For American pilots, moving to different countries for their job can mean big opportunity — and an even bigger paycheck.
The 2014 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook projected a need for 533,000 new commercial airline pilots worldwide for the next 20 years to meet industry demand. But U.S. flight schools currently produce only a quarter of the commercial airline pilots needed. With increased hours for first-officer qualification and thousands of dollars invested in flight training, only to be met with a meager salary and years of work to put in before there is any chance of a promotion to first captain, it’s not surprising that fewer Americans are inclined to follow this career track.
Greater opportunities abroad
But American pilots willing to move to different countries can now garner big pay increases and greater opportunities. In China, an Airbus A319 or A302 captain can earn a starting pay of $290,000 (with bonuses and allowances) compared the $110,000 or so they can make in the U.S.
Opportunities for quick advancement are also more abundant overseas., In Vietnam, a first captain can graduate to the role of captain in as little as one to two years. Other Asia-Pacific countries, such as China, South Korea, Japan, and India, are experiencing some of the highest demand for expat pilots because only a small portion of their own population has the skill or training to fill the role. This trend is a common one worldwide: Africa needs 725 new pilots every year and Russia, 525.
It’s not all roses and dollars, however. American pilots who take international jobs have other difficulties to contend with; specifically, the IRS tax rules that require individuals to record how much money they have earned in every jurisdiction. The U.S. government does not count money earned in international waters as foreign income, but U.S. pilots still pay federal income tax for the amount they earn in national waters. Lack of clarity leads some accountants to say that ‘international waters’ begins three miles off the coast while others say 200 miles offshore. Meanwhile, pilots are expected to keep track of every entry and exit to ensure accuracy — a similar requirement of anyone who works on a cruise ship, in the merchant marine, or coast guard, in fact.
Still, the obstacles aren’t holding many pilots back. American pilots are still relocating in droves to accept high-paying positions in foreign territories and letting their accountants figure out the math.
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