J-1 Visa Family Counselor Jobs
Family Counselor positions in the United States are available to international professionals through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Specialist program category. Designated sponsors issue your DS-2019, coordinate with your host employer, and monitor compliance throughout your exchange program.
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Get Access To All JobsSUMMARY:
As a member of the School Counseling staff, the Counseling Intern collaborates with an assigned school counselor to implement the TUSD School Counseling Program. School Counseling Interns are working toward their Master's Degree in School Counseling (or a related field), and are provided with mentorship from our Certified School Counselor.
Our School Counselors Implement the American School Counselor Association National Model (ASCA). As a member of the School Counseling staff, the counselor is to provide a comprehensive school counseling program for all students at the school site while ensuring equity and access for all students.
School Counselors work at all levels of the school system to support the social, emotional, and academic well-being of students. As a School Counselor, you will collaborate with school and school district staff to help students succeed in all aspects of their lives. This can be helping students through social and emotional challenges or liaising with other agencies and organizations outside the school. You may also help students with course planning and applying for post-secondary education.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Arizona IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card
- Currently enrolled in the last year of a Master’s Degree program in School Counseling that, when completed, meets the requirements for Arizona Department of Education Certification as a School Guidance Counselor
REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO START DATE
- Proof of immunity to rubeola (measles) and rubella (German measles), or proof of MMR immunization
- Must hold a valid Driver's license (Arizona Driver’s License required within 30 days of hire)
- MVReport – showing no more than the allowable points against Driver’s License as described under Governing Board Policy: EEB-R-1 Business and Personnel Transportation Services - Transportation by Employees.
- Reliable mode of personal transportation with evidence of insurance compliance greater than or equal to the state required minimum for car insurance as described under Governing Board Policy: EEB-R-1 Business and Personnel Transportation Services - Transportation by Employees
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:
- Experience with diverse student populations
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with parents, students, teachers and staff
REPORTS TO: School Site Principal/Counseling Coordinator
COMMENTS
EFFECTIVE: 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR
LOCATION: Multiple Locations – District-Wide
FTE: Varies. Typical School Counseling Intern FTE 1.0, 8 hours per day.
WORK MONTHS: 9.5 month
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE TEACHER HIRING PROCESS:
This is a pooled job posting for positions across the district. By applying, your application will be added to a candidate pool accessible to schools or departments seeking to fill current or future vacancies. If your qualifications match the needs of a specific site, you may be contacted directly for further consideration.
If you are having trouble securing an interview, please contact Careers@tusd1.org.
CURRENT VACANCIES:
This is a list of current teacher vacancies, as they become available, listed alphabetically with grade/subject area and FTE. The list is subject to change daily:
For current vacancies please contact the TUSD Guidance & Counseling department at 520-225-6211
Internal candidates will transfer at a rate commensurate with their bargaining unit language. For more information on the salary schedule, please reference the Employee Agreements Webpage.
Positions less than 30 hours per week are not eligible for district benefits.
Tucson Unified School District is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination based on disability, race, color, religion/religious beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or national origin.
SUMMARY:
As a member of the School Counseling staff, the Counseling Intern collaborates with an assigned school counselor to implement the TUSD School Counseling Program. School Counseling Interns are working toward their Master's Degree in School Counseling (or a related field), and are provided with mentorship from our Certified School Counselor.
Our School Counselors Implement the American School Counselor Association National Model (ASCA). As a member of the School Counseling staff, the counselor is to provide a comprehensive school counseling program for all students at the school site while ensuring equity and access for all students.
School Counselors work at all levels of the school system to support the social, emotional, and academic well-being of students. As a School Counselor, you will collaborate with school and school district staff to help students succeed in all aspects of their lives. This can be helping students through social and emotional challenges or liaising with other agencies and organizations outside the school. You may also help students with course planning and applying for post-secondary education.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Arizona IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card
- Currently enrolled in the last year of a Master’s Degree program in School Counseling that, when completed, meets the requirements for Arizona Department of Education Certification as a School Guidance Counselor
REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO START DATE
- Proof of immunity to rubeola (measles) and rubella (German measles), or proof of MMR immunization
- Must hold a valid Driver's license (Arizona Driver’s License required within 30 days of hire)
- MVReport – showing no more than the allowable points against Driver’s License as described under Governing Board Policy: EEB-R-1 Business and Personnel Transportation Services - Transportation by Employees.
