OPT Psychotherapist Jobs
Psychotherapist jobs on OPT require employers willing to sponsor your work authorization after OPT ends, typically through an H-1B visa. Most roles require a master's degree or higher in counseling, social work, or a related field, and state licensure adds another layer of planning for international students.
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Get Access To All JobsTotal Rewards:
OSF HealthCare is dedicated to provide Mission Partners with a comprehensive and market-competitive total rewards package that includes benefits, compensation, recognition and well-being offerings that focus on the whole person and engage with their current stage of life and career. Click here to learn more about benefits and the total rewards at OSF.
This is a Salaried position.
Overview:
Sign On Bonus - $10000
JOB SPECIFICS
This Psychotherapist is a behavioral and mental health counselor responsible for providing direct patient care. This includes, but is not limited to comprehensive intake assessments, treatment planning, promoting patient progress with goals, individual, couples, family, or group therapy. This person will effectively manage a patient caseload and demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care that is appropriate to the age and diagnoses of the patients served.
BENEFITS & PERKS
OSF HealthCare offers a comprehensive Compensation and Total Rewards Package which includes:
-
Generous paid time off!
-
Vacation and holiday time off to get away and recharge
-
Well-being time for self-care, mission trips, or whatever makes you happy!
-
Sick leave for you or to care for an ill-family member
-
CME time and dollars
-
Health, life, dental, and retirement plans
-
Paid occurrence based malpractice
-
Concierge relocation services
-
Student Loan repayment counseling
-
Career Development through our Physician Leadership Academy
-
Clinical base hourly pay range for this position: $32.87 - $38.66 hr. This is a salaried position.
-
Range shown should be used as an estimate and can be impacted by many factors including but not limited to the critical need of the position, overall experience and qualifications, community need, and other considerations. Additional compensation components may be applicable such as bonuses or incentives which may or may not be based on metric achievement.
THE OSF COMMUNITY
Six years in a row, OSF has been recognized on the Forbes list of Best Employers by State.
Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
Master’s Degree in counseling or social work
Licensure/Certifications:
Michigan licensure as a LCPC or LCSW. If hired into a Rural Health Clinic location (RHC) BLS certification will be required.
Other skills or knowledge:
Interpersonal skills necessary to effectively provide quality patient care. Required to demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development as well as physical, emotional, and psycho-social needs of the patient population served. Proven skills in written/verbal communications, problem solving, independent problem solving, decision making abilities, creativity, prioritization/delegation and necessary computer-related skill.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience:
2 years of experience post master’s degree completion.
2 years of experience working with the age and diagnoses of the population served.
Experience working in a multidisciplinary team setting.
OSF HealthCare is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Total Rewards:
OSF HealthCare is dedicated to provide Mission Partners with a comprehensive and market-competitive total rewards package that includes benefits, compensation, recognition and well-being offerings that focus on the whole person and engage with their current stage of life and career. Click here to learn more about benefits and the total rewards at OSF.
This is a Salaried position.
Overview:
Sign On Bonus - $10000
JOB SPECIFICS
This Psychotherapist is a behavioral and mental health counselor responsible for providing direct patient care. This includes, but is not limited to comprehensive intake assessments, treatment planning, promoting patient progress with goals, individual, couples, family, or group therapy. This person will effectively manage a patient caseload and demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care that is appropriate to the age and diagnoses of the patients served.
BENEFITS & PERKS
OSF HealthCare offers a comprehensive Compensation and Total Rewards Package which includes:
-
Generous paid time off!
-
Vacation and holiday time off to get away and recharge
-
Well-being time for self-care, mission trips, or whatever makes you happy!
-
Sick leave for you or to care for an ill-family member
-
CME time and dollars
-
Health, life, dental, and retirement plans
-
Paid occurrence based malpractice
-
Concierge relocation services
-
Student Loan repayment counseling
-
Career Development through our Physician Leadership Academy
-
Clinical base hourly pay range for this position: $32.87 - $38.66 hr. This is a salaried position.
-
Range shown should be used as an estimate and can be impacted by many factors including but not limited to the critical need of the position, overall experience and qualifications, community need, and other considerations. Additional compensation components may be applicable such as bonuses or incentives which may or may not be based on metric achievement.
