OPT COTA Jobs
COTA jobs are a strong fit for OPT students with a degree in occupational therapy assisting. Most roles require an active NBCOT certification and state licensure, both of which employers verify before hiring. Your 12-month OPT window is enough time to build clinical hours across school, rehab, or home health settings.
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Get Access To All JobsCERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT (COTA)
Location: Bamberg and Barnwell SC
Schedule: PRN THERAPY SERVICES
Join the PruittHealth family, where the health and safety of our workforce is our top priority! We're not only committed to your career, we're committed to the health and safety of all our therapists. Now is a great time to make a change and join one of the leading providers of post-acute care.
PruittHealth will help you conquer your career goals. At PruittHealth, we are searching for therapists who are committed to serving our residents with care and compassion, and in return, we are committed to supporting your therapy career through annual merit increases, career growth programs, preceptorship, and more.
Investing in Our Employee-Partners with Benefits
- Advanced pay option
- Annual merit increases
- Relocation opportunities
- Paid onboarding & orientation
- Preceptorship Program & hands-on training
- 24 / 7 direct hotline support
- Employee Referral Bonus Program
- Access to PruittHealth Foundation & PruittHealth University resources
- Comprehensive health plans
Responsibilities
- Assist in the execution of the occupational therapy care plan and treatment to patients as prescribed by the evaluating therapist and physician according to the State Practice Acts
- Perform clinical tasks, and communicate and document tasks in a timely and accurate manner
- Follow established policies and procedures as related to the scope of practice
- Recognize and respond to priorities in patient care
- Complete all required orientation, in-services, and trainings successfully
- Perform other related duties as necessary and as directed by supervisor
LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Valid professional license in the state of practice
- Graduate of ACOTE accredited school and eligible to take or has passed the NBCOT exam. If foreign-trained, must meet the same qualifications as U.S. educational program requirements
Family Makes Us Stronger. Our family, your family, one family. Committed to loving, giving, and caring. United in making a difference.
We are eager to connect with you! Apply Now to get started at PruittHealth!
As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
For Florida Job Postings Only:
For more information regarding Florida’s Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse Education and Awareness, please visit https://info.flclearinghouse.com
CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT (COTA)
Location: Bamberg and Barnwell SC
Schedule: PRN THERAPY SERVICES
Join the PruittHealth family, where the health and safety of our workforce is our top priority! We're not only committed to your career, we're committed to the health and safety of all our therapists. Now is a great time to make a change and join one of the leading providers of post-acute care.
PruittHealth will help you conquer your career goals. At PruittHealth, we are searching for therapists who are committed to serving our residents with care and compassion, and in return, we are committed to supporting your therapy career through annual merit increases, career growth programs, preceptorship, and more.
Investing in Our Employee-Partners with Benefits
- Advanced pay option
- Annual merit increases
- Relocation opportunities
- Paid onboarding & orientation
- Preceptorship Program & hands-on training
- 24 / 7 direct hotline support
- Employee Referral Bonus Program
- Access to PruittHealth Foundation & PruittHealth University resources
- Comprehensive health plans
Responsibilities
- Assist in the execution of the occupational therapy care plan and treatment to patients as prescribed by the evaluating therapist and physician according to the State Practice Acts
- Perform clinical tasks, and communicate and document tasks in a timely and accurate manner
- Follow established policies and procedures as related to the scope of practice
- Recognize and respond to priorities in patient care
- Complete all required orientation, in-services, and trainings successfully
- Perform other related duties as necessary and as directed by supervisor
LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Valid professional license in the state of practice
- Graduate of ACOTE accredited school and eligible to take or has passed the NBCOT exam. If foreign-trained, must meet the same qualifications as U.S. educational program requirements
Family Makes Us Stronger. Our family, your family, one family. Committed to loving, giving, and caring. United in making a difference.
We are eager to connect with you! Apply Now to get started at PruittHealth!
As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
For Florida Job Postings Only:
For more information regarding Florida’s Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse Education and Awareness, please visit https://info.flclearinghouse.com
See all 34+ OPT COTA Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT COTA Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in COTA
Get NBCOT certified before you apply
Most employers won't move forward without active NBCOT certification. Schedule your exam early in OPT so you're not losing weeks of your authorization window waiting on results. Some states also require a separate license before your first day.
Target employers who regularly hire STEM-adjacent health roles
Larger rehab networks, hospital systems, and school districts have dedicated HR teams familiar with work authorization. Smaller private practices often lack the infrastructure to navigate OPT paperwork, making them slower to extend offers to international candidates.
Be upfront about your OPT end date
Tell employers your authorization end date early, not after an offer. This lets them plan around your timeline and assess whether they can support an H-1B visa or other visa before your status expires. Surprises late in hiring slow everything down.
Line up a supervising OT before your start date
Most states require COTAs to work under an occupational therapist's supervision. Confirming that supervision structure is in place before your first day prevents compliance issues and shows employers you understand state-specific practice requirements.
Apply to STEM OPT extension-eligible programs if you qualify
OTA degrees from programs classified under a STEM CIP code may qualify for the 24-month STEM extension, giving you up to 36 months total. Check your degree classification with your DSO before assuming you're limited to 12 months.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for OPT-friendly COTA roles
Not every job posting is open to OPT candidates. Migrate Mate surfaces COTA roles from employers who have sponsored international workers before, so you spend less time filtering out positions that won't consider your work authorization status.
COTA OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a COTA on OPT?
Yes, if you graduated from an accredited occupational therapy assistant program in the U.S. OPT authorizes you to work in a job directly related to your degree field. A COTA role qualifies as long as you hold active NBCOT certification and any state licensure required where you'll be practicing.
Does my OTA degree qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your program's CIP code classification. Some OTA programs are classified under health science codes that qualify for the 24-month STEM extension, while others are not. Check with your Designated School Official before your initial OPT period ends. If you qualify, applying for the extension gives you up to 36 months of total work authorization.
How do I find COTA employers who accept OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find COTA roles from employers with a track record of hiring international workers on OPT. Filtering by visa sponsorship history saves time compared to applying broadly and discovering work authorization is a barrier only after a phone screen.
Do COTA jobs typically sponsor H-1B visas?
Some do, but it varies significantly by employer type. Large hospital systems, school districts, and national rehab networks are more likely to have sponsored H-1B workers before and have HR processes in place. Smaller private practices and home health agencies are less consistent. Asking about sponsorship willingness early in conversations is the most reliable way to gauge it.
What happens to my OPT if I work per diem or in multiple part-time COTA roles?
Per diem and part-time work counts toward your OPT authorization as long as you're working at least 20 hours per week in aggregate and each role is related to your degree field. Your DSO needs to be informed of your employment situation. Gaps exceeding 90 cumulative days of unemployment during OPT can put your status at risk, so maintaining qualifying hours across all positions matters.