I am considering moving to Europe. Ireland, England or Germany. Does anyone here know if and how licenses cross over? Does US STCW do any good? I could always fly to work but I am interested in knowing how it works anyway.
I have the same question. From things I’ve read, it seems that STCW95 is what everyone is looking for, and the only other thing you need is documentation of your experience. I don’t know how STCW95 indicates your license level though… http://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/career/operational_level.html#stripe9915 Check that out.
[QUOTE=MariaW;116637]I have the same question. From things I’ve read, it seems that STCW95 is what everyone is looking for, and the only other thing you need is documentation of your experience. I don’t know how STCW95 indicates your license level though… http://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/career/operational_level.html#stripe9915 Check that out.[/QUOTE]
There was a link on the bottom of that page to their pay scale, very interesting…
[QUOTE=captobie;116663]There was a link on the bottom of that page to their pay scale, very interesting…[/QUOTE]
That’s the trade union agreement. There are grades in there we don’t have equivalents for, but it seems a Bosun or Chief Cook makes about $60,000 a year. An OS with no experience makes $22,000 a year. The columns contain overtime pay and weekend pay, but I don’t understand how they can just add that up to base pay to get total pay. They use the term “compounded” so maybe it’s an average or just a set amount for overtime.
[QUOTE=“MariaW;116637”]I have the same question. From things I’ve read, it seems that STCW95 is what everyone is looking for, and the only other thing you need is documentation of your experience. I don’t know how STCW95 indicates your license level though… http://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/career/operational_level.html#stripe9915 Check that out.[/QUOTE]
You don’t understand STCW-95 then. A lot of American companies use that phrase to mean BST even though that is wrong. STCW-95 is the standard set forth by the IMO for competency of seafarers. Examples of STCW qualifications are BST, Proficiency in Survival Craft (PSC), RFPNW, RFPEW, Mate, Master, and the newly added Able Seafarer - Deck & Able Seafarer - Engine.
STCW based credentials will cross over. However, best have residency & working entitlement if you want to work “in Europe.” That residency means registering your residence for tax purposes, getting the national mariner’s credentials and paying taxes about 30% higher (amount of total tax liability - not tax rate) than what you pay in the US.
non-EC nationals can get seaman’s visas to work in the EC for longer terms with employer assistance, but it is a pain in the hassle. In general, American mariners are not necessarily well perceived in the EC - I can’t get the superintendents to explain that to me in concrete terms - co-incidentally I tried to get such an explanation today. But of course good people can do well anywhere.
For European owned ships not flagged nor operating “in Europe”, such as the ships your link refers to, it is unlikely you will need EC residency. That is a full other story and maybe worth checking into. A number of Americans have done it successfully.
[QUOTE=+A465B;116694]In general, American mariners are not necessarily well perceived in the EC - I can’t get the superintendents to explain that to me in concrete terms - co-incidentally I tried to get such an explanation today. But of course good people can do well anywhere.[/QUOTE]
MM&P commissioned a study about 15 years ago to determine what was keeping Americans from working foreign flag. I remember reading a copy of the report that was sitting around the hiring hall, it had a number of quotes from crewing agencies overseas. The one that still stands out to me to this day said, “I would gladly hire Americans if they would leave their lawyers at home.” The general consensus seemed to be that if you hired an American you exposed the entire company to the U.S. legal system.
That was the perception. Of course, if you bring your ship into U.S. waters you expose your entire company to the U.S. legal system…
If you want to sail on a UK-flagged vessel you need to get a UK Certificate of Equivalent Competency, which is valid in conjunction with your US license. This requires taking a 1-week class on MCA business and law. You can easily sail foreign flag with your US license if you have the required STCW endorsements, and then live anywhere in the world you choose. I’ve been doing it for years. This requires an endorsement by the vessel’s flag state, which the manning agencies usually handle. If you establish residency in the UK or Germany and sail just over half the year or more, you would essentially pay zero income taxes. Both Germany and the UK give serious tax breaks to mariners to promote the profession. I’ve sailed with lots of German and British officers and they never pay any income tax.
1 Like
In addition to taking the 1 week class on Business and Law you must also pass the MCA Oral Examination.
[QUOTE=Flyer69;116758]In addition to taking the 1 week class on Business and Law you must also pass the MCA Oral Examination.[/QUOTE]
I’ve recently applied for my CoCE and they haven’t mentioned anything about an oral exam nor an extra course.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mgn_221_m_-3.pdf
Apparently that may only apply to holders of USCG issued quals. with limitations. i.e. lower level licenses.
[QUOTE=“Windjammer;116757”]If you establish residency in the UK or Germany and sail just over half the year or more, you would essentially pay zero income taxes. Both Germany and the UK give serious tax breaks to mariners to promote the profession. I’ve sailed with lots of German and British officers and they never pay any income tax.[/QUOTE]
Do you have to sail on their flag vessels to get that tax break?
Applied for the CoCE on Aug 2nd and received it a few days ago. It’s the equivalent of my USCG 2M Unlimited Oceans/1600T Master. No oral or written exams were required.
Does anyone know how this works for unlicensed crew?
AB?
QMED?
Again? Seriously? ? Go try, report back how it works. Or google-search.
“I am considering moving to Europe. Ireland, England or Germany”…
If you move are you going to change your citizenship?
If you are going to escape our taxes, political system or laws, you need to take a look at each country you are considering.
Every country in Europe has different systems dealing with foreign nationals.
I worked overseas for ten years and was fascinated by the differences in how each country in Western Europe did things.
Ireland, England and Germany have vastly different systems. You may find them more restrictive than ours. Or not.
I don’t need the answers. Just giving you something else to think about.
google gcaptain work foreign flag site:gcaptain.com
My wife Lived in Europe for a decade or so; not all its cracked up to be seeing as she’s back here, and married to me. She did ride a few good economic waves for career development but that’s about it. Unless someone is in college and wants to go for a few months or will is going for an executive type job she strongly advises people to stay here.
1 Like
[QUOTE=z-drive;123983]Again? Seriously? ? Go try, report back how it works. Or google-search.[/QUOTE]
I have read a lot of conflicting information, so I asked here. Again.
I am waiting until I finish upgrading before I apply for a Certificate of Equivalency. Right now I am signing up for a whole bunch of classes and I want to ensure I make the best use of my money.
My kids may end up going to school overseas and I have no attachment to the area I live in now, so I want to keep my options open for work. I expect I will just fly to work in the US if I move over seas.
As I am now upgrading and taking a bunch of STCW classes I am curious to know if any one knew of how it works for Unlicensed crew. Most of what I have found so far has been about a COE for a licensed crewman.
After I complete the process I will reply with how it worked out.
-
-
- Updated - - -
-
[QUOTE=z-drive;123990]google gcaptain work foreign flag site:gcaptain.com
[/QUOTE]
Thanks, I found a bit more searching that.
I wonder if having a EU citizenship is helpful or irrelevant.