In the realm of professional airline employment, the United States stands as a beacon of safety and prosperity for pilots, offering not only the world’s safest airline industry but also some of the highest pay rates globally. This achievement is a testament to stringent safety regulations, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement.
The EB-1A visa is especially important for international students enrolled in integrated F-1 visa flight training programs in the United States because it offers a pathway to permanent residency for those who have demonstrated extraordinary ability in their field. This visa is highly coveted among these students as it allows them to continue their careers in aviation within the U.S. without the limitations of the F-1 visa, which is primarily a student visa and imposes strict work restrictions. The EB-1A visa can significantly benefit those who have excelled in flight training, such as by achieving significant accolades, recognition, or contributions to the field of aviation. Securing this visa not only allows these students to stay in the U.S. permanently but also opens doors to advanced career opportunities in a competitive industry, fostering innovation and leadership in aviation.
Pilots in the United States often benefit from strong union representation, which plays a crucial role in protecting their employment rights, negotiating favorable contracts, and ensuring job security even during economic downturns. Additionally, pilots are among the highest-paid professionals, with salaries that reflect their specialized skills and the high level of responsibility they bear. The aviation industry’s emphasis on safety further elevates the prestige of the profession, as pilots are held to rigorous standards to maintain the safety of passengers and crew. For those eligible for the EB-1A visa, it not only secures a pathway to permanent residency but also provides access to a career environment where financial rewards, job stability, and a culture of safety are paramount. This combination makes the EB-1A visa an attractive option for top-tier professionals looking to establish long-term careers in the U.S. aviation industry.
Airline pilots in the US can make higher salaries than their counterparts in Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Cathay, Singapore, and so on. Just as an example, a current contract pay-rates tentative agreement (TA) finalized by United Airlines, boasts the following hourly rates for each pilot, depending on his/her position, aircraft and years of service:
(information valid for November 14, 2023)
From the tables above, you can summarize, that when second year First Officer flying a B737 for United Airlines gets an average line of 88 hours, he would het paid $167.57 USD x 88 = $14,746.16 USD per month. An FO in United can currently upgrade to a Captain after just 1-2 years of service. This means that the same First Officer, after an upgrade, on year 3 (starts immediately after serving for 2 years) will be paid $315.65 per flight hour, for 88 hours = $27,777.20 USD per month. Needless to say that more senior pilots flying wide-body aircraft, like B787, may elect to fly up to 100 hours per month, thus crediting over 130 hours, and earn a whopping $56,835.00 USD each month, for a total of $682,000 USD per year!
Same approximate pay-rates apply to most other major US airlines, such as Delta, American, Southwest, UPS, FedEx, JetBlue, Alaska, Frontier, etc.
Permanent employment visa in the US for the foreign student pilots on the EB-1A Visa
Many newly-minted, graduating from the integrated initial flight training and internship programs foreign pilots (including Indian pilots) face the challenge of transitioning from a limited 24-month internship on the F-1 visa to securing permanent employment authorization in the United States. The coveted solution lies in the EB-1A visa program, specifically designed for individuals with exceptional skills and abilities, including foreign pilots seeking employment in the U.S.
The EB-1A visa, or Employment-Based First Preference Visa, opens doors for foreign pilots with exceptional skills and achievements to establish a permanent career in the U.S. To qualify, pilots must meet specific criteria, demonstrating exceptional ability, international recognition, sustained acclaim, and a commitment to continued work in the field.
What is “exceptional skills and achievements”?
Department of State, which grants the EB-1A, requires that foreign students who graduate from the Integrated U.S. Flight Training Programs, like Aerocadet’s Full Professional Airline Pilot Program for International Students, showcase a specific record of achievements, including flight school awards, excellent flight instructor references, authored aviation-related publications, and more. Applicants must provide evidence of recognition for their skills and contributions to the aviation industry. Pilots must also demonstrate that their accomplishments have resulted in a certain level of national or international acclaim, substantiated by media coverage, speaking engagements, or contributions to aviation-related events. Applicants for the EB-1A must show their intent to continue working in the United States in their area of expertise, typically by searching for employment with a U.S. airline or aviation organization.
