H-1B Visa Apparel Designer Jobs
Apparel Designer roles qualify for H-1B sponsorship as specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in fashion design, textile science, or a related field. Employers file the Labor Condition Application with DOL before petitioning USCIS, and the annual cap means timing your job search around the April filing window matters.
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Get Access To All JobsLOCATION: 225 West 57th, New York, New York 10019
As a Sales Department Manager, you are a critical leader in the store coaching, developing, and motivating your team to deliver outstanding customer service.
A day in the life…
- Recruit, hire, train, develop and motivate your team – their success is your success
- Lead by example - set and exceed personal and company goals while emphasizing the importance of delivering amazing customer service everyday
- Use your fashion knowledge and business skills to create a solid business plan that enables your team to work together to meet department, store, and individual goals
- Build long lasting relationships and create a loyal customer following by actively selling on the floor
- Partner with the merchant team to ensure you have the merchandise your customers will love
You own this if you have…
- Prior experience in a Rack Store is preferred
- 1+ years of successful retail management experience
- Experience leading and motivating teams to be the best they can be
- Competitive drive and entrepreneurial confidence to succeed in a commission-based environment
- A passion for teaching and coaching employees to achieve goals and deliver outstanding customer service
- A proven track record of developing, planning and executing business strategies to maximize opportunities
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to inspire, direct and lead
We’ve got you covered…
Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:
- Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away
- Life Insurance and Disability
- Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources
A few more important points...
The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.
For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.
Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location.
Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.
© 2022 Nordstrom, Inc
Current Nordstrom employees: To apply, log into Workday, click the Careers button and then click Find Jobs.
Nordstrom keeps job postings open for at least one day after the posting date.
Pay Range Details
The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations.
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
$71,000.00 - $114,000.00 Annual
This position may be eligible for performance-based incentives/bonuses. Benefits include 401k, medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance options, PTO accruals, Holidays, and more. Eligibility requirements may apply based on location, job level, classification, and length of employment.
At Nordstrom, the commission most selling employees receive varies based on the merchandise they sell. Apparel, shoes, and accessories sales typically range from 3% to 14.5%. The commission Beauty and Men’s Fragrance sales roles typically receive is 3%.
Job Details
Job category
Date posted
05/04/2026
End posting date
Position type
Job ID
R-834768
LOCATION: 225 West 57th, New York, New York 10019
As a Sales Department Manager, you are a critical leader in the store coaching, developing, and motivating your team to deliver outstanding customer service.
A day in the life…
- Recruit, hire, train, develop and motivate your team – their success is your success
- Lead by example - set and exceed personal and company goals while emphasizing the importance of delivering amazing customer service everyday
- Use your fashion knowledge and business skills to create a solid business plan that enables your team to work together to meet department, store, and individual goals
- Build long lasting relationships and create a loyal customer following by actively selling on the floor
- Partner with the merchant team to ensure you have the merchandise your customers will love
You own this if you have…
- Prior experience in a Rack Store is preferred
- 1+ years of successful retail management experience
- Experience leading and motivating teams to be the best they can be
- Competitive drive and entrepreneurial confidence to succeed in a commission-based environment
- A passion for teaching and coaching employees to achieve goals and deliver outstanding customer service
- A proven track record of developing, planning and executing business strategies to maximize opportunities
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to inspire, direct and lead
We’ve got you covered…
Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:
- Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away
- Life Insurance and Disability
- Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources
A few more important points...
The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.
For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.
Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location.
Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.
© 2022 Nordstrom, Inc
Current Nordstrom employees: To apply, log into Workday, click the Careers button and then click Find Jobs.
Nordstrom keeps job postings open for at least one day after the posting date.
Pay Range Details
The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations.
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
$71,000.00 - $114,000.00 Annual
This position may be eligible for performance-based incentives/bonuses. Benefits include 401k, medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance options, PTO accruals, Holidays, and more. Eligibility requirements may apply based on location, job level, classification, and length of employment.
