H-1B Commercial Pilot Hiring Shows Minimal Activity
Explore H-1B visa filings for Commercial Pilots. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 93% |
| Average Salary | $118,547 |
| Salary Range | $30,000 - $444,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Orbic Air LLC |
| Primary Location | Florida |
Commercial Pilots is one of the H-1B visa categories with 7 filings and an average salary of $152,540. The demand for H-1B Commercial Pilots is extremely low, with only 7 petitions filed in FY2025. All 7 petitions were filed by employers in California and Florida, indicating a highly concentrated geographic demand. The average salary offered for this role is $152,540, which is competitive but may be influenced by the limited number of positions. The maximum salary offered ($274,180) suggests potential for highly experienced pilots in specialized roles.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 93% |
| Average Salary | $118,547 |
| Median Salary | $115,910 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,567 |
| 75th Percentile | $140,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $30,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $444,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,480 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,567 |
| Median (50th) | $115,910 |
| 75th Percentile | $140,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $171,256 |
| Average | $118,547 |
| Sample Size | 97 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 61 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 27 |
| H-1B | 12 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Orbic Air LLC | 8 | $130k |
| Global Crossing Airlines, Inc. | 8 | $139k |
| Timberline Helicopters Inc | 6 | $88k |
| Sky Flight 436, LLC. | 5 | $106k |
| TRANS-EXEC AIR SERVICE INC | 4 | $186k |
| Guardian Helicopters, Inc. | 4 | $115k |
| Air Cover Crop Solutions LLC | 3 | $62k |
| NE IA Helicopter LLC | 3 | $73k |
| Brainerd Helicopters, Inc. | 2 | $90k |
| Tri Rotor Crop Services LLC | 2 | $38k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| Florida | 32 |
| California | 22 |
| Idaho | 6 |
| Nebraska | 5 |
| Texas | 5 |
| Arizona | 4 |
| Missouri | 4 |
| Minnesota | 4 |
| Ohio | 4 |
| Kansas | 2 |
Focus on roles with higher H-1B petition volumes or explore alternative visa pathways if pursuing a Commercial Pilot career in the US.
The average H-1B salary for Commercial Pilots is $152,540, with a median of $151,800. The 25th-75th percentile range is $120,000 to $160,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Commercial Pilots include USAC Airways 695 LLC, Sky Flight 436, LLC., Prism Aviation LLC, SNAP INC., Alpha Jet Charter Inc. A total of 5 employers have filed for this role.
There are 7 H-1B filings on record for Commercial Pilots positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Commercial Pilots positions are California (3), Florida (3), Arizona (1).
Yes, Commercial Pilots is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 7 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Commercial Pilots salaries range from $90,000 to $274,180. The median salary is $151,800.
The approval rate for Commercial Pilots H-1B petitions is 100.0%. Only 7 H-1B petitions were filed for Commercial Pilots in FY2025.
Demand is concentrated in CA and FL, with 3 petitions each.
Focus on roles with higher H-1B petition volumes or explore alternative visa pathways if pursuing a Commercial Pilot career in the US.
The average salary is $152,540, with a high maximum of $274,180.
The Commercial Pilots occupation (SOC code 53-201200) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Commercial Pilots positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Commercial Pilots positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Commercial Pilots positions show an average offered salary of $118,547, with a range from $30,000 at the entry level to $444,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in Florida (32 filings) and California (22 filings).
Career outlook for Commercial Pilots professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Commercial Pilots role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Commercial Pilots roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Commercial Pilots positions, the average offered salary of $118,547 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 28.1%, with 84% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Commercial Pilots positions is 93%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Commercial Pilots positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Commercial Pilots H-1B filings is approximately 28 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Commercial Pilots positions.
| City | State | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | Florida | 13 |
| Camarillo | California | 8 |
| Sandpoint | Idaho | 6 |
| Coral Gables | Florida | 5 |
| Van Nuys | California | 5 |
| Fillmore | California | 4 |
| Frankford | Missouri | 3 |
| Tekamah | Nebraska | 3 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Florida | 3 |
| Scottsdale | Arizona | 2 |