Actually, that's not the case at all. Those guys come to TRAIN here, injecting money into OUR economy, then they go back to their respective country and work in THEIR country. We benefit from their business, and they get to go fly for their own country. I don't see what's so difficult to understand.

Every flight school I worked had numerous H1B's on staff (not sure the status of that post 9/11)...most of those folks somehow found their way into US airlines. Both regionals I have worked at have plenty of foreign (mostly european) pilots. I know one person personally who was sponsored by a regional (during the boom).

Actually I believe it is now more difficult than before 9/11, but the damage is done. Something to be vigilant about during the next up-cycle.

Again, euros are more than welcome, but we need reciprocal access to their job market.

I would like it if you could name at least one US airline who sponsors work visas for foreign pilots to come work here as regional/mainline pilots. I think people like playing the blame game. "Let's blame those Indian/Chinese #$%^&* for me not being able to get a job at the majors." C'mon, guys...

Pretty ignorant comment, especially considering the many expat US Pilots that are working in other countries. You talk like non functional illegal immigrants take the pilot jobs. If given the same opportunity growing up, why would a company take a less qualified US Citizen over a more qualified LEGAL immigrant who chances are will be a US citizen eventually. If that were the case in the 1700s I guess only Native Americans could be pilots...

As with the Flight Academies, their "foreign" students can't work here unless they have a green card. In Fact those foreign students probably put the bread and butter in a lot of CFIs tables in the last 3 years.

As for your definition of "foreigner" Texas pilot, I hope you don't mean anyone that doesn't have a last name of Smith.

They used to put the bread and butter on my table, that's for sure.

How do you spell ignorance?
Look on every pilot job board and you as an american can work overseas. A lot easier than a foreigner coming to the USA. Fact is that unless you have a work permit or green card or a US Passport you cannot get a job here. Sure you can get a work permit if you are a doctor/professional under the NAFTA agreement but it doesn't include pilots.
The canadian work rules are the same as the US. You need the right to work.
The only way the US is being taken advantage of is that foreign countries are stealing our well trained pilots.

You are so far off with this logic. China sends thousands of pilots to train in this country, in return the US gets.

About $100,000 per student for the school
Money spent by the student into the economy while attending
Airplanes are needed for this training, more money for economy
Instructors are needed, more jobs mean more money being spent by
instructor.
Chinese kid now goes back to China to fly for their airline. Airline grows
and buy planes from the US for their growing airline.

I have to WHOLEHEARTEDLY disagree with rickair777 and texaspilot76.
Before I continue with my rant, which other country other than the United States have you turned in an application for work at an airline and been turned down? Your arguments hold no water at all.......and as a matter of fact, it is a whole lot easier for American pilots to gain employment outside the United States than it would be for a foreigner to make it into the industry here.

First off, there is no airline in the United States that sponsors foreign individuals to obtain visas to work as crew at a 121 carrier. USCIS will not let that happen because there is an abundance of pilots that hold citizenship and can take on those jobs.
And besides all that, in order to get hired on as a pilot with any US carrier, you must have Permanent Residence Status or a work permit at the very least.
On the other hand, I can name airlines like, Etihad, Emirates, Ethiopian, Air Deccan, Air Asia to name but a few that have hired American pilots without demanding work permits. I say this with all confidence because I personally applied to a few of the above. The above carriers are the real reason that you had movement in the industry in the US. Senior Captains at the majors here lured by big tax free pay and they flooded the middle East and Asia and that was the reason that the majors here were able to hire Regional Captains and so the regionals went into a hiring frenzy.....and so on and so forth.
Take some time and look at the job postings on various websites and you will not fail to find foreign carriers seeking american pilots. Once you meet the requirements, they will take you in and sponsor you for a visa and what not.
I am just dumbfounded that there is such ignorance in the field of aviation. The field of aviation by it's very nature is supposed to provide exposure to even the most close minded, but obviously such is not the case.

And based on what texaspilot76 is spewing......... we have a long way to go. I guess you just can't take Texas out of some people. And I can't believe you are blaming the foreign students that come to these big flight schools......I take it you either ditched economics in high school or you just don't get it!
Are you going to start kicking paying customers off your flights because they are taking up seats that could be occupied by american citizens? Oh my God, I just can't believe it..........

Oh, man....when I read that first sentence, I thought you were saying that you agreed. I was about to go nuts. Well-stated post, otherwise.