- Reliable mode of personal transportation with evidence of insurance compliance greater than or equal to the state required minimum for car insurance as described under Governing Board Policy: EEB-R-1 Business and Personnel Transportation Services - Transportation by Employees
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:
- Experience with diverse student populations
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with parents, students, teachers and staff
REPORTS TO: School Site Principal/Counseling Coordinator
COMMENTS
EFFECTIVE: 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR
LOCATION: Multiple Locations – District-Wide
FTE: Varies. Typical School Counseling Intern FTE 1.0, 8 hours per day.
WORK MONTHS: 9.5 month
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE TEACHER HIRING PROCESS:
This is a pooled job posting for positions across the district. By applying, your application will be added to a candidate pool accessible to schools or departments seeking to fill current or future vacancies. If your qualifications match the needs of a specific site, you may be contacted directly for further consideration.
If you are having trouble securing an interview, please contact Careers@tusd1.org.
CURRENT VACANCIES:
This is a list of current teacher vacancies, as they become available, listed alphabetically with grade/subject area and FTE. The list is subject to change daily:
For current vacancies please contact the TUSD Guidance & Counseling department at 520-225-6211
Internal candidates will transfer at a rate commensurate with their bargaining unit language. For more information on the salary schedule, please reference the Employee Agreements Webpage.
Positions less than 30 hours per week are not eligible for district benefits.
Tucson Unified School District is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination based on disability, race, color, religion/religious beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or national origin.
See all J-1 Visa Family Counselor Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new J-1 Visa Family Counselor Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Family Counselor
Align your credentials with U.S. licensing standards
State licensure requirements for family counselors vary widely, and many host employers require a master's degree in counseling or a related field. Verify that your foreign degree and supervised clinical hours meet the host state's equivalency standards before applying.
Target host employers with structured training programs
J-1 visa Trainee sponsorship requires a formal training plan, so prioritize community mental health centers, hospital systems, and university counseling services that already operate supervised internship or residency structures. Employers without those frameworks rarely secure designated sponsor approval.
Search for J-1-ready Family Counselor roles on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to filter U.S. employer listings by J-1 compatibility for counseling roles. Identifying host employers with prior J-1 exchange history saves weeks of outreach to organizations that have never navigated the designated sponsor process.
Clarify the two-year home residency requirement early
If your home country's government or a U.S. agency funded your exchange, the two-year home residency requirement under INA section 212(e) applies, blocking H-1B visa or green card transitions until fulfilled or waived. Raise this with potential host employers before accepting any offer.
Prepare a detailed individual training plan before offers
Your designated sponsor needs a completed DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan signed by both you and the host employer. Draft a week-by-week learning objective schedule for your counseling placement so the host can review and sign it during offer negotiations, not after.
Confirm your host employer will cover SEVIS fees and insurance
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee and J-1 health insurance minimums set by the State Department are non-negotiable program requirements. Clarify during the offer stage which costs the host employer absorbs and which fall to you, as practices differ across host organizations.
Family Counselor J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Family Counselor role?
Most international family counselors enter on the J-1 Trainee or Specialist category. Trainee applies if you're within five years of graduation or initial employment in counseling. Specialist applies to established professionals with significant field expertise who are pursuing a focused exchange program. The correct category determines your DS-2019 eligibility criteria, so confirm the match with your designated sponsor before your host employer submits the training plan.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a Family Counselor position?
Your visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not the counseling agency or hospital hiring you. That designated sponsor, such as CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or another approved body, issues your DS-2019 form, reviews your training plan, and monitors your program compliance. The hiring organization is your host employer. These are two separate entities with different legal responsibilities under the J-1 exchange visitor program.
How do I find U.S. employers open to hosting a J-1 Family Counselor?
Use Migrate Mate to search for Family Counselor roles at U.S. employers that have engaged with international exchange programs. Look for host organizations in community mental health, integrated health systems, and university counseling departments, as these sectors operate the supervised clinical structures that designated sponsors require when approving a J-1 Trainee or Specialist training plan.
Does the two-year home residency requirement affect Family Counselors on J-1 status?
It can, depending on your funding source and home country. If your exchange program is financed by your home government or a U.S. government agency, or if your home country appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List published by the State Department, the two-year home residency requirement applies. This bars a direct transition to H-1B or permanent residence without either completing the two years abroad or obtaining a waiver, which family counselors in underserved areas sometimes pursue through a state health agency no-objection recommendation.
Can a Family Counselor on J-1 status bring dependents to the United States?
Yes. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 are eligible for J-2 dependent status. J-2 holders may apply for work authorization through USCIS, which is not tied to your counseling role or host employer. Your designated sponsor will include dependent information on the DS-2019 you receive, and each dependent applying for a J-2 visa must present that documentation at their consular interview.