J-1 Visa Registered Nurse Operating Room Jobs
Registered Nurse Operating Room positions in the U.S. are accessible to internationally trained nurses through J-1 Exchange Visitor sponsorship under the Trainee or Research Scholar category, depending on your experience level. A U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization issues your DS-2019, while the hospital or surgical center serves as your host employer.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Description
This position is not Visa sponsorship eligible
Primarily responsible for the delivery of non-clinical care to all adult and or pediatric patients. Responsible for delivery of clinical care as delegated by licensed nurses and within the scope of practice. Responsible for promoting positive interactions with staff, physicians, patients, families and other visitors.
SHIFT AND SCHEDULE
Flex Hours
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Responsible for managing the daily operations of their assigned areas (e.g., staffing, through-put, patient concerns, staff concerns, room assignments, data collection, process flow, staff utilization, etc.)
- Follows expected workflows and processes set up for the delivery of non-clinical and clinical care.
- Demonstrates positive effective communication, including education with patients and families, physicians and other healthcare team members, and professional communications skills.
- Provide a safe environment for patients, families and co-workers, including hand washing, and adherence to infection control policies.
- Demonstrate professionalism including current AED’s and other competencies, following dress code policies, participation in orientation of new team members.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Acceptance Letter from School of Nursing.
- Early Acute Stroke recognition and treatment.
Physical Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The individual must be able to:
- Stand, walk, sit, stoop, reach, lift, see, speak and hear. Lifting is limited to 35 lbs. for clinical staff and to 50 lbs. for non-clinical staff. The individual must use an assisted-lift device or get another individual(s) to assist with the lift that is over these maximum limits.
Job Description
This position is not Visa sponsorship eligible
Primarily responsible for the delivery of non-clinical care to all adult and or pediatric patients. Responsible for delivery of clinical care as delegated by licensed nurses and within the scope of practice. Responsible for promoting positive interactions with staff, physicians, patients, families and other visitors.
SHIFT AND SCHEDULE
Flex Hours
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Responsible for managing the daily operations of their assigned areas (e.g., staffing, through-put, patient concerns, staff concerns, room assignments, data collection, process flow, staff utilization, etc.)
- Follows expected workflows and processes set up for the delivery of non-clinical and clinical care.
- Demonstrates positive effective communication, including education with patients and families, physicians and other healthcare team members, and professional communications skills.
- Provide a safe environment for patients, families and co-workers, including hand washing, and adherence to infection control policies.
- Demonstrate professionalism including current AED’s and other competencies, following dress code policies, participation in orientation of new team members.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Acceptance Letter from School of Nursing.
- Early Acute Stroke recognition and treatment.
Physical Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The individual must be able to:
- Stand, walk, sit, stoop, reach, lift, see, speak and hear. Lifting is limited to 35 lbs. for clinical staff and to 50 lbs. for non-clinical staff. The individual must use an assisted-lift device or get another individual(s) to assist with the lift that is over these maximum limits.
See all 19+ Registered Nurse Operating Room jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Registered Nurse Operating Room roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship in Registered Nurse Operating Room
Verify your credentials meet U.S. surgical nursing standards
NCLEX-RN passage and active state licensure are non-negotiable for OR roles. Confirm your foreign nursing credentials have been evaluated by CGFNS before approaching any host employer, since most perioperative units require this documentation upfront.
Target hospitals with active J-1 Trainee agreements
Not every surgical center has an existing relationship with a State Department-designated sponsor. Filter your search to health systems that already host J-1 Trainees in clinical departments, which signals an established compliance infrastructure for your category.
Use Migrate Mate to surface J-1-aligned OR employer leads
Perioperative nursing roles with J-1 host capacity rarely appear on general job boards. Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. employers actively open to exchange visitors in nursing and surgical support functions, then approach them directly.
Negotiate your training plan before the DS-2019 is issued
Your designated sponsor needs a detailed Training or Internship Placement Plan showing specific OR rotations, supervision structure, and learning objectives. Lock down these details with your host employer before the sponsor can finalize and issue your DS-2019.
Confirm whether your role carries the two-year home residency requirement
OR nursing positions may trigger the two-year home-country residency requirement if your training is government-funded or your home country has deemed your specialty skill as needed. Clarify this with your designated sponsor before accepting any host employer offer.
Benchmark your offered wage against OFLC Wage Search data
Host employers must pay J-1 Trainees wages comparable to U.S. workers in the same role and location. Run your job title and county through OFLC Wage Search to verify the offered rate meets the prevailing wage standard for perioperative nursing before you sign.
Registered Nurse Operating Room jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Registered Nurse Operating Room JobsRegistered Nurse Operating Room J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Registered Nurse seeking OR experience in the U.S.?
Most internationally trained OR nurses enter under the J-1 Trainee category, which covers post-degree professionals with at least one year of relevant experience outside the U.S. If you're still enrolled in a nursing program, the Intern category applies instead. Research Scholar is reserved for nurses conducting formal clinical research, not hands-on perioperative practice. Your designated sponsor confirms the correct category based on your qualifications and training objectives.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for an OR nursing role?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not the hospital or surgical center where you'll work. Organizations like CGFNS, IIE, or similar approved bodies issue your DS-2019 form and monitor your program compliance. The hospital is your host employer. If the hospital tells you they will 'sponsor your J-1,' they mean they'll partner with a designated sponsor on your behalf, not that they issue the visa directly.
How do I find OR nursing host employers open to J-1 exchange visitors?
Most perioperative units don't advertise J-1 host capacity in standard job postings. Use Migrate Mate to search for U.S. employers and nursing roles that align with J-1 exchange visitor programs. Once you identify a promising employer, confirm directly with their HR or nurse recruitment team that they have or are willing to establish a relationship with a designated sponsor organization before investing time in the application process.
What documents does a host employer need to set up a J-1 Trainee placement in their OR?
The host employer must complete a Training or Internship Placement Plan (DS-7002) in coordination with your designated sponsor. For OR roles this means documenting each rotation phase, the supervising RN or physician, scheduled hours in specific surgical specialties, and the learning objectives tied to each phase. The sponsor reviews and countersigns this plan before issuing your DS-2019, so the more specific the training plan, the faster the process moves.
Does the two-year home residency requirement apply to J-1 OR nurses?
It depends on two factors: whether your home country has placed perioperative nursing on its skills-needed list, and whether any part of your training is funded by your home or the U.S. government. If either applies, you must return home for two years after your J-1 ends before changing to most other U.S. visa categories. Your designated sponsor is required to tell you whether the requirement applies when they issue your DS-2019, so ask for written confirmation early.
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