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Finding a job outside of the USA

Old 12-28-2015, 02:06 PM
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Hey everybody, some friends and I are currently flight instructors in the U.S. but we are thinking about going overseas to work for a foreign airline company. Unfortunately we have no idea where to start looking when it comes to which airline we should be looking at and where we should go or even how to contact these airlines to figure out what the requirements are to work for them. Right now we'd like to be in Spain, France, or somewhere in that area. If anyone has advice or suggestions it would be a big help!
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Old 12-28-2015, 04:07 PM
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Got the European licenses and the working permits?
That and 2000 hours should land you a job in France or Spain.
(Mastering the local language may also be required, or highly respcommended)
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Old 12-29-2015, 12:17 AM
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Originally Posted by JoshH95 View Post
Hey everybody, some friends and I are currently flight instructors in the U.S. but we are thinking about going overseas to work for a foreign airline company. Unfortunately we have no idea where to start looking when it comes to which airline we should be looking at and where we should go or even how to contact these airlines to figure out what the requirements are to work for them. Right now we'd like to be in Spain, France, or somewhere in that area. If anyone has advice or suggestions it would be a big help!


You are a new member so perhaps a little guidance is in order.

As stated in the first response, to work in Europe you would need to have an EASA license and the right to work in the EU. The first one is a little difficult in itself because you would have to take the 14 written exams for the EASA license, which takes quite a bit of study. Assuming your desire is strong enough to make it past that hurdle, the second hurdle of right to work is even more difficult. Best bet would be to marry a European woman, or hope that you have a parent that is from Europe and you can get citizenship.

Europe itself is a pretty bad market for pilots. The plethora of low cost start-ups has really driven down the pay and working conditions there. That, and what seems to be an unlimited supply of rich British kids who buy type ratings in the A320 and B737 to get jobs at these low cost start-ups, and sometimes even buy flight time on those aircraft. That's your competition. Still interested?

If you really want to work overseas, it can be done, but it's usually in places like Asia and the Middle East. It takes a stepping stone approach that many have done successfully. It's doubtful you can go straight from flight instructing though. You'll need to get time in twins and then in either turboprops or smaller jets. Then you might be able to swing a job in a larger jet as a first officer, although you would likely be bonded for 3-5 years.

I type all this, and am sitting here thinking why you would want to do that when the USA is THE PLACE to be right now. The U.S. majors are hiring like they haven't hired since the 1980s. That is creating a lot of potential to move up and get experience in the USA. I'd stay put if I were you. Get to the point where you are at least a regional jet captain before looking at going overseas.



Typhoonpilot


P.S. You can also use the search function in this forum to look for numerous past threads on topics like this.
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Old 12-29-2015, 01:35 AM
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Don't know if this is still an option but at one point Lufthansa was hiring American instructors for its flight school in AZ. After a few years there was the opportunity to go to Germany and work in their training center there. It was not a route to flying for Lufthansa but it could possible open other doors.

As for working in Europe, as Typhoonpilot mentioned, getting the right to work can be difficult. Marrying a girl from Europe helps. Some countries do allow citizenship to pass down. If you have a parent or grandparent who was born in Ireland you can claim citizenship (I was fortunate to have a grandparent born in Ireland so that is how I landed my Irish citizenship). Germany has a path to citizenship through ancestry and I know someone who has done it through Italy as well.
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Old 01-09-2016, 10:53 AM
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Thank you guys for the response. As I said we are just starting and are still learning what is a good idea and bad idea. You're posts have been a tremendous help!
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Old 01-10-2016, 02:24 AM
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If you want to go overseas get your command FIRST then go out! It's really hard to upgrade overseas. Now you can upgrade very fast at many regionals and once you get your 500-1000 TPIC on the RJ there are TONS of jobs that pay very well including transitions to Boeing/Airbus from the RJ. Nothing in Europe for Americans though, mostly China and Asia and of course the ME. Good luck!!!
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Old 01-10-2016, 06:50 AM
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Originally Posted by JoshH95 View Post
Hey everybody, some friends and I are currently flight instructors in the U.S. but we are thinking about going overseas to work for a foreign airline company. Unfortunately we have no idea where to start looking when it comes to which airline we should be looking at and where we should go or even how to contact these airlines to figure out what the requirements are to work for them. Right now we'd like to be in Spain, France, or somewhere in that area. If anyone has advice or suggestions it would be a big help!
As for Spain, last I heard was that while you may have the proper work documents to be an FO, to be a CA at a Spanish airline, you must be an actual citizen of Spain.
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Old 01-10-2016, 07:54 PM
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I lived in Spain for a few years. First of all, to work in Spain or France you need EU citizenship or right to work. I got right to work through marriage of a European citizen.

Secondly, you'll need the EASA license. It took me a full year and close to $17,000 to do the license conversion.

Then you gotta find a job. Way more pilots than jobs. Many airline jobs will only hire EU citizens, but there are a couple that hire those with right to work. But there are way more pilots than jobs. Also, many of the airline jobs are hiring those with type ratings and time on type already. Also, many companies in Europe are charging up to €30,000 for type ratings and P2F is becoming quite common. You are much better off staying in the US and building some time and heading to Asia or the Middle East if you really want to go abroad. Europe is an uphill slope right now.

You could also check out Copa in Panama but last I heard, they were talking about furloughs. Copa does hire foreigners though when they hire.
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Old 01-10-2016, 10:42 PM
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You could also check out Copa in Panama but last I heard, they were talking about furloughs. Copa does hire foreigners though when they hire.
That's just internet chatter...., I have a couple of friends that got hired not too long ago and Copa just placed a big order of 61 A/C's
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Old 01-11-2016, 03:54 AM
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Originally Posted by zondaracer View Post
I lived in Spain for a few years. First of all, to work in Spain or France you need EU citizenship or right to work. I got right to work through marriage of a European citizen.

Secondly, you'll need the EASA license. It took me a full year and close to $17,000 to do the license conversion.

Then you gotta find a job. Way more pilots than jobs. Many airline jobs will only hire EU citizens, but there are a couple that hire those with right to work. But there are way more pilots than jobs. Also, many of the airline jobs are hiring those with type ratings and time on type already. Also, many companies in Europe are charging up to €30,000 for type ratings and P2F is becoming quite common. You are much better off staying in the US and building some time and heading to Asia or the Middle East if you really want to go abroad. Europe is an uphill slope right now.

You could also check out Copa in Panama but last I heard, they were talking about furloughs. Copa does hire foreigners though when they hire.
SAS is one of the European airlines that does not require EU citizenship. They do require the unrestricted right to live and work in the EU, which I am not sure how you can get that without being an EU citizen. From the way I read it when I first moved to Europe that even permanent residence in one country does not pass to other EU countries. Could be wrong though, it is pretty complicated. Anyway, if you do find a way to get the unrestricted right to live and work in Europe, SAS also requires Berlitz level 4 qualification in a Scandinavian language (Danish, Norwegian or Swedish).

Europe may be tough, but there are opportunities. My wife's airline cannot get enough pilots. EasyJet has opportunities in Portugal right now. Ryanair, Norwegian, WizzAir, and SAS are all actively hiring right now. Last year Small Planet Airlines was open to the idea of hiring non-EASA licensed pilots on a validation, not sure if they still are though.

But overwhelmingly so, if you want Europe you will need EU citizenship and the EASA license.
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