H-1B Visa Speech Language Pathologist Jobs
Speech Language Pathologists qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in communication sciences or a related field. Most SLP roles in hospitals, school districts, and rehabilitation networks actively file LCAs with DOL, making this one of the more consistently sponsored clinical positions in the U.S.
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The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.
This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A. Learn more about the City’s hiring process here: https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/
- Application Opening: Friday, September 18, 2026
- Application Deadline: Application filing will close on or after Friday, October 2, 2026
- Salary: $131,872 - $176,670 Annually
- Appointment Type: Permanent Civil Service
- Recruitment ID: PBT-2542-163880
- Work Arrangement: Onsite
TWO STEP application process:
- ⚠️START HERE with the⚠️REQUIRED Training & Experience Evaluation ✅⚠️ at: https://forms.gle/eqTHLmvGUF4Jjrec7
- ⚠️Then, submit this online application.
Becoming a City employee means being a part of a team that cares about making a difference. Your work will shape both the present and future of San Francisco. When you work for the City, you’re choosing a job with purpose. The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. Fulfilling this mission requires employees working across our hospitals, clinics, programs, and offices to deliver services and support the communities we serve. Individuals interested in joining SFDPH should expect to work in person across these settings. The San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration are the core divisions of SFDPH. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services. The Speech Language Pathologist provides evaluation and treatment across Acute Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care, and outpatient settings, offering post acute services for individuals with neurological impairments such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Job Description
Under general supervision of the Reporting Manager/Supervisor, the 2542/Speech Language Pathologist performs the following duties:
- Conducts assessment and clinical management of swallowing disorders, speech and language disorders, cognitive communicative deficits, traumatic brain injury–related impairments, and voice disorders.
- Administers and interprets instrumental dysphagia assessments, including Modified Barium Swallow Studies (MBSS), natural dye tests, and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).
- Delivers targeted therapy to individual patients and assesses ongoing progress to guide treatment planning.
- Works collaboratively with physicians, nursing staff, social workers, and other members of the care team.
- Generates timely and accurate clinical documentation—including evaluations, treatment plans, progress notes, and outcome reports—and completes all associated billing in accordance with departmental and regulatory requirements.
- Ensures appropriate therapy materials and supplies are prepared and available to support the patient’s plan of care.
- Supervises and mentors' speech-language pathology student interns, providing guidance, feedback, and clinical skill development.
- Performs related duties as assigned and actively contributes to program development, quality improvement activities, and the implementation and evaluation of best clinical and operational practices.
- The 2542 Speech Language Pathologist may perform other duties as assigned/required. Please note that incumbents in this classification may be required to perform duties as listed in the class specification: https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/
Qualifications
- Possession of a Speech Pathologist license issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Board; AND
- Possession of an ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.
- Please provide your Speech Pathologist license number (must show as valid at search.dca.ca.gov) and your ASHA Certificate (must show as valid at https://apps.asha.org/eweb/ashadynamicpage.aspx?site=ashacms&webcode=ccchome). One-year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week).
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate Requirement/Provision:
Possession of a valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate issued by the American Heart Association is required as a provision to employment for all positions. Eligibles who do not possess such a certification may participate in this examination process and be appointed to a position(s), but will be required to obtain the certificate within two (2) weeks of hire date and maintain validity throughout length of employment. A photocopy of the valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate must be provided to the appropriate supervisor of the appointment within the allotted time frame. Failure to demonstrate/show proof of possession of valid certification within two (2) weeks of hire date and throughout length of employment may result in dismissal and/or termination of employment.
Verification of Education and Experience:
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications. Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/.
Note:
Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.
Selection Procedures:
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following.
Training and Experience (T& E) Evaluation
(Weight: 100%)
The Training and Experience (T&E) Evaluation is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities in job related areas which may include but not be limited to: Knowledge of diagnostic and treatment methods; Knowledge of speech language pathology disease processes; Ability to assess patients and plan therapy programs; Instruction and communication ability. Candidates must achieve a passing score on the Training and Experience (T&E) Evaluation exam to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.
Certification
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of the List.
Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission. The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be utilized to fill future and current vacancies in this class at other locations within the DPH for the duration of the eligible list. To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city’s Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments.
Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/. The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
- Information About the Hiring Process
- Conviction History
- Employee Benefits Overview
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Disaster Service Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Veterans Preference
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
Where to Apply
All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process. Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment. Please consider using a personal email address that you check regularly rather than a work or school account. Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110. Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues. Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.
Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received. If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst, Diane Zhou at diane.zhou@sfdph.org or 628-271-6703.
We may use text messaging to communicate with you on the phone number provided in your application. By applying, you accept the Trust and Privacy Policy and you may opt out of text messaging anytime.
POSITION #: 01036979
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Company Description
The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.
This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A. Learn more about the City’s hiring process here: https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/
- Application Opening: Friday, September 18, 2026
- Application Deadline: Application filing will close on or after Friday, October 2, 2026
- Salary: $131,872 - $176,670 Annually
- Appointment Type: Permanent Civil Service
- Recruitment ID: PBT-2542-163880
- Work Arrangement: Onsite
TWO STEP application process:
- ⚠️START HERE with the⚠️REQUIRED Training & Experience Evaluation ✅⚠️ at: https://forms.gle/eqTHLmvGUF4Jjrec7
- ⚠️Then, submit this online application.
Becoming a City employee means being a part of a team that cares about making a difference. Your work will shape both the present and future of San Francisco. When you work for the City, you’re choosing a job with purpose. The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. Fulfilling this mission requires employees working across our hospitals, clinics, programs, and offices to deliver services and support the communities we serve. Individuals interested in joining SFDPH should expect to work in person across these settings. The San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration are the core divisions of SFDPH. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services. The Speech Language Pathologist provides evaluation and treatment across Acute Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care, and outpatient settings, offering post acute services for individuals with neurological impairments such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Job Description
Under general supervision of the Reporting Manager/Supervisor, the 2542/Speech Language Pathologist performs the following duties:
- Conducts assessment and clinical management of swallowing disorders, speech and language disorders, cognitive communicative deficits, traumatic brain injury–related impairments, and voice disorders.
- Administers and interprets instrumental dysphagia assessments, including Modified Barium Swallow Studies (MBSS), natural dye tests, and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).
- Delivers targeted therapy to individual patients and assesses ongoing progress to guide treatment planning.
- Works collaboratively with physicians, nursing staff, social workers, and other members of the care team.
- Generates timely and accurate clinical documentation—including evaluations, treatment plans, progress notes, and outcome reports—and completes all associated billing in accordance with departmental and regulatory requirements.
- Ensures appropriate therapy materials and supplies are prepared and available to support the patient’s plan of care.
- Supervises and mentors' speech-language pathology student interns, providing guidance, feedback, and clinical skill development.
- Performs related duties as assigned and actively contributes to program development, quality improvement activities, and the implementation and evaluation of best clinical and operational practices.
- The 2542 Speech Language Pathologist may perform other duties as assigned/required. Please note that incumbents in this classification may be required to perform duties as listed in the class specification: https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/
Qualifications
- Possession of a Speech Pathologist license issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Board; AND
- Possession of an ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.
- Please provide your Speech Pathologist license number (must show as valid at search.dca.ca.gov) and your ASHA Certificate (must show as valid at https://apps.asha.org/eweb/ashadynamicpage.aspx?site=ashacms&webcode=ccchome). One-year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week).
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate Requirement/Provision:
Possession of a valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate issued by the American Heart Association is required as a provision to employment for all positions. Eligibles who do not possess such a certification may participate in this examination process and be appointed to a position(s), but will be required to obtain the certificate within two (2) weeks of hire date and maintain validity throughout length of employment. A photocopy of the valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate must be provided to the appropriate supervisor of the appointment within the allotted time frame. Failure to demonstrate/show proof of possession of valid certification within two (2) weeks of hire date and throughout length of employment may result in dismissal and/or termination of employment.
Verification of Education and Experience:
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications. Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/.
Note:
Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.
Selection Procedures:
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following.
Training and Experience (T& E) Evaluation
(Weight: 100%)
The Training and Experience (T&E) Evaluation is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities in job related areas which may include but not be limited to: Knowledge of diagnostic and treatment methods; Knowledge of speech language pathology disease processes; Ability to assess patients and plan therapy programs; Instruction and communication ability. Candidates must achieve a passing score on the Training and Experience (T&E) Evaluation exam to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.
Certification
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of the List.
Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission. The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be utilized to fill future and current vacancies in this class at other locations within the DPH for the duration of the eligible list. To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city’s Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments.
Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/. The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
- Information About the Hiring Process
- Conviction History
- Employee Benefits Overview
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Disaster Service Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Veterans Preference
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
Where to Apply
All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process. Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment. Please consider using a personal email address that you check regularly rather than a work or school account. Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110. Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues. Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.
Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received. If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst, Diane Zhou at diane.zhou@sfdph.org or 628-271-6703.
We may use text messaging to communicate with you on the phone number provided in your application. By applying, you accept the Trust and Privacy Policy and you may opt out of text messaging anytime.
POSITION #: 01036979
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
See all 817+ H-1B Visa Speech Language Pathologist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Speech Language Pathologist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Speech Language Pathologist
Verify your CCC credential before applying
ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence is the credential most H-1B-sponsoring employers treat as mandatory. Get ASHA certification documented and ready before submitting applications, because employers initiating your LCA will reference your qualifications directly.
Target healthcare systems over school districts
Hospitals and rehabilitation networks file H-1B petitions through established legal teams and have predictable annual hiring cycles. School districts can sponsor but frequently lack immigration infrastructure, which adds delays and uncertainty to your petition timeline.
Search LCA filing history on Migrate Mate
Filter for SLP employers by DOL Labor Condition Application data on Migrate Mate to see which healthcare systems and rehab networks have active H-1B filing history for this occupation, so you're applying where sponsorship is already proven.
Confirm prevailing wage tier before negotiating
Look up your SOC code 29-1127 in the OFLC Wage Search to identify the Level I through Level IV wage range for your target metro area. Your offered salary must meet the certified LCA wage, so knowing the tiers before negotiating prevents mismatches that stall filings.
Ask employers about cap-exempt status upfront
Universities, nonprofit research hospitals, and certain government-affiliated healthcare entities are H-1B cap-exempt, meaning you can file any time of year and skip the lottery entirely. Identifying cap-exempt SLP employers expands your options outside the April registration window.
Get your foreign degree evaluated early
If your SLP degree is from outside the U.S., USCIS requires a credential evaluation confirming equivalency to a U.S. bachelor's or master's in communication sciences. Delays in obtaining that evaluation are one of the most common causes of I-129 petition setbacks for foreign-trained SLPs.
H-1B Visa Speech Language Pathologist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Speech Language Pathologist role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. SLP roles consistently qualify as specialty occupations under USCIS standards because the position normally requires at least a master's degree in communication sciences and disorders. USCIS looks at whether the degree requirement is standard for the role across the industry, and SLP positions in clinical and school settings satisfy that test. Having your ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence strengthens the petition further.
What types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Speech Language Pathologists?
Hospitals, rehabilitation networks, skilled nursing facilities, and pediatric specialty clinics are the most consistent H-1B sponsors for SLPs. School districts can sponsor but often lack in-house immigration counsel, which slows the process. Staffing agencies that place SLPs in clinical settings also file H-1B petitions, though those arrangements involve a separate employer-of-record structure you'll want to clarify before accepting an offer. Migrate Mate surfaces employers with verified LCA filing history for this role.
How does the H-1B lottery affect SLP job seekers?
If your target employer is a standard cap-subject company, your petition enters the annual H-1B lottery each April, with selection rates determined by total registrations received by USCIS that year. Cap-exempt employers, including universities and nonprofit research hospitals, bypass the lottery entirely. SLPs already working in the U.S. on OPT or another nonimmigrant status can time their applications to align with the April registration window without interrupting employment.
What happens to my H-1B status if I change employers or clinical settings?
H-1B status is employer-specific, so moving to a new employer requires a new H-1B petition filed by the incoming organization. Under H-1B portability rules, you can begin working for the new employer once the petition is filed and receipted by USCIS, as long as you've been in valid H-1B status for at least a year and have no authorized stay violations. Your new employer must file a fresh LCA and I-129 before your start date.
Does holding an ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence help with H-1B approval for SLP roles?
It does, substantially. The CCC demonstrates that you've completed supervised clinical hours and passed the Praxis examination, which directly supports the specialty occupation argument in your I-129 petition. Employers listing CCC as a requirement in their job postings strengthen the petition's foundation because USCIS evaluates whether the degree and credential standards are consistent industry-wide. Most H-1B-sponsoring clinical employers treat CCC as non-negotiable for licensed SLP positions.