J-1 Visa Pharmacist Jobs
Pharmacist roles in the United States are accessible to internationally trained pharmacy professionals through the J-1 visa Trainee or Research Scholar program categories, depending on your career stage. A U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization issues your DS-2019 and arranges sponsorship, while the hospital, health system, or pharmacy practice serves as your host employer.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation:
Altru Hospital
1200 South Columbia Road
Grand Forks, ND 58201
Pay Range: $16.26 - $24.38
Summary
Hospital Pharmacist Educational Sponsorship
At Altru, we continue to invest in our commitment to provide both an exceptional patient experience and employee experience. Whether through new technologies, our supportive environment, or a shared commitment to getting better every day, everything we do at Altru is for one another.
Program Highlights
- 100% Tuition Coverage: Altru will pay full tuition for eligible pharmacy students, beginning as early as the third year of pharmacy school.
- Employment Commitment: Sponsored students will commit to working at Altru as a full-time Pharmacist for three years following completion of residency.
- Limited Availability: Sponsorships are limited and awarded on a competitive basis.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a 3rd or 4th-year pharmacy student.
- Must maintain continuous full-time enrollment through graduation.
- Must provide proof of ongoing enrollment (e.g., transcript) and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to remain eligible.
- Must work on a casual basis at Altru as a Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacy Intern during the sponsorship period.
- Tuition payments will be made directly to NDSU on behalf of the student.
The Pharmacist Student (PharmD Candidate or Pharmacist Intern) performs all essential functions throughout the pharmacy. The student coordinates delivery of controlled and non-controlled medications throughout the organization. Performs inventory control and maintenance, as well as assists pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as needed. The pharmacy student may also be asked to provide patient consultation, as required by the pharmacist, and other patient-care activities. Pharmacy Students are responsible for record-keeping and other clerical and environmental duties within the pharmacy.
Essential Job Functions:
- Rotates through all work areas of the pharmacy.
- Coordinates automated and non-automated medications dispensing systems and cart fill activities to provide efficient medication inventory control.
- Compounds pharmaceutical products such as ointments, creams and other medications according to rules and regulations.
- Responsible for sterile compounding activities in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
- Completes pharmacist-supervised clinic duties as allowed by licensure and as assigned by the supervising pharmacist.
- Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of the department/organization.
Certification:
- Intern License | North Dakota Board of Pharmacy | Prior to Start Date | HR Primary Sources
- Driver's License with Acceptable Driving Record | Driver's License - Current State Licensed | Prior to Start Date | HR Primary Sources
Language Requirements:
This position requires proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English to ensure effective communication in the workplace and with patients, families, and team members.
Physical Demands:
- Sit: Frequently (34-66%)
- Stand: Frequently (34-66%)
- Walk: Frequently (34-66%)
- Stoop/Bend: Occasionally (5-33%)
- Reach: Frequently (34-66%)
- Crawl: Rarely (1-4%)
- Squat/Crouch/Kneel: Occasionally (5-33%)
- Twist: Occasionally (5-33%)
- Handle/Finger/Feel: Continuously (67-100%)
- See: Continuously (67-100%)
- Hear: Continuously (67-100%)
Weight Demands:
- Lift -Floor to Waist Level: Medium (20-40 pounds)
- Carry: Medium (20-40 pounds)
- Push/Pull: Medium (20-40 pounds)
- Slide/Transfer: Medium (20-40 pounds)
Working Conditions:
- Indoor: Continuously (67-100%)
- Outdoor: Not Applicable
- Extreme Temperature: Not Applicable
Driving Requirement Definitions:
- Professional Drivers: Persons who drive as their main responsibility OR transport passengers or hazardous materials.
- Frequent Drivers: Persons whose main responsibility is not driving, but drive daily or almost daily.
- Occasional Drivers: Persons who drive from once per month to as frequently as once per week.
- Infrequent Drivers: Persons who are generally not expected to drive.
Driving Requirement for this position:
Occasional Driver
Reference ID: R6650
Making a real difference. For one another.
To take the best care of our patients and community — including friends, family, and neighbors — we need people who are committed to growth, excellence, and one another.