At Nordstrom, the commission most selling employees receive varies based on the merchandise they sell. Apparel, shoes, and accessories sales typically range from 3% to 14.5%. The commission Beauty and Men’s Fragrance sales roles typically receive is 3%.
Job Details
Job category
Date posted
05/04/2026
End posting date
Position type
Job ID
R-834768
See all Apparel Designer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Apparel Designer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an Apparel Designer
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation standards
USCIS requires your bachelor's degree to directly relate to apparel design. A degree in fashion merchandising or textile engineering typically qualifies, but a general fine arts degree may trigger a Request for Evidence without additional documentation linking your coursework to the role.
Target brands with active LCA filing histories
Search the OFLC Wage Search for Labor Condition Applications filed under SOC code 27-1022, which covers fashion designers. Employers with multiple certified LCAs in recent years have an established H-1B sponsorship process and are less likely to delay your petition over unfamiliarity.
Use Migrate Mate to filter apparel employer sponsors
Migrate Mate surfaces employers with verified H-1B filing history for design roles, so you can skip companies that have never sponsored and focus your applications on brands already set up to file your petition before the April cap deadline.
Build a portfolio that documents specialty occupation
Your portfolio should show degree-level technical work: CAD sketches, tech packs, textile specification sheets, and construction analysis. Officers reviewing H-1B petitions for creative roles scrutinize whether the position genuinely requires a bachelor's degree, and visual evidence of technical complexity strengthens your case.
Negotiate an offer letter before the registration window opens
H-1B registration runs in March for an October 1 start. Your employer needs a signed offer and a completed LCA certified by DOL before filing. Finalizing your offer in January or February gives both sides enough runway to meet that timeline without rushing paperwork.
Confirm prevailing wage tier matches your offered salary
DOL assigns apparel designer roles to one of four wage levels based on experience and supervisory duties. Your employer's LCA must certify a salary at or above the prevailing wage for your level and work location, so cross-check their offer against the OFLC Wage Search before signing.
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Find Apparel Designer JobsApparel Designer H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Apparel Designer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, provided the position requires at least a bachelor's degree in fashion design, textile science, apparel production, or a closely related field. The employer must show the degree requirement is standard for the role in the industry. Generic design positions that accept any bachelor's degree may face USCIS scrutiny, so job descriptions should specify the relevant field explicitly.
Which employers in the apparel industry commonly sponsor H-1B visas for designers?
Large apparel brands, sportswear companies, and fast-fashion retailers with in-house design teams are the most consistent H-1B sponsors for designer roles. Smaller boutique studios and startups often lack the infrastructure to file independently. You can browse verified H-1B-sponsoring employers with open apparel design positions on Migrate Mate, filtered by LCA filing history.
How does a portfolio factor into an H-1B petition for an Apparel Designer?
Your portfolio isn't submitted directly to USCIS, but it supports the employer's argument that the role requires specialized, degree-level skills. Tech packs, CAD construction drawings, and textile specification documents demonstrate technical complexity beyond general artistic work. If USCIS issues a Request for Evidence questioning specialty occupation, a strong portfolio can be included as a supporting exhibit.
Can a freelance or contract apparel design arrangement qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
H-1B requires a bona fide employer-employee relationship, which generally excludes pure freelance arrangements. Short-term project contracts may qualify if the employer controls the work, sets the hours, and directs the output. Third-party placements through a staffing agency can work, but USCIS applies additional scrutiny to verify that the end client's role constitutes specialty occupation.
What happens to H-1B status if an apparel designer is laid off before the visa period ends?
You have a 60-day grace period from your last day of employment to find a new sponsoring employer, file a change of status, or depart the U.S. Your new employer must file a transfer petition before the grace period expires to maintain your status. Starting your job search immediately after a layoff, including on Migrate Mate, is important given how quickly that window closes.
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