J-1 Visa Clinical Counselor Jobs
Clinical Counselor roles in the U.S. are accessible to international professionals through J-1 visa sponsorship, typically under the Trainee or Specialist program category. A U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization issues your DS-2019, while the counseling practice, hospital, or community mental health center serves as your host employer.
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Get Access To All JobsJob ID: 52881
Positions Location: Lansing, MI
Job Description
General Purpose of Job:
The Respiratory Therapist Intern provides a wide variety of routine and advanced forms of respiratory therapy procedures for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with respiratory dysfunction under the direction and supervision of a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Certified Respiratory Therapist. The Respiratory Therapist Intern role is considered temporary until credentials through the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) are obtained.
Essential Duties:
This job description is intended to cover the minimum essential duties assigned on a regular basis. Associates may be asked to perform additional duties as assigned by their leader. Leadership has the right to alter or modify the duties of the position.
- Assess patients' condition and initiate appropriate emergency and non-emergency procedures in accordance with established guidelines. Work with neonatal patients, pediatric patients, adult patients and geriatric patients.
- Administer aerosol medications, support therapy (oxygen, humidification, ventilator), and perform a variety of respiratory treatments and/or diagnostic procedures. Administer care within physician approved therapist driven protocols.
- Initiate, operate, maintain, monitor, and ensure safe patient care practices and operation of various life support devices in all critical care areas. Consult with and make recommendations to medical staff. Member of Code Blue team (CPR).
- Report/document pertinent patient care and status data in accordance with established guidelines. May accept and document physician telephone orders for respiratory therapy procedures.
- Establish an appropriate knowledge of electronic patient record and maintain accurate records relating to charges for services rendered.
- Perform routine RT equipment maintenance, cleaning/sterilization, and ensure environmental safety; member of Code Red team.
- Assist in the transportation of critical patients to or from Sparrow Hospital, and assist the physician when performing various surgical or non-surgical respiratory/cardiology procedures.
- Instruct RT students, medical personnel, and patients and families regarding specific respiratory therapy procedures. Maintain current knowledge of RT related issues.
Job Requirements
General Requirements
- Credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care within 90 days of hire.
- BLS Certification within 30 days of hire.
- ACLS, PALS, or NRP - preferred.
Work Experience
- Previous patient care experience - preferred.
- Critical care experience in a hospital setting - preferred.
Education
- Graduate of a Respiratory Therapy program.
- Clinicals done at Sparrow Hospital - preferred.
Specialized Knowledge and Skills
- Demonstrates the ability to work on a team.
- Able to demonstrate the knowledge and skill necessary to provide care based on physical, psycho/social, educational, safety and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the patients serviced in his/her assigned service areas related to the principle duties and responsibilities of the position. The skills and knowledge needed to provide such care may be gained through education, training or experience.
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.
LI-MR1
Job Family
Clinical Professional/Technical/Allied Health
Requirements
- Shift: Nights
- Degree Type / Education Level: Associate
- Status: Full-time
- Facility: Sparrow Hospital
- Experience Level: New Grad
Job ID: 52881
Positions Location: Lansing, MI
Job Description
General Purpose of Job:
The Respiratory Therapist Intern provides a wide variety of routine and advanced forms of respiratory therapy procedures for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with respiratory dysfunction under the direction and supervision of a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Certified Respiratory Therapist. The Respiratory Therapist Intern role is considered temporary until credentials through the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) are obtained.
Essential Duties:
This job description is intended to cover the minimum essential duties assigned on a regular basis. Associates may be asked to perform additional duties as assigned by their leader. Leadership has the right to alter or modify the duties of the position.
- Assess patients' condition and initiate appropriate emergency and non-emergency procedures in accordance with established guidelines. Work with neonatal patients, pediatric patients, adult patients and geriatric patients.
- Administer aerosol medications, support therapy (oxygen, humidification, ventilator), and perform a variety of respiratory treatments and/or diagnostic procedures. Administer care within physician approved therapist driven protocols.
- Initiate, operate, maintain, monitor, and ensure safe patient care practices and operation of various life support devices in all critical care areas. Consult with and make recommendations to medical staff. Member of Code Blue team (CPR).
- Report/document pertinent patient care and status data in accordance with established guidelines. May accept and document physician telephone orders for respiratory therapy procedures.
- Establish an appropriate knowledge of electronic patient record and maintain accurate records relating to charges for services rendered.
- Perform routine RT equipment maintenance, cleaning/sterilization, and ensure environmental safety; member of Code Red team.
- Assist in the transportation of critical patients to or from Sparrow Hospital, and assist the physician when performing various surgical or non-surgical respiratory/cardiology procedures.
