Loading Page...

Can foreigners work as a pilot in Canada?

You may apply for a foreign licence validation certificate before arriving in Canada. The certificate will be issued for a period of one year. After a year you may renew it or apply for a permanent Canadian pilot licence.



People Also Ask

In the first half of 2022, Canadian employers were granted permission to fill 32 pilot positions with temporary foreign workers, according to government data.

MORE DETAILS

American pilots in possession of a Federal Aviation Administration certificate, simply need to get their medical approval and then complete the conversion courses, write the exam and if they pass, they'll get their Canadian license. It's a similar conversion process for pilots who hold licenses in the UK or Australia.

MORE DETAILS

You must pass a Canadian medical exam by a recognized Transport Canada aviation medical examiner. You must then pass a written exam on Canadian air law (PSTAR exam), and a Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Certificate exam.

MORE DETAILS

Canada needs 7,000 pilots by 2025: report
Retirements, high training costs and poor pay are fuelling a pilot shortage in Canada, industry analysts say, at a time when travel has surged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MORE DETAILS

The average pilot salary in Canada is $85,638 per year or $43.92 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $63,150 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $136,642 per year.

MORE DETAILS

It's up to the country, but in general, a pilot's license from one ICAO-compliant country is valid in any ICAO-compliant country. Practically speaking, your U.S. pilot's license is valid most places in the world.

MORE DETAILS

Pilots need to be Canadian citizens or landed permanent residents. But seeing as there are far fewer pilot openings than there are applicants for jobs, Air Canada can be quite selective in who they hire. The rest of the flight crew must be Canadian citizens and hold valid Canadian passports.

MORE DETAILS

Since French is an official language in Canada, and sees particularly high use in the Quebec/Montreal area, at least some facilities require bilingual controllers. The rule for pilots is that they must be able to speak English or another official language or other language authorized for use in the area.

MORE DETAILS

Here is a list of highest-paying countries for pilots.
  • France. Average Salary: $96,905. ...
  • Finland. Average Salary: $100,396. ...
  • United Arab Emirates. Average Salary: $104,699. ...
  • Japan. Average Salary: $104,840. ...
  • Ireland. Average Salary: $104,995. ...
  • Austria. Average Salary: $108,685. ...
  • Netherlands. Average Salary: $109,056. ...
  • Norway.


MORE DETAILS

Traditionally a pilot at a regional airline might start out earning less than $50,000 per year, but get hired on by a major airline and that goes up quickly into the six figures, and well over $300,000 for senior captains flying widebody aircraft overseas. Some earn over $400,000.

MORE DETAILS