Applying for An Aircraft Dispatcher Job Overseas

Finding an aircraft dispatcher job overseas is not as difficult as you may think. Aircraft dispatchers are a part of a community of skilled aviation experts, and there is need for dispatchers and the skills they provide all over the world.

There are many reasons someone might look for an aircraft dispatcher job overseas. The most common we hear are:

• Chance to explore a new country
• Better currency/lifestyle overseas
• More opportunity for advancement in the foreign country
• Chance for more hands-on experience

Most common hurdles to moving overseas for an aircraft dispatcher job:

• Visa requirements. Most countries have a strict policy regarding who they let stay in their countries
• Money required to move may not be worth finding an aircraft dispatcher job overseas.
• Lack of experience in their current country

There are some surprise benefits to moving overseas for an aircraft dispatcher job:

• All aircraft dispatcher jobs require the dispatcher to be fluent in English. Meeting friends overseas will be easy because everyone you work with in the flight center will speak the same language.
• You are already a part of the tight knit community that is the aviation industry.
• With the right experience you can start making very good money in your new home country.
• Travel is a perk that will allow you to cheaply visit home or travel around your new country.

Where are most airline dispatchers moving to?

• The most popular aircraft dispatcher jobs overseas are in the United States, but these positions are also highly regulated and much sought after.

Remember to pass the licensing requirements:

• You will have to pass the aircraft dispatcher license test in that region. Here in the United States, all aircraft dispatcher must have an FAA license, in Europe, aircraft dispatcher must have a JAR/EU OPS license and in the Middle East dispatchers must have the JAA/ICAO license. Be sure to research the requirements of the country you wish to travel to.
• If you want to travel to the United States to be an aircraft dispatcher, read more about the ADX exam and the FAA requirements for aircraft dispatcher licenses before arriving.

What’s the hiring process for aircraft dispatcher job overseas?

• Airlines are very particular about who they hire, and most will require a 10-year minimum background check, especially when advancing into higher paid positions. It may be beneficial to order a police clearance from your home country before traveling to any other country. Know where you stand before you travel.
• You must apply for a work visa, which means you have to demonstrate a valuable skill that is in need in the country you wish to travel to. In the United States, the aviation industry has a stable, if not, increased, need for skilled positions especially in the aviation industry. It is rare for United States airlines to issue a visa for overseas dispatchers unless they can demonstrate that no US citizen could do that job.

Moving to a new country can be quite an adjustment. Sometimes it helps to look for communities or group that appeal to your hobbies or background. Look for local groups of expats from your home country and go to local meetups. Social media makes finding groups like this very easy.

Where ever you go, make the best of it!