This question has been answered on this topic (very well I might add.) But I'd like to add some things to it. I am a U.S. citizen, however not born in the US. I was naturalized through legal means of course. I was also furloughed a couple times before. I'd just like to clarify that "U.S. born citizens" have the same job rights as naturalized US citizen, minus being the president (that I won't contest, I don't want to be president anyway) So to recap;

1. Job in the US requires; US Citizenship or Green Card or Work Visa
2. Job in the US as a pilot requires; US Citizenship, or Green Card with TSA clearance.
3. Green card eventually turns into US Citizenship for the most part.
4. Green card = legal means of evnetually becoming a resident/US Citizen.

 

I also just want to add, that getting a work visa to work in the US aviation industry is not an easy thing. I have a european citizen friend who waited 5 years for a US work visa. He can also only work at that specific airline because work visas are sponsered by that company only. If he gets fired, furloughed, or the airline closes shop.... their goes his work visa too.

 

Heyas,

I think the question the OP was asking was a little different than the answers he got.

Everything I've read says that it is virtually impossible these days to even get a green card, let alone an immigration visa (way different than a temporary one) unless you have a lot of horsepower with who you work for or a relative that will sponsor you.

And when I say horsepower with your employer, that means you are a PhD, MD or have some other kind of highly specific or technical skill. So highly specific that they can't find it locally. Or you have a TON of money. Like millions (actors/actresses/etc). In either case, these people spend a TON of cash greasing the skids of the immigration process.

Now none of these things apply in any way to the airline industry. You think some regional, or even a major for that matter, is going to pay some immigration attorney 100k to push a visa application for a new hire? So how to people still find their way into the business?

Well, legal immigration. That accounts for a TINY minority.

Sponsorship of a blood relative. That accounts for a bit more.

But the simple answer is marrage. Lots and lots of it. And if you don't think "targeted" marrage doesn't account for a TON of how people get green cards, then you are hopelessly naive.

When I was a CFI, we had more than a few Euro types come over on the "education" visa. The one where you could "work" in your field of study for up to two years.

As the visa period came to a close, one offered cash money for marrage. "$5000, and 3 years and anything goes".

Another, who planned WAY ahead, left their spouse and filed for divorce the day after the 3 year window was over.

Think it was just men working the action? The above two cases were perpetrated by women. My buddy who had his wife leave at the 3 year mark was devistated. He had NO idea that was what she was after. Silly him, he thought it was love.

That was nearly 20 years ago. They may have tightened down the rules since then, but I doubt it. A friend had her husband leave after he got his citizenship, and that was just a few years ago. She also had no idea.

My guess this accounts for a big part of what you see in the airline business. But its "legal immigration". Most of it may even because people are in love and are committed to each other. I will leave it to your personal inclinations as to what the percentages are.

But the laws have changed. Many universities are having a severe time finding graduate students for the sciences (math, engineering, computer science, natural sciences, etc) because the laws and the vetting process governing those people has become quite strict. Many universities also work on government projects require background checks that these people simply cannot complete. As a result, the demand for US Citizens in graduate programs has skyrocketed. If you want to go to grad school, and you are a US Citizen, there are some amazing deals out there. Places will bend over backwards for you.

Nu

 

First of all, it's a very small minority that have most likely married or gotten sponsored into a green card. Second of all, it's because they can. This is a country with open borders. Most countries have closed borders, they can not afford to lose people so they obviously prefer to hire within and they make it harder for outsiders to become a citizen and get a job.

 

Yes, kick all of the foreign born pilots out of the airlines here in the US and suddenly this "pilot shortage" will begin. Leave all the flying jobs to the American born Americans because they are more entitled it sounds like.

Close this idiot thread.

 

Must be all your lovely flight attendants

 

flyerfly, can I ask where you grew up? Let me guess, you hate Canadians too?

 

MOD INPUT:

Please keep this civil and non-inflammatory. While bordering on the political, the subject in question is non-partisan and relevant to the US airline industry.

 

Are you a complete ignorant? Have you ever stepped outside of the usa?
Dubai is little america. So is India and China. Americans are flying for airlines all over the world. The LAW in the USA is that if you have a right to work then you have a right to work regarless of race, creed or religion. Read the constitution. Just because a person has an accent on the radio doesn't make then any less of a citizen than you.
Buy an airline ticket to China, go to a airline and they WILL do what it takes to hire you. But have the balls to go over there and try it out.

 

Wow all of you guys need to either get a punching bag or to really go to town on some woman because there is so much built up aggression and rage in this thread that was unwarranted. It was simply an educational question and clearly with my remarks on "not trying to be a bigot, and trying to understand" didn't mean anything to any of you. Maybe you should all write a 3000 word essay on how to read critically and understand where the writer is coming from. At least one of you got it. I grew up in small town Iowa. I love Canadians (except their beers), and I enjoy traveling and learning about everyone's cultures. I accept everyone for who they are. Thread fail. Close it. I'll just ask Wikipedia....It'll have better information.......