- Instruct RT students, medical personnel, and patients and families regarding specific respiratory therapy procedures. Maintain current knowledge of RT related issues.
Job Requirements
General Requirements
- Credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care within 90 days of hire.
- BLS Certification within 30 days of hire.
- ACLS, PALS, or NRP - preferred.
Work Experience
- Previous patient care experience - preferred.
- Critical care experience in a hospital setting - preferred.
Education
- Graduate of a Respiratory Therapy program.
- Clinicals done at Sparrow Hospital - preferred.
Specialized Knowledge and Skills
- Demonstrates the ability to work on a team.
- Able to demonstrate the knowledge and skill necessary to provide care based on physical, psycho/social, educational, safety and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the patients serviced in his/her assigned service areas related to the principle duties and responsibilities of the position. The skills and knowledge needed to provide such care may be gained through education, training or experience.
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.
LI-MR1
Job Family
Clinical Professional/Technical/Allied Health
Requirements
- Shift: Nights
- Degree Type / Education Level: Associate
- Status: Full-time
- Facility: Sparrow Hospital
- Experience Level: New Grad
See all J-1 Visa Clinical Counselor Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Clinical Counselor
Verify your credentials transfer to U.S. licensure
State licensing boards for counselors often require CACREP-accredited training or equivalent foreign credentials. Get your degree evaluated by a NACES-approved credential evaluation service before applying, so host employers see a clear path to supervised practice.
Distinguish Trainee from Specialist category early
Trainee status fits professionals within five years of their degree or last full-time employment in counseling. Specialist status suits established practitioners with a distinctive skill set. Your category determines DS-2019 duration limits and training plan requirements, so confirm eligibility before contacting hosts.
Target host employers with supervision infrastructure
Community mental health centers, university counseling centers, and VA-affiliated outpatient clinics routinely supervise unlicensed clinicians, making them better positioned to host J-1 visa Trainees than private solo practices, which often lack the compliance infrastructure a designated sponsor requires.
Search Migrate Mate to find J-1-aligned counseling roles
Use Migrate Mate to filter Clinical Counselor openings at organizations already familiar with exchange visitor hosting. Targeting employers with a documented history of J-1 placements shortens the sponsor coordination process and reduces the risk of a host withdrawing after an offer is extended.
Request a detailed training plan before the offer stage
Designated sponsors require a structured Training and Evaluation Objectives form before issuing a DS-2019. Ask the host employer whether they've completed this document with previous J-1 trainees. Employers unfamiliar with it will need your help drafting measurable clinical learning objectives.
Clarify the two-year home residency requirement upfront
Counseling roles funded by a government agency or in a field designated as shortage-area may trigger the two-year home-country residency requirement under INA section 212(e). Confirm with your designated sponsor whether your specific placement activates this obligation before accepting an offer.
Clinical Counselor J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category applies to Clinical Counselor positions?
Most Clinical Counselor placements fall under the Trainee category if you're within five years of graduation or last relevant employment, or the Specialist category if you're an experienced practitioner with a specialized counseling background. The Trainee program allows up to 18 months, extendable to 24 in some cases. Your designated sponsor determines which category fits your profile based on your CV and the host employer's training plan.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a Clinical Counselor role?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization, such as Cultural Vistas or AIPT, not the counseling employer. The employer is the host. The designated sponsor reviews your training plan, issues the DS-2019, and monitors compliance throughout your program. Conflating the host employer with the visa sponsor is one of the most common misunderstandings in the J-1 process.
How do I find Clinical Counselor host employers open to J-1 placements?
Migrate Mate lets you search Clinical Counselor openings and filter for employers with demonstrated exchange visitor hosting experience. Community mental health centers, federally qualified health centers, and university counseling services are the host types most likely to have an existing relationship with a designated sponsor, which significantly speeds up DS-2019 issuance once you have an offer.
Does a J-1 Clinical Counselor placement trigger the two-year home residency requirement?
It can. The two-year home-country physical presence requirement under INA section 212(e) applies if your program is government-funded, if counseling is on the exchange visitor skills list for your home country, or if you received government financing. You must complete two years in your home country before adjusting to most other U.S. visa statuses unless you obtain a waiver through a U.S. federal or state agency.
Can a host employer hire a J-1 Clinical Counselor without a clinical license?
Yes, in most states, but only under direct supervision. J-1 Trainee and Specialist placements are structured as supervised training programs, not independent practice. Your training plan must specify the licensed supervisor, the clinical competencies being developed, and the evaluation schedule. Some states have specific supervision hour requirements that your host must agree to fulfill before a designated sponsor will issue the DS-2019.