THE OSF COMMUNITY
Six years in a row, OSF has been recognized on the Forbes list of Best Employers by State.
Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
Master’s Degree in counseling or social work
Licensure/Certifications:
Michigan licensure as a LCPC or LCSW. If hired into a Rural Health Clinic location (RHC) BLS certification will be required.
Other skills or knowledge:
Interpersonal skills necessary to effectively provide quality patient care. Required to demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development as well as physical, emotional, and psycho-social needs of the patient population served. Proven skills in written/verbal communications, problem solving, independent problem solving, decision making abilities, creativity, prioritization/delegation and necessary computer-related skill.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience:
2 years of experience post master’s degree completion.
2 years of experience working with the age and diagnoses of the population served.
Experience working in a multidisciplinary team setting.
OSF HealthCare is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
See all 5,558+ OPT Psychotherapist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Psychotherapist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Psychotherapist
Target licensure-track employers early
Many states require supervised clinical hours before full licensure. Seek employers who explicitly support associate licensure for OPT holders, since unlicensed practice may restrict your billable scope and limit which positions you can legally accept during your OPT period.
Prioritize community mental health centers
Community mental health organizations, federally qualified health centers, and nonprofit behavioral health agencies are more accustomed to sponsoring international clinicians. They often have established HR processes for work authorization support and are more open to H-1B visa petitions.
Clarify your OPT timeline upfront
Be transparent with employers about your OPT end date and H-1B lottery timing. STEM OPT extension does not apply to this field, so employers need to understand the hard deadline and commit to filing your H-1B petition before April 1.
Align your degree to the specialty occupation standard
Psychotherapist roles must qualify as specialty occupations for H-1B sponsorship. Ensure your offer letter specifies that a master's or doctoral degree in a defined clinical field is required, not merely preferred, which strengthens the specialty occupation argument significantly.
Research state-by-state licensure portability
Licensure requirements differ significantly across states. Before accepting a position, verify whether your degree and supervised hours meet that state's requirements, since transferring your license later can delay employment authorization and complicate any future visa sponsorship paperwork.
Ask directly about H-1B sponsorship history
During interviews, ask whether the organization has previously sponsored H-1B or other work visas for clinical staff. Employers with prior sponsorship experience move faster and make fewer errors, which materially reduces your risk of filing delays.
Psychotherapist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Psychotherapist on OPT without a full state license?
Yes, in most states you can work under an associate or provisional license title while accruing supervised hours toward full licensure. Your OPT authorization covers the position, not the license level, so you can legally work as a supervised clinician. Confirm with your specific state's licensing board, since a few states prohibit unlicensed practice entirely even under supervision.
Does STEM OPT extension apply to Psychotherapist roles?
No. Psychotherapy, counseling, and clinical social work programs are not classified under STEM-designated CIP codes, so you are not eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Your standard OPT is 12 months. This makes H-1B sponsorship planning especially time-sensitive, and you should begin conversations with prospective employers well before your OPT authorization expires.
How do I find Psychotherapist employers who sponsor OPT and H-1B visas?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship willingness, making it the most direct way to find Psychotherapist employers open to OPT and H-1B support. Community mental health centers, hospital-based behavioral health departments, and large nonprofit health systems are the most common sponsors in this field. Avoid smaller private practices, which rarely have the infrastructure to support visa sponsorship.
Does my psychotherapy job need to qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Yes. For an employer to sponsor your H-1B after OPT, the Psychotherapist role must meet USCIS's specialty occupation standard, meaning it normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. Master's-level clinical roles generally meet this standard comfortably. The offer letter should specify the degree requirement as mandatory, not preferred, to avoid complications during USCIS review.
Can I switch employers while on OPT if my first employer won't sponsor my H-1B?
Yes, you can change employers during OPT as long as your new position is related to your degree field and you update your SEVIS record through your DSO within ten days. If your initial employer declines to sponsor an H-1B, finding a new sponsoring employer before your OPT expires is critical. Starting that search early gives you the best chance of securing sponsorship before the April H-1B filing window.