The Petitioner, a commercial airline pilot with a European ATPL license, proposed to transition to an FAA ATP license and work as a pilot in the U.S., later transitioning into flight instruction to help address a national pilot shortage.

Prong 1 — national importancenot established · dispositive

“he does not explain how his intention to fill a single position in a field of high demand would alleviate an asserted national shortage of pilots”

“The importance of a nationwide issue does not confer national importance on the Petitioner's proposed endeavor to work as a pilot.”

“we observe that shortages in a field do not demonstrate that the Petitioner's endeavor stands to have an impact on the broader field”

“the record does not sufficiently demonstrate that his individual training efforts would have the national impact contemplated by Dhanasar”

AAO decision text

How the evidence was treated

• other · discounted

  “it does not speak to whether the Petitioner's particular endeavor is of national importance”

  AAO decision text

Where this case turned

• Endeavor too vague · p1 — described as a job role, not a defined undertaking
• Local, not national scope · p1 — impact confined to clients / a region
• Occupational shortage argument rejected · p1 — argues a labor shortage — the labor-certification question, not Dhanasar

Notable

Petitioner submitted congressional bill text, news articles on pilot shortages, and Senate committee testimony on immigration's taxpayer impact as new evidence on appeal, all found irrelevant to the specific-endeavor inquiry. AAO expressly declined to reach prongs 2 and 3 as dispositive of prong 1 failure.

Authorities this decision leans on

From the doctrinal survivor set — 187 authority tests across 47 distinct authorities cleared the differential-lift gates. Only those appear here.

• 8 C.F.R. 103.3
• Matter of L-A-C-

Cases in adjacent profiles

• The Petitioner, an aircraft mechanic and instructor, proposed to enhance aviation maintenance training programs, support
• The Petitioner seeks EB-2 classification as a member of the professions holding an advanced degree with a national inter
• The petitioner sought an EB-2 national interest waiver of the job offer requirement, but the substance of the proposed e
• The Beneficiary, sponsored by a private airline, sought EB-2 classification as an individual of exceptional ability in a
• The petitioner sought an EB-2 national interest waiver as a member of the professions holding an advanced degree; the sp