At Altru, you’ll find a culture where support and teamwork are at the heart of what we do. You’ll have opportunities to advance your skills, work with the latest technologies, experience the fulfillment that comes from giving back, and take your career wherever you want it to go.
Join our team and be a part of a small community with a big heart.
Altru offers a comprehensive benefits package to its full- and part-time employees. Excellent benefits include a health plan and 401(k) retirement plan. Other benefits include a dental plan, vision plan, life and disability insurance, education assistance, paid time off (PTO).
Location:
Altru Hospital
1200 South Columbia Road
Grand Forks, ND 58201
Pay Range: $16.26 - $24.38
Summary
Hospital Pharmacist Educational Sponsorship
At Altru, we continue to invest in our commitment to provide both an exceptional patient experience and employee experience. Whether through new technologies, our supportive environment, or a shared commitment to getting better every day, everything we do at Altru is for one another.
Program Highlights
- 100% Tuition Coverage: Altru will pay full tuition for eligible pharmacy students, beginning as early as the third year of pharmacy school.
- Employment Commitment: Sponsored students will commit to working at Altru as a full-time Pharmacist for three years following completion of residency.
- Limited Availability: Sponsorships are limited and awarded on a competitive basis.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a 3rd or 4th-year pharmacy student.
- Must maintain continuous full-time enrollment through graduation.
- Must provide proof of ongoing enrollment (e.g., transcript) and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to remain eligible.
- Must work on a casual basis at Altru as a Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacy Intern during the sponsorship period.
- Tuition payments will be made directly to NDSU on behalf of the student.
The Pharmacist Student (PharmD Candidate or Pharmacist Intern) performs all essential functions throughout the pharmacy. The student coordinates delivery of controlled and non-controlled medications throughout the organization. Performs inventory control and maintenance, as well as assists pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as needed. The pharmacy student may also be asked to provide patient consultation, as required by the pharmacist, and other patient-care activities. Pharmacy Students are responsible for record-keeping and other clerical and environmental duties within the pharmacy.
Essential Job Functions:
- Rotates through all work areas of the pharmacy.
- Coordinates automated and non-automated medications dispensing systems and cart fill activities to provide efficient medication inventory control.
- Compounds pharmaceutical products such as ointments, creams and other medications according to rules and regulations.
- Responsible for sterile compounding activities in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
- Completes pharmacist-supervised clinic duties as allowed by licensure and as assigned by the supervising pharmacist.
- Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of the department/organization.
Certification:
- Intern License | North Dakota Board of Pharmacy | Prior to Start Date | HR Primary Sources
- Driver's License with Acceptable Driving Record | Driver's License - Current State Licensed | Prior to Start Date | HR Primary Sources
Language Requirements:
This position requires proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English to ensure effective communication in the workplace and with patients, families, and team members.
Physical Demands:
- Sit: Frequently (34-66%)
- Stand: Frequently (34-66%)
- Walk: Frequently (34-66%)
- Stoop/Bend: Occasionally (5-33%)
- Reach: Frequently (34-66%)
- Crawl: Rarely (1-4%)
- Squat/Crouch/Kneel: Occasionally (5-33%)
- Twist: Occasionally (5-33%)
- Handle/Finger/Feel: Continuously (67-100%)
- See: Continuously (67-100%)
- Hear: Continuously (67-100%)
Weight Demands:
- Lift -Floor to Waist Level: Medium (20-40 pounds)
- Carry: Medium (20-40 pounds)
- Push/Pull: Medium (20-40 pounds)
- Slide/Transfer: Medium (20-40 pounds)
Working Conditions:
- Indoor: Continuously (67-100%)
- Outdoor: Not Applicable
- Extreme Temperature: Not Applicable
Driving Requirement Definitions:
- Professional Drivers: Persons who drive as their main responsibility OR transport passengers or hazardous materials.
- Frequent Drivers: Persons whose main responsibility is not driving, but drive daily or almost daily.
- Occasional Drivers: Persons who drive from once per month to as frequently as once per week.
- Infrequent Drivers: Persons who are generally not expected to drive.
Driving Requirement for this position:
Occasional Driver
Reference ID: R6650
Making a real difference. For one another.
