OPT RN Staff Nurse Jobs
RN Staff Nurse roles are among the most consistently sponsored positions for OPT students with nursing degrees. Hospitals and health systems routinely file H-1B visa petitions for registered nurses, making this one of the stronger pathways from OPT to long-term work authorization. Clinical experience during your OPT period strengthens both your resume and your sponsorship case.
See All OPT RN Staff Nurse JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 348+ RN Staff Nurse jobs
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all 348+ RN Staff Nurse Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new RN Staff Nurse roles.
Get Access To All JobsRN, Staff Nurse - Baroness Hospital - ICU Float Pool - Full-time (47023) - Erlanger Baroness Hospital Chattanooga, TN
Job Summary:
A registered professional nurse employed by Erlanger Medical Center is responsible for direct and/or indirect care of the patient.
Education:
Required: Graduate from an accredited School of Nursing. BLS Certified.
Preferred: ACLS; Critical Care Course
Experience:
Required: Knowledge of general nursing principles and practice skills; knowledge of organizational functions, and regulations; knowledge of current trends and new developments; knowledge of principles and practices of nursing, applicable to those areas requiring special education.
Preferred: N/A
Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration
Required: Current licensure to practice nursing in the State of Tennessee. BLS completed prior to going to the unit/department and maintained going forward.
The Nurse Licensure Compact will not change how to obtain or renew a Tennessee license. However, the Tennessee nursing license will be a single state license for Tennessee Residents or non-compact state residents. Tennessee licensure or multistate licensure from a compact state must be obtained within three months of hire for non-Tennessee residents.
Preferred: N/A
Department Position Summary:
The Admissions Unit Nurse must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in the Admissions Unit. The nurse must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient’s acute or critical status and interpret and respond appropriately to the identified information. A Registered Nurse in the Admissions Unit ICU unit must be familiar with the care of a diverse population and be able to prioritize care; be able to maintain flexibility and float as needed to provide critical care in various settings in addition to the Admissions Unit. The nurse will assist the admitting physician in determining the plan of care for patients transferring in to the Erlanger system. The nurse will provide care as needed per described unit's policies and procedures, assist co-workers processing monitored and med surg patients and provide charge relief duties for the Admissions Unit. Ability to assess patients, select, develop, implement and evaluate plan of care. Ability to administer pharmacological drugs as ordered, perform procedures and operate equipment necessary for patient care as assigned. The primary objective of the ICU component of the Admissions Unit is to process admitted patients prior to transferring to an inpatient bed, receiving transfers from other facilities and implement and provide critical care to patients for a varied length of time.
RN, Staff Nurse - Baroness Hospital - ICU Float Pool - Full-time (47023) - Erlanger Baroness Hospital Chattanooga, TN
Job Summary:
A registered professional nurse employed by Erlanger Medical Center is responsible for direct and/or indirect care of the patient.
Education:
Required: Graduate from an accredited School of Nursing. BLS Certified.
Preferred: ACLS; Critical Care Course
Experience:
Required: Knowledge of general nursing principles and practice skills; knowledge of organizational functions, and regulations; knowledge of current trends and new developments; knowledge of principles and practices of nursing, applicable to those areas requiring special education.
Preferred: N/A
Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration
Required: Current licensure to practice nursing in the State of Tennessee. BLS completed prior to going to the unit/department and maintained going forward.
The Nurse Licensure Compact will not change how to obtain or renew a Tennessee license. However, the Tennessee nursing license will be a single state license for Tennessee Residents or non-compact state residents. Tennessee licensure or multistate licensure from a compact state must be obtained within three months of hire for non-Tennessee residents.
