NEDude

Of course you can apply for such a visa. And if you are approved, you can answer yes to that question on the application. I imagine that at the present time, getting approved for those types of visas, without family reunification, or a corporate sponsor, would be very difficult. The other issue is whether or not such a visa would allow you to work anywhere in Europe, or just be limited to the country in which you applied. Most visas only allow the right to live and work in one country (although they may grant free travel throughout the Schengen States). When I first moved to Europe, it was under a family reunification visa. My visa only allowed me to live and work in the same country in which my EU citizen spouse resided. It also only granted travel rights through the Schengen States, so the UK and Ireland were excluded (as a US citizen that was not an issue, but it is for others from countries which require a visa to visit the UK or Ireland). In short, my visa did not meet the requirement of many European airlines to have an “unlimited right to live and work in Europe”. It was only when I was able to acquire EU citizenship that I acquired that unlimited right to live and work anywhere in Europe.

captjns

Myself along with a number of expats from other countries were offered a contract subject to the ability to obtain a visa in a specific European country. There was no sponsorship whatsoever. There were not special considerations, nor fast tracking. Visas were issued on the merits based on the information and points earned. Laborious and expensive to say the least, but well worth it.

A copy of the contract of conditional employment was required to be submitted along with the application for work visa. This was the process back in 2004 when many low cost carriers in the EU were short of pilots.

I hope the procedure, today, is more efficient with friendlier faces during the interviews too.

Sniper66

Ryan air with a validation of your FAA license
In the past not now I believe

captjns

For the most part... your correct.

PDRit

So they cold called and offered you a job......or did you apply to work for the pariah of the aviation world?

captjns

HAHAHA... another unoriginal comment form but, wow am I surprised, from a non millennial. Sir... you’re circa 60 and all you could come up with, and I quote:

So do share, PDRit... which fantastic totally overated non pariah carrier do you work for? Will you share, please?

PDRit

A legacy US carrier that flies 777’s.....

And yes Norwegian is a pariah. The desire to undercut market rates, benefits, safety and common work rules by using staffing agencies and shell companies should have any normal pilot running away from them at high speed.

However when there is a perception of a quick shortcut to the front of the line a certain fraction of pilots will always be ready to assemble and try their chances. #%^*^’s always have an excuse on why they did what they did, when everyone else was not willing to do what they done for professional principles. Wash, rinse and repeat, the carriers change but the actions are always the same.

Capt Cognac, if you work for Norwegian then I shall end our exchange here. I choose not to engage socially or otherwise with that sect of pilots.

VIRotate

Inb4 Norwegian butthurt!

captjns

I’m not a contracted pilot with NAI. I do, PDRit, wish you continued success in your further endeavours in your chosen career.

Denti

It surprises me that people still harp about Norwegian. That is so old news. Yes, they did offer those singapore contracts in the past, and nowadays they offer contracts in the UK or spain (or Norway) and unionization is there, not completely yet, but growing fast. Heck, even Ryanair does that nowadays.

However, the next slew of companies is there doing it even cheaper. Primera (a swedish company with headoffices in latvia and contracts there, operating out of the UK) is now flying to the US taking advantage of the increased range of the A321NEO (and NEO LR), for worse conditions than Norwegian, quite a lot worse actually. Wizzair (eastern europe LCC, contracts everywhere, but preferred in switzerland) will do so soon as well. All with a lot lower cost base than Norwegian. That is the real threat for the whole north atlantic traffic. Although, Brexit might actually make that more difficult as the UK will not be part of the EU in the future. But even more so for British Airways as they are EU owned and might not get any route rights into the USA.