To take the best care of our patients and community — including friends, family, and neighbors — we need people who are committed to growth, excellence, and one another.
At Altru, you’ll find a culture where support and teamwork are at the heart of what we do. You’ll have opportunities to advance your skills, work with the latest technologies, experience the fulfillment that comes from giving back, and take your career wherever you want it to go.
Join our team and be a part of a small community with a big heart.
Altru offers a comprehensive benefits package to its full- and part-time employees. Excellent benefits include a health plan and 401(k) retirement plan. Other benefits include a dental plan, vision plan, life and disability insurance, education assistance, paid time off (PTO).
See all J-1 Visa Pharmacist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new J-1 Visa Pharmacist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Pharmacist
Verify your pharmacy credentials transfer cleanly
Foreign pharmacy degrees vary in how U.S. credentialing bodies evaluate them. Confirm your qualifications meet FPGEC certification standards before approaching host employers, since sponsors will require proof of professional eligibility before issuing a DS-2019.
Target health systems with active J-1 training infrastructure
Academic medical centers and large hospital networks run structured pharmacy residency and fellowship programs that already operate inside J-1 Trainee or Research Scholar frameworks. These hosts have compliance experience and established sponsor relationships, which shortens your path to a DS-2019.
Search for J-1-friendly pharmacy roles on Migrate Mate
Filter by specialty area and location to find host employers whose pharmacy openings align with J-1 program structures. Migrate Mate surfaces roles from employers familiar with exchange visitor hosting requirements, saving you from cold-pitching organizations with no sponsorship history.
Distinguish Trainee from Research Scholar before applying
The J-1 Trainee category suits licensed pharmacy professionals seeking clinical or operational training in a U.S. practice setting. Research Scholar applies if your role involves pharmaceutical research at a university or research institute. Applying through the wrong category delays or invalidates your DS-2019.
Prepare a detailed training plan before the offer stage
J-1 Trainee sponsors require a structured Training or Internship Placement Plan. Draft a phase-by-phase outline of clinical rotations, competencies, and supervision arrangements with your host employer before the sponsor review, so negotiations don't stall after you receive an offer.
Confirm the two-year home residency rule applies to you
Many pharmacy professionals coming from countries on the Exchange Visitor Skills List are subject to the two-year home residency requirement after J-1 status ends. If you plan to pursue an immigrant visa or H-1B visa afterward, clarify your waiver options with your sponsor organization before you begin.
Pharmacist J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits pharmacists?
Most internationally trained pharmacists enter under the J-1 Trainee category, which covers licensed professionals gaining supervised clinical or operational experience in a U.S. pharmacy setting. If your role is research-focused and hosted by a university or research institute, the Research Scholar category applies instead. Your designated sponsor organization determines the correct category based on your qualifications and the host employer's program structure.
Who actually sponsors a J-1 visa for a pharmacist?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your employer. Organizations such as Cultural Vistas or AIPT issue your DS-2019 form, oversee compliance, and sign your training plan. The hospital, pharmacy chain, or health system where you work is the host employer. The host and the sponsor are separate entities with distinct responsibilities under J-1 program regulations.
Does the J-1 visa let me practice pharmacy independently in the U.S.?
No. J-1 status is tied to a specific training or research objective with a designated host employer. You can't shift to independent pharmacy practice or change employers without your sponsor's approval and an updated DS-2019. Your training plan defines what activities are authorized, and practicing outside those boundaries violates the terms of your exchange visitor status.
How do I find U.S. pharmacy employers familiar with J-1 hosting?
Migrate Mate lets you search for pharmacist roles at employers with a track record of hosting J-1 exchange visitors. Many pharmacy employers lack experience with the DS-2019 process, so targeting hosts who already understand J-1 compliance requirements significantly reduces the negotiation burden on you and your designated sponsor organization.
Can the two-year home residency requirement block my H-1B or green card path?
Yes. Pharmacists from countries on the Exchange Visitor Skills List are typically subject to the two-year home residency requirement, which bars changing to H-1B status or applying for an immigrant visa until fulfilled or waived. Waivers are available through routes such as a no-objection statement from your home government or a request through an Interested Government Agency, but the process takes time and is not guaranteed.