US based career, comm pilot with low hours

Airline Pilot Questions & Answers
1

Hello

I guess this gets asked pretty much everytime but I guess my personal case is a bit different from what I have found on the forums.

I have seen many people in their low/mid 40s ask if they are too old to start a flying career from zero hours and expect a job on the major airlines when they are done. It would be difficult but definitely doable for most folks as I see in most answers. This, of course, is very reassuring.

Im 36, almost 37, I already got part of the pathway ready. I have my FAA multi engine commercial license, up to date medical and I fly for fun when I go to the USA for vacations. I also have a CE500 (citation jet) SIC rating which I got like a month ago in FL. The downfall on this is that I only have 300 logged hours. Im building time with the jet, not as fast as I would like, but it is still a jet, and it is still hours logged.

If I keep going this way, I will have 1500 by the time im 40 give or so, based on my calculations.

Problem is, im not a US citizen and I dont have a working visa. Im from a south american country. I have seen that the regionals are looking for pilots and the job prospects look better than ever. Are those regionals in the position of sponsoring paperwork for a foreign pilot? What do you guys think are the prospects of me looking into a US based career when I get my 1500 at around 40 years of age?

Any other advice is welcome

best regards

2

Jose,

To work for an airline in the US, you will either need to be a US citizen or US permanent legal resident. The airlines will not be able to sponsor you for a visa.

Chris

3

Jose, you must speak to an immigration attorney. The previous answer is too facile. I am an attorney who does occasional asylum work, and I don’t know the answer to your question. Employers sponsor employees all the time; my law firm must take in 20 such requests each day (unfortunately, we do that for fortune 100 corporations, not individuals, so I cannot personally help you).

4

The only visa paperwork that the regional airlines have the ability to sponsor right now is an E3 (Australian visa). And this is not ALL regionals - only a few.

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