Airline Pilot Jobs in Africa 2026: 7 Airlines, 4 Recruiting Now

Africa splits between two contract giants and a set of national carriers. Ethiopian Airlines recruits expatriate Captains for its A350, 777/787, 737 and 767 fleets and non-rated 737 First Officers from 1,500 hours, on a long-term package with housing, transport, leave, insurance and travel. Royal Air Maroc, expanding toward some 200 aircraft for the 2030 World Cup, takes 737 Captains with 1,000 hours in command on type and rated 737 and 787 First Officers on five-year renewable contracts through Flight Crew International and Brookfield. EgyptAir, South African Airways, Air Mauritius, Kenya Airways and Airlink recruit on national licences — EgyptAir takes First Officers aged 30 or under with an ECAA CPL, Egyptian nationals only, while Kenya Airways and Airlink publish the lowest hours figures on our African board, 250 and 200, for their own citizens. Of the 7 African airlines on our board, 4 were recruiting, 5 taking First Officers and 2 taking Captains.

For a foreign pilot the practical doors are Addis Ababa and Casablanca. Both want you current — Ethiopian within three months of your last proficiency check — both want a licence-authentication letter from your own CAA and a passport valid for two years, and both hire through the airline’s own vacancy page or its named agency, never through a third party asking for a fee. Kenya Airways’ First Officer listing (KCAA licence, 250 hours, 200 to be interviewed) and Airlink’s Cadet and Connect First Officer streams (200 and 500 hours, CPL with ME/IR, posting open to 31 December 2026) are for Kenyan and South African citizens respectively; RwandAir hires nationals in periodic intakes, and no current route could be confirmed, so it is not on the board.

Who is hiring now (4 of 7)

First Officer routes (5)

Airlines in Africa taking First Officer applications or holding a First Officer pool at the last check.

• Airlink Recruiting
  Cadet First Officers from 200 h and Connect First Officers from 500 h (South African citizens, CPL ME/IR); experienced First Officers from 1,000 h — careers page
• Ethiopian Airlines Recruiting
  Expat Captains on A350, B777/787, B737 and B767 (current on type, under 60) and non-rated B737NG First Officers from 1,500 h — careers page
• Kenya Airways Recruiting
  Direct-entry First Officers from 250 h (interview from 200 h) on a KCAA licence; Kenyan citizens only — careers page
• Royal Air Maroc Recruiting
  Hiring cycle for a 200-aircraft fleet and the 2030 World Cup: B737 Captains (1,000 h PIC on type), B737 and B787 First Officers, 5-year renewable contracts — careers page
• Air Mauritius Talent pool
  Pilot selection portal open for applications after the 2025 intake filled its vacancies — careers page

Captain routes (2)

Airlines in Africa taking Captains from outside. See the direct entry Captain page for the published minimums side by side.

• Ethiopian Airlines Recruiting
  Expat Captains on A350, B777/787, B737 and B767 (current on type, under 60) and non-rated B737NG First Officers from 1,500 h — careers page
• Royal Air Maroc Recruiting
  Hiring cycle for a 200-aircraft fleet and the 2030 World Cup: B737 Captains (1,000 h PIC on type), B737 and B787 First Officers, 5-year renewable contracts — careers page

Cadet and pathway routes (5)

Routes that start before a licence, as each airline describes them. The cadet programmes page explains who pays and who is eligible.

• Airlink
  Cadet First Officer — 200 h, South African citizens (posting expires 31 December 2026)
• Ethiopian Airlines
  Ethiopian Aviation Academy cadet route (nationals)
• Royal Air Maroc
  Moroccan-national cadet intakes (domestic)
• EgyptAir
  EgyptAir Training Academy cadet route
• South African Airways
  Cadet Pilot Development Programme — bursary to frozen ATPL, then apply

Requirements in Africa: what to expect

• Licence: ICAO, FAA or EASA ATPL at Ethiopian; ICAO ATPL with type rating on the Royal Air Maroc contract streams; ECAA CPL with frozen ATPL at EgyptAir; South African ATPL or frozen ATPL at SAA; KCAA CPL or ATPL at Kenya Airways; CPL with ME/IR at Airlink.
• Hours: Ethiopian 1,500 for a non-rated 737 First Officer, Captains type-specific and current; Royal Air Maroc 1,000 hours in command on the 737 for Captains and 300 on type for First Officers; Kenya Airways 250; Airlink 200 (Cadet), 500 (Connect) or 1,000 (experienced); EgyptAir, SAA and Air Mauritius not published.
• Type rating: required and current for Ethiopian’s Captains and all Royal Air Maroc contract streams; provided for Ethiopian’s non-rated 737 First Officers and the national carriers’ own intakes.
• Right to work: contract with work permit at Ethiopian and Royal Air Maroc; Egyptian, South African, Mauritian and Kenyan nationals at the others.
• Medical and English: Class 1 of the national authority; ICAO 4 at Royal Air Maroc (French an asset), “excellent English” at Ethiopian, ICAO 5 at EgyptAir.
• Age: Captains under 60 at Ethiopian; First Officers 30 or under at EgyptAir.

