Q about Foreign workers (Seward: insurance, maintenance, living)

[guy.ben]

Hey everyone,
my name is guy, and I was meaning to ask you guys some questions since you seem to know a lot about fishing in alaska.

Im from Israel, age 22, served as a combat infantry soldier for three years in the Israeli Defence Force, faught the 2nd Lebenon war, and I heared quite a bit about fishing in Alaska.
My questions are:

1) will my army record be a good influence on the captains? I'm used to work in an intence environment and all.
2) what is that liecence for beeing a deckhand and how do I get it?
3) If I have tourist visa but not work visa, will captains still hire me?

Thanks!

[guy.ben]

Forgot to add that the plan is coming this winter, jan-feb.

[arctichomesteader]

To answer question 3, no.

[Rance]

Go for a work visa or just come and enjoy the awesome sports fishing. You won't make much of a living as a commercial fishing deckhand these days.

[guy.ben]

isn't the deckhand job is a really wanted one in the winter? I mean, not a lot a people are prepared to do that...
and another thing, how does payment accure? I sign a contract with the captain for % right? but after we dock and unload the fish, what happens next?

[Rance]

Jobs are far and few between in winter with the boats. If you were lucky enough to get a job...it would be a very low percentage for a first season greenhorn deckhand.

[guy.ben]

so when do you recommand I'll come? I was thinking to come in the start of Feb, feel the place and start looking for jobs for the beggining of March.

[stiffnecked]

I would suggest you come for a visit in the summer time. Your chances of finding a job by just showing up are zero. There are plenty of USA citizens that already show up looking to get hired into these positions.

[Rance]

I got out of fishing years ago. And I know nothing about the winter season fishing now. Maybe crabbing out of Dutch Harbor or cod out of Seward and maybe Pollock also out of Dutch. But I don't know the seasons.

[mal_flisk]

Greenhorns are all over the piers looking for jobs. The problem is that the boom times are over for the fishing industry, and boat owners are getting out. Insurance, maintenance and fuel prices have skyrocketed, and the limited jobs are usually going to known faces. Halibut, pollock and cod populations are dwindling as are the crab populations. Limits are such that it might cost more for a boat to pull out of the dock than they might recoup after returning. Longliners are still working, but the payscale is low. Processors are still hiring for people to clean and package the product, as the people in those jobs tend to be transient.

As a foreign national on a visitor visa, you won't be able to land a job without proper paperwork in the first place. The fines for hiring illegals are pretty high, and INS or whatever they're called today, are getting pretty tough on employers who try to sidestep the laws.