Originally Posted by
pilotehhh
This is not true. AWI has already done this for Canadian pilots in the past. I spoke with a recruiter there and they are planning another intake this year.
You'll find that pretty much every visa those airlines have sponsored is an E3 for Aussies, not H1B.
The email is also confused and misleading. You cannot do an ATP while in the country with a H1B, H1B is for skilled employees, meaning you already need to hold an FAA ATP to be eligible (read the requirements for an H1B...) The only one that you could imagine they use for pilots is:
"Hold an unrestricted state license, registration, or certification which authorizes you to fully practice the specialty occupation and be engaged in that specialty in the state of intended employment"
So you need to hold a valid FAA ATP, because that is the certification required to be a pilot in a part 121 operation.
I seriously doubt they are able to sponsor a H1B for Canadians in any meaningful numbers. Looking at the stats, the (very) few filings AWI has made are mostly E3 Australian category, they seem to have tried to sponsor 5 in 2017, and unless they got lucky with the draw since they are always oversubscribed, they might have got in 1 or 2. Low enough number to say "no, it's not really possible".