I honestly don't see any "Visa Program" really solving any problems. I just don't see massive amounts of Euros and others flocking here for this garbage. *** would they?

Also its getting to the point, sooner than later, that even a reduction in the ATP rule will not magically solve the death spiral that the regionals are facing. The game is over. It will be hung onto as long as freaking possible, but hardly anyone is taking on the debt, time and BS to enter this profession.

I would prefer the pay go up to make it an attractive career for high schoolers/college students.

My mom is a nurse and the pay used to be horrendous, however the simple laws of supply and demand took over and now nurses are paid very well because it is a very attractive career.

Sublime I get that and I agree with you.
However, just curious, with regards to the question posted which would you prefer?

To be honest with you, I don't want either to happen. Supply and demand is a very basic economic principle that works. If you make a career as an airline pilot attractive enough, then there is no need to hire foreign labor or reduce the barriers to entry.

I know that's not the answer you're looking for, but both scenarios you proposed are equally detrimental to any current or future airline pilot.

^^^like^^^

NEITHER!! Last thing this horrendous industry needs is one of the above. The regionals deserve nothing more than to wither away and die. This airline thing career is a joke, at best.

Maybe I'm naive about how many foreign pilots would be willing to work for a us regional, but I doubt there is enough qualified foreign pilots that would want to make a jump to a us regional to have much of an effect on the supply and demand of regional pilots here. My guess the pilots that would come would be trying to get a 1000 hours in a e 175 and then jumping to anther foreign carrier that pays better than the US.

With that being said, I'm not sure such a deal even fits in with our current work visa structure in the US. It also may open a whole political can of worms within the public eyes with our current immigration issues. Also, If a pilot's ultimate goal is becoming a permanent resident or citizen here in the US, a work visa isn't necessary a path to that in our convoluted immigration process.

Same thing happened in the medical field....

Corporations do not want to pay more... the plan is simply to get workers from third world countries who will gladly earn 20K year.....

next step... break the unions.

Lot's of interesting views here. Thanks. I don't see lot's of foreign pilots flocking to the US to fly for the regionals. Most developing countries (China, India etc) need all the new pilots they can get. Most experienced pilots anywhere in the world make more than they would as an F/O in the US.

The way I see it: The regionals will have to increase pay significantly, but the positive effects won't be immediate and therefore the airlines may have to start being inventive when it comes to filling those gaps. I agree with those who have said that foreign pilots won't be the solution to the looming regional pilot shortage but they might be a mitigating factor.

Personally, I would like to do it for the (life) experience, but not at current first year F/O pay. I would prefer working for a good fractional or corporate operator but I think those are far from facing a pilot shortage. In any event it would be like a sabbatical for me and it would mean a pay cut. But life is not all about the money.

It's true that a regional airline sponsored work visa might not fit in with the current visa structure because H-1B visas require at least a bachelor degree as far as I can tell.

One poster commented on the better pay and training in the US vs. the EU but I am not sure he was comparing apples and apples. Airlines such as BA and Lufthansa have excellent training and most Legacies still have very good pay.

Sure, there are some low cost, regional and air taxi operators that offer neither decent pay nor quality training. NetJets in Europe for example is similar in pay and training to NetJets US. Lufthansa CityLine is probably the best-paying regional in the world.

Do you have any idea how much money a regional pilot in the US makes? Your wife better plan on having a good job if you plan on feeding two kids?