The shortage of pilots in the United States plays into the hands of foreigners: they rushed en masse to fill vacancies

Pilots are again in high demand in the US, but carriers cannot find enough of them, so foreign pilots have rushed to fill the empty seats. Writes about it Reuters.

Photo: Shutterstock

United States immigration lawyers are reporting a sharp increase in visa inquiries and applications from pilots from countries where traffic is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This may provide some relief for an industry struggling to rebuild capacity after a two-year slump, but the trend is drawing backlash from local unions.

This reflects, among other things, the uneven global recovery from COVID-19, with the number of coronavirus cases still rising in many countries. And while rising demand for flights this quarter is forecast to help major U.S. carriers beat their pre-pandemic revenues, air travel remains fairly low in some parts of the world.

“While there is a serious shortage of pilots in the US, pilots in the rest of the world are out of work,” says Ana Barbara Shaffert, a lawyer at California-based AG Immigration Group.

She has received more than 8000 consultation requests in recent months and is reviewing more than 2000 resumes from pilots seeking to immigrate to the United States, up more than 90% from pre-COVID-19 rates.

According to United Airlines (UAL.O), the shortage of pilots will be felt for many years. The United States can produce no more than 7000 pilots a year, while air carriers need 13 pilots this year and more next.

On the subject: Your Next Plane Might Be a Bus: United and American Airlines Creatively But Uncomfortably Address Pilot Shortage

Limited training opportunities remain an obstacle to producing large numbers of pilots.

In recent weeks, workforce shortages have plagued carriers such as Alaska Air Group Inc (ALK.N) and JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O), leading to massive flight cancellations. To prevent further disruptions, airlines have reduced schedules.

The shortage is even more acute at regional airlines, which are facing rising levels of staff turnover due to poaching from major national carriers.

American Airlines Group Inc told investors that its regional carrier pilots are being fired more than they are hiring.

This is of interest to pilots in Canada, Europe, Africa and Asia, where traffic is still recovering, lawyer Carmen Arce said.

Arce and Jean-Francois Harvey, global managing partner at Harvey Law Group, said they are receiving inquiries from pilots in Russia, where airlines have been hit hard by Western sanctions, among other things.

Three Canadian pilots have said they are considering moving to the United States due to the strict restrictions imposed by Canada due to COVID-19.

Many foreign pilots are hesitant to apply because immigration to the United States can take up to 26 months and cost up to $20 with no guarantee of success.

“It’s like wanting to go to Colorado for the XNUMXth century gold rush, but you get pulled over in Michigan,” an Air Transat pilot told Transat AT Inc. from Montreal. “If the process of obtaining a green card in the United States changed, many more pilots would leave Canada.”

However, the widening gap between supply and demand has created an unprecedented opportunity for seasoned foreign pilots, Shaffert said. They must convince the US immigration officers that permanent residence will be in the interests of the country.

Shaffert said more than 90% of her firm's applications for experienced pilots have been approved.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) did not provide data on applications from pilots. But the spokesman said the agency reviews requests "on a case-by-case basis."

The FAA says the number of foreign-licensed pilots receiving US certifications needed to fly large aircraft has increased to 718 in 2021, up about 24% from 2019.

But foreign pilots face opposition from local unions. They want airlines to do more to remove obstacles to a career as a pilot, such as the high cost of training, rather than hiring foreigners.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the world's largest pilots' union with over 62 members, said the country has an "adequate" number of qualified pilots.

ALPA opposes any attempt to use the visa process to undermine wages and benefits for a profession so important to the US economy and global travel.

Many companies such as ExpressJet Airlines, CommutAir, Breeze and Frontier Airlines are recruiting Australian pilots who can use a special visa.

On the subject: How to make sure that you are transferred from economy to business class on a plane for free: expert advice

Faye Malarkey Black, head of the regional airline association, said giving other foreign pilots a similar visa would alleviate the staffing problem.

SkyWest Inc, which operates flights for Delta Air Lines, American and United, recently dropped 29 subsidized routes citing an insufficient number of pilots.

Although routes were later restored, regional carrier Mesa Air Group called SkyWest's decision "the tip of the iceberg" and warned that major carriers could be affected.

Delta Air Lines pilots are already picketing the carrier's hubs demanding improvements to their "tedious" schedule. Southwest Airlines pilots complain, among other things, of growing fatigue.

United left 150 aircraft idle due to lack of pilots. The head of the regional airline association said carriers had cut one in three flights they operated before the pandemic.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Top Ten Jobs for Travelers

US Secret Agent Tips: How to Survive Extreme Situations

The US Embassy in Poland provides Ukrainians with special services

How to help Ukraine: 22 effective ways

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.