Every airline in Africa (7)

• Airlink Recruiting
  Cadet First Officers from 200 h and Connect First Officers from 500 h (South African citizens, CPL ME/IR); experienced First Officers from 1,000 h
  Licence: CPL ME/IR · Hours: 200 h cadet · 500 h Connect · 1,000 h exp. · Type rating: Not published · Right to work: South African citizens — careers page
• Ethiopian Airlines Recruiting
  Expat Captains on A350, B777/787, B737 and B767 (current on type, under 60) and non-rated B737NG First Officers from 1,500 h
  Licence: ICAO / FAA / EASA ATPL · Hours: 1,500 h (FO 737) · Capt current on type · Type rating: Capt required · FO provided · Right to work: Contract · under 60 (Capt) — careers page
• Kenya Airways Recruiting
  Direct-entry First Officers from 250 h (interview from 200 h) on a KCAA licence; Kenyan citizens only
  Licence: KCAA CPL / ATPL · Hours: 250 h (200 h to interview) · Type rating: Not published · Right to work: Kenyan citizens — careers page
• Royal Air Maroc Recruiting
  Hiring cycle for a 200-aircraft fleet and the 2030 World Cup: B737 Captains (1,000 h PIC on type), B737 and B787 First Officers, 5-year renewable contracts
  Licence: ICAO ATPL + type · Hours: 1,000 h PIC 737 (Capt) · 300 h on type (FO) · Type rating: Required · Right to work: Contract · permit — careers page
• Air Mauritius Talent pool
  Pilot selection portal open for applications after the 2025 intake filled its vacancies
  Licence: ICAO ATPL / frozen ATPL · Hours: Not published · Type rating: Not published · Right to work: Not published — careers page
• EgyptAir Unconfirmed
  Egyptian nationals only: First Officers with an ECAA CPL, frozen ATPL and ELP 5+, aged 30 or under; no direct-entry Captains
  Licence: ECAA CPL · frozen ATPL · Hours: Not published · Type rating: Provided · Right to work: Egyptian nationals · age 30 — careers page
• South African Airways Unconfirmed
  South African citizens with an SA frozen ATPL and ME IR; a First Officer listing on SAA’s e-recruitment site and a cadet bursary programme
  Licence: SA (frozen) ATPL · ME IR · Hours: Not published · Type rating: Provided · Right to work: SA citizen — careers page

Common questions

Which African airlines hire foreign pilots? Ethiopian Airlines (expatriate Captains on A350, 777/787, 737 and 767, and non-rated 737 First Officers) and Royal Air Maroc (737 Captains, 737 and 787 First Officers on five-year contracts via FCI and Brookfield). EgyptAir, SAA, Air Mauritius, Kenya Airways and Airlink recruit nationals.

What does Ethiopian Airlines require? A current ICAO, FAA or EASA ATPL, currency within three months of your last proficiency check, a two-year-valid passport, a current Class 1 medical, a licence-authentication letter from your CAA, no accident or incident history and excellent English; Captains under 60 and current on type; non-rated 737 First Officers from 1,500 hours.

What is the Royal Air Maroc contract? Five-year renewable contracts with monthly integration dates, 24 days of annual leave, overtime above a threshold and blocks of consecutive days off, at up to about €5,500 a month plus overtime for 737 First Officers according to the recruitment partner. 1,000 hours in command on the 737 for Captains, 300 on type for First Officers.

Can a foreigner join EgyptAir? No. EgyptAir’s First Officer intake is for Egyptian nationals with an Egyptian high-school certificate, an ECAA CPL, frozen ATPL, ICAO English 5 or above, military service settled and age 30 or under. It hires no direct-entry Captains.

Is South African Airways hiring pilots? Unconfirmed. SAA’s e-recruitment site carries a First Officer listing whose reference dates from December 2023, alongside a Cadet Pilot Development Programme bursary; both require South African citizenship and an SA licence. Check the listing before relying on it.