not approving of any low pilot wages, such as $30,000 a year for FO.

Here are the comments from a previous post:

All CAR700 pilots shouldn’t be accepting less than $90k to start in their upcoming contract negotiations if they want to be on par with any other junior professionals like Meter Readers and Tim Hortons delivery drivers.

If you are currently making less than 90k a year, go to your employer and argue that since a Meter Reader is making 70k with no education, you should be paid at least 70k to be aligned with the Meter Reader and add another 20k annually so you can pay off your education over 5 or 6 years.
You should be able to pay off student loans quickly and not carrying them into mid life.

If you have an ATPL, you aren’t a junior employee and shouldn’t be comparing yourself to a Meter Reader. Those piloting licenses and years of training and working your way up to 1500 hours has some value – with an ATPL demand no less than $120k a year.

ACPA and ALPA are failing as unions if they set the first year pay less than $120k. Is this a profession or is it not?

Medevac Pilots – start having some respect for yourself and what you do. Remote uncontrolled Medevac is the most dangerous and complex flying in civil aviation. You should be making at least as much as the nurse or doctor on board, regardless if it’s a PC-12, King Air or light jet. The government is willing to pay 20k or more for transporting the person onboard, and then maybe 100k or more for their hospital stay – they are as precious a payload as any airliner carrying 100 passenger. Don’t treat yourself as deserving less than airline pilots. Stand up to employers who pay low so they don’t undercut the Medevac companies who are willing to pay high.


viewtopic.php?t=181713

[CanadaAir]

For all those thinking ALPA is going to save the day.

A reminder that ALPA has failed many pilot groups and especially first officers.

Look at the pay at ALPA represented Bearskin/Perimeter and Calm Air.

From CBC News:

"A job listing for a first officer at Calm Air has a salary range of $34,014 to $82,603 while the Perimeter Aviation collective agreement lists the base salary for a first officer with four to five years of experience as just over $35,700. A captain can make as little as $36,108 as their base salary."

ALPA represented Wasaya is still paying starting wages of $16/hour, when Ontario minimum wage is $15.

Then look into the dismal pay at ALPA represented First Air and Canadian North.

ALPA represented Encore is some of the lowest paid airline pilots.

Don't forget ALPA negotiated an almost 20 year contract of low wages and minimal negotiation space for the country's 3rd largest pilot group at the time with the Jazz deal.

Some ALPA reps have gotten too close to management and even transitioned into management, boosting their salaries but not the rest of the pilots.

Most pilots are paying $1000 or more a year to ALPA. ALPA is reported to be one of the largest and strong unions, but can't even get members pay equivalence with jobs like meter reader, tree cutter or snow shovel worker.

Jazz pilots pay ALPA over $1 million a year, and for what?

Junior nurses and other professionals with smaller unions are making $100,000 to start and rising.

Here are some of the higher end salaries in other professions

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Having a union doesn't guarantee high pay. It depends on who is running it and the pilots have to be involved.
Otherwise ALPA will negotiate a subpar contract and recommend that the pilots take it.

[CanadaAir]

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[CanadaAir]

The salaries above are real salaries paid out posted by the Government of Ontario.
They aren't the top salaries, near the higher end.


From a recent job post SkyNorth advertising King Air captains can make over $200,000

"We currently have 24 pilots on staff, with our 4 senior pilots each earning over $200,000 in 2022."

A recent job post advertising for Beaver captain

"Inland Air Charters can fix this for you. We are looking for an experienced sea-plane captain.
We are paying WAY above average. That dream job in a modern metropolis where the beaver flies, yeah, much more than there. Slaving away right seat in that dash hoping to one day make the big bucks in the left seat? Well, we pay more than that guy in the left seat makes too. The compensation package we are offering will let you skip the line you’re in waiting for that domestic airline job

[digits_]

A recent job post advertising for Beaver captain

"Inland Air Charters can fix this for you. We are looking for an experienced sea-plane captain.
We are paying WAY above average. That dream job in a modern metropolis where the beaver flies, yeah, much more than there. Slaving away right seat in that dash hoping to one day make the big bucks in the left seat? Well, we pay more than that guy in the left seat makes too. The compensation package we are offering will let you skip the line you’re in waiting for that domestic airline job

That turned out to be around 100k. Not bad, but nowhere near as good as advertised.

[CanadaAir]

That turned out to be around 100k. Not bad, but nowhere near as good as advertised.

Thanks.

Then moving to WestJet from that job would be a 40% pay cut.

[CanadaAir]

King Air FO starting salary now up to $80,000, higher than WestJet first officer

9 seats pay vs 150 seats pay

Carson Air
Salary based on experience: starting at $60,000 – up to $80,000.
http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=189934

[CanadaAir]

Three times more Canadian pilots left for jobs in the U.S. last year, government data shows

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/pilots ... -1.6957062