Practical Steps and tips for Foreign Pilots to Earn EB-1A
Foreign pilots can successfully apply for the EB-1A visa and get their US Permanent Residency and employment permit, followed by work in the US airlines, stemming from this position job security, high earnings and prestigious social status. But what would you need in order to qualify? In reality, you need not be intimidated by all the published requirements for the “exceptional skills and abilities”. These are just big and loud words that are designed to scare off the potential applicants. You can meet the requirements for the EB-1A visa by making sure to follow this checklist:
Enroll into an integrated F1 visa program
Just doing your Zero to CPL pilot training in the United States on an M-1 visa is not enough to obtain the sufficient documentation to support your application for the EB-1A visa. You also need to commit to at least 2 years of CPT and OPT internship, which will allow you to compile an impressive (to the immigration official) body of instructor and employer recommendation letters, online articles and extra-curriculum activities. So, you will need to be employed, first as a flight instructor and then either as a flight instructor or a charter pilot, and such employment is possible only on an integrated training+internship F-1 visa program.
Collect multiple reference letters
Reference letter will be extremely important to substantiate your application. You want to collect as many reference letters as possible. At least 10 will be required to make your application look good.
Instructor reference letters: If you are doing well during your flight training, ask your instructors (you will probably have several – ask all of them!) for a short reference letter, which would commend you on your achievements and praise you for excellent subject knowledge, lesson preparedness and natural piloting abilities. You don’t have to be “amazing” – just doing well, or “above average” should be enough for most of your instructors to give you a dazzling reference letter. Save all the letters and file them with immigration when you apply for the EB-1A. If instructors are busy, instead of asking them to make-up a letter, have a letter ready-printed and just give it to them to sign.
School president reference letter: even more weight would carry a letter from a school president or director. Towards the end of your flight training phase, pop into his/her office and ask to sign a student reference letter, stating how good of a student you were. And, towards the end of your internship as a flight instructor, ask him/her to sign your employment reference letter, stating what a great flight instructor you turned out to be.
Employer reference letters: after you get the letters from the school president, ensure to get reference letters from your employer (Global Air BVI) – an internship provider which is built into most of our integrated programs.
Reference letter from a US Airline Captain: it would be extremely helpful for your EB-1A application to present the immigration officer with a reference letter from your career guidance consultant at Aerocadet. Remember – most of our consultants are active and current airline captains in the major US airlines. A letter from one of them could make a big difference in the outcome of your application.
Make contributions to online and press publications
Writing and publishing useful and educational articles online is also important, and the amount of articles engagements and views, as well as reviews, can demonstrate that you have made valuable contributions to the aviation industry as a student pilot, flight instructor intern, OPT charter pilot, and as an overall integrated program graduate and an ATPL holder.
Dont just do your “9-to-5” flight instructor job, and go home. Doing the bare minimum is not going to get you far in your career. Instead, spend at least 2-3 hours per week writing useful articles on the popular self-publishing platforms, such as Quora, Blogspot and so on. You can present links and printed-out discussions that you have authored to the immigration officer upon application for EB-1.
Write letters with articles to the editors of the popular aviation magazines, such as Aviation Week & Space Technology, AOPA Pilot, Flying, Air & Space Magazine, Plane & Piloting so on. In case your letter/s is/are published, you can claim to be a published author in a major US aviation publication. That’s a big deal!
Volunteer
Volunteering is a big thing in the US! Volunteer experience is appreciated not only by the US immigration, but also by the US airlines. If you volunteer your time and expertise (as a pilot and a flight instructor) in some professional organization, such as AOPA, or simply volunteer as a tutor and a mentor to the new students at your school or even local flying club adjacent to your school, you can log your volunteer hours and present them as evidence of extra-curricular activities during your EB-1 application. Of course, make sure to document your volunteer work and get it mentioned in the instructor or school president reference letters.