Preferred: N/A
Department Position Summary:
The Admissions Unit Nurse must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in the Admissions Unit. The nurse must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient’s acute or critical status and interpret and respond appropriately to the identified information. A Registered Nurse in the Admissions Unit ICU unit must be familiar with the care of a diverse population and be able to prioritize care; be able to maintain flexibility and float as needed to provide critical care in various settings in addition to the Admissions Unit. The nurse will assist the admitting physician in determining the plan of care for patients transferring in to the Erlanger system. The nurse will provide care as needed per described unit's policies and procedures, assist co-workers processing monitored and med surg patients and provide charge relief duties for the Admissions Unit. Ability to assess patients, select, develop, implement and evaluate plan of care. Ability to administer pharmacological drugs as ordered, perform procedures and operate equipment necessary for patient care as assigned. The primary objective of the ICU component of the Admissions Unit is to process admitted patients prior to transferring to an inpatient bed, receiving transfers from other facilities and implement and provide critical care to patients for a varied length of time.
See all 348+ OPT RN Staff Nurse Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT RN Staff Nurse Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a RN Staff Nurse
Target large hospital systems first
Large hospital networks and academic medical centers have established immigration teams and sponsor H-1B visas regularly. They're more likely to have a process in place than smaller clinics or outpatient facilities, which reduces friction when you ask about sponsorship.
Get your NCLEX and state license before you apply
Most employers won't start OPT paperwork until you hold an active RN license in their state. Passing NCLEX and completing state licensure before job hunting removes a major barrier and signals you're ready to work immediately.
Ask about sponsorship during the offer stage, not after
Raise H-1B sponsorship during offer negotiations, not after you've accepted. Asking early gives both sides time to confirm the employer's willingness and allows their legal team to assess your timeline against your OPT expiration date.
Track your OPT end date against the H-1B cap deadline
H-1B cap-season registrations open in March for an October 1 start. If your OPT expires before October 1, you'll need a cap-gap extension or a different strategy. Map your OPT end date against this timeline before accepting any offer.
Highlight specialty certifications to stand out
Certifications like BLS, ACLS, or specialty credentials in ICU, ER, or labor and delivery make you more competitive. Employers sponsoring visas want candidates who reduce training costs, and specialty-ready nurses demonstrate immediate clinical value.
Prioritize employers with a history of nursing sponsorship
Not every hospital that hires nurses will sponsor visas. Search for employers with documented H-1B filing histories for RN roles, and focus your applications there. Migrate Mate surfaces OPT-friendly employers so you're not guessing.
RN Staff Nurse OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an RN Staff Nurse on OPT?
Yes, F-1 students who have completed a nursing degree and hold an active state RN license can work as an RN Staff Nurse on OPT. Your OPT must be in a field directly related to your degree, and nursing roles from an accredited nursing program meet that requirement. Standard OPT gives you 12 months of work authorization.
Do RN Staff Nurse jobs qualify for STEM OPT extension?
Nursing degrees are generally not classified under STEM-designated CIP codes, which means most RN Staff Nurse positions do not qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. If your degree was in a STEM-adjacent field such as biomedical informatics or health informatics, check your specific CIP code with your DSO to confirm eligibility before assuming you qualify.
How do I find RN Staff Nurse employers who sponsor OPT students?
The most efficient approach is to focus on employers with a documented history of sponsoring nurses for H-1B visas. Migrate Mate curates a job board specifically for OPT students, making it easier to identify nursing employers who are open to sponsoring international candidates rather than filtering through postings that won't lead anywhere.
What happens to my OPT if I switch hospitals as an RN?
You can change employers during OPT as long as the new role is directly related to your nursing degree. You must report the change to your DSO within 10 days through your school's SEVIS reporting system. There's no formal USCIS approval needed to switch, but your new employer will need to verify your OPT Employment Authorization Document before you start.
Will hospitals sponsor an H-1B visa for RN Staff Nurses?
Many large hospital systems and academic medical centers do sponsor H-1B visas for registered nurses, though it varies significantly by employer size and staffing needs. Nursing qualifies as a specialty occupation under H-1B requirements because the role typically requires at minimum a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Smaller outpatient clinics are less likely to sponsor, so targeting larger health systems improves your odds considerably.