Volunteering does not need to be limited to aviation only. You can also volunteer in the local charity organizations, such as hospitals, dog shelters, “habitat for humanity” builders and so on. All this volunteer time can be documented and presented as a sign of an excellent character upon your EB-1 application.
EB-1A Visa Application Process
How, you checked all the boxes, now, how do you start the EB-1A visa application process? The application process starts by filing Form I-140, supported by substantial evidence of the pilot’s extraordinary ability. An immigration attorney is recommended to guide through the process.
- Filing Form I-140:
- Prospective employer (airline) files Form I-140 on behalf of the foreign pilot, outlining the job offer.
- Evidence Submission:
- Provide substantial evidence supporting eligibility, including documentation of extraordinary ability, international recognition, and sustained acclaim in the aviation industry.
- Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing:
- After Form I-140 approval, choose to adjust status or go through consular processing to obtain lawful permanent resident status (Green Card).
- Employment with a U.S. Airline:
- Secure employment with a U.S. airline, contingent on appropriate FAA licenses and certifications to maintain EB-1 status. (Aerocadet can help you with the application process and interview preparation for employment with the US airlines).
What are the chances for approval?
If you study and work hard, display high level of professionalism during your training and internship phases, go above and beyond, impress your instructors and peers, and follow all the above recommendations, there is a good chance that you will be able to qualify for the EB-1A.
The approval rate for the EB-1A visa, which is for individuals with extraordinary ability, generally ranges between 53.6% and 74% depending on the year and specific data source.
For instance, in Fiscal Year 2022, the approval rate for EB-1A was approximately 53.6%, while in other years, it can vary between 70% to 74%. These variations depend on factors such as the quality of the submitted evidence and the specific criteria used by USCIS officers during the adjudication process. (See data source by usafis.org)
Of course, we, at Aerocadet, are not immigration attorneys (we are airline pilots!) so we cannot give you an official immigration advise. However, a properly certified immigration attorney – can. We recommend that you always contact a properly certified attorney for the official advise on the EB-1 qualification and application process. Such professional will make your application (and appeals, if needed) process faster, easier and increase chances of success.
What are the processing times?
The processing time for an EB-1A visa application can vary depending on several factors, including whether the applicant opts for premium processing, the workload of the USCIS service center handling the case, and the completeness and strength of the submitted documentation.
Regular Processing:
Regular processing times are long, and not recommended. For an expedited decision, use Premium Processing services.
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Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers): The regular processing time for Form I-140, which is the primary form for the EB-1A visa, typically ranges from 6 to 12 months. This can vary depending on the specific service center processing the application.
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Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status): If you are in the United States and eligible to file for adjustment of status concurrently with Form I-140, the processing time for Form I-485 generally takes an additional 8 to 14 months after I-140 approval.
Premium Processing:
The mentioned above time-frames can be significantly shortened for an additional fee to expedite the process.
- Form I-140: Applicants can choose premium processing, which expedites the processing time to 15 calendar days. The premium processing fee for Form I-140 is currently $2,500.
Consular Processing (for applicants outside the U.S.):
- After the approval of Form I-140, applicants residing outside the U.S. will need to go through consular processing. This can add several months, typically around 6 to 8 months, depending on the U.S. consulate’s processing time in their country.
Duration of the EB-1A Visa:
- Permanent Residency: Once approved and processed, the EB-1A visa leads to permanent residency (Green Card) in the United States, allowing the applicant to live and work permanently in the U.S.
- From start to finish, the entire process, including regular processing times for all steps, can take approximately 1 to 2 years. With premium processing and concurrent filing, the time may be reduced significantly.
You can check the current processing times for various USCIS forms, including the Form I-140 used for the EB-1A visa, directly on the official USCIS processing times page. Here’s the link: USCIS Processing Times
Stories of EB-1A visa success
Want to see success stories? One of our foreign student graduates, Pavel Astashkin, who is currently working as a B777 FO for United Airlines, has kindly volunteered his testimony video through Aerocadet Facebook video channel here >>>
Additional video resources
Want more advise from the qualified immigration lawyers? Check out some useful guidance videos below.
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