OPT Welder Jobs
Welder jobs on OPT are available across manufacturing, construction, and energy sectors, with many employers filing H-2B visa or H-1B visa sponsorship for skilled tradespeople. STEM OPT does not apply to welding roles, so standard 12-month OPT authorization is the relevant window for most F-1 students pursuing this path.
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Get Access To All JobsPosition Summary:
The Welder is responsible for performing setup on all entry level welding components that range from similar to dissimilar metals and alloys requiring a high degree of skill and welding technique or involving a considerable number of parts and/or smaller more complicated weldments where alignment, dimensions and weld quality must conform to strict quality standards.
Major Responsibilities:
- Accuracy with alignment, dimensions, materials, number of components, correct corresponding machine order and general inspection requirements.
- Setup weldments per blueprint specifications.
- Mig weld to blueprint specifications.
- Tig, Arc, Stud weld and utilization of a torch.
- Properly setup welding machines to obtain proper welding penetration.
- Clean welds to check for imperfections.
- Ensure proper finish squareness.
- Interpretation of work orders, blueprints and bills of material.
- Other duties and responsibilities as required.
Required Education / Experience / Skills:
-
General supervision: routine duties are performed with minimal supervision. Standard practices or procedures allow me to proceed alone at routine work. Occasional check of work while in progress. Work is reviewed upon completion.
-
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- One-year certificate from college or technical school. Or three to six months related experience and/or training. Or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
- Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
- Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
- Basic personal computer skills.
- Prioritize tasks.
Travel: No overnight travel required.
Language: English
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Coverage
- Spending accounts (HSA, Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA)
- Paid Time Off and Holidays
- 401k Retirement Plan with Matching Employer Contributions
- Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
- Paid Leaves
- Tuition Assistance
About Regal Rexnord
Regal Rexnord is a publicly held global industrial manufacturer with 30,000 associates around the world who help create a better tomorrow by providing sustainable solutions that power, transmit and control motion. The Company’s electric motors and air moving subsystems provide the power to create motion. A portfolio of highly engineered power transmission components and subsystems efficiently transmits motion to power industrial applications. The Company’s automation offering, comprised of controls, actuators, drives, and precision motors, controls motion in applications ranging from factory automation to precision control in surgical tools.
The Company’s end markets benefit from meaningful secular demand tailwinds, and include factory automation, food & beverage, aerospace, medical, data center, warehouse, alternative energy, residential and commercial buildings, general industrial, construction, metals and mining, and agriculture.
Regal Rexnord is comprised of three operating segments: Industrial Powertrain Solutions, Power Efficiency Solutions, and Automation & Motion Control. Regal Rexnord has offices and manufacturing, sales and service facilities worldwide. For more information, including a copy of our Sustainability Report, visit RegalRexnord.com.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Regal Rexnord is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, ancestry, national origin, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status (unless required by the applicable law or government contract), disability or protected veteran status or any other status or characteristic protected by law. Regal Rexnord is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are committed to building a team that represents diverse and inclusive backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. If you’d like to view a copy of the company’s affirmative action plan for protected veterans/individuals with disabilities or policy statement, please email Recruiting@RegalRexnord.com. If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please e-mail Recruiting@RegalRexnord.com.
Notification to Agencies: Please note that Regal Rexnord Corporation and its affiliates and subsidiaries ("Regal Rexnord") do not accept unsolicited resumes or calls from third-party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Master Service Agreement or similar contract and approval from HR to submit resumes for a specific requisition, Regal Rexnord will not consider or approve payment to any third-parties for hires made.
Position Summary:
The Welder is responsible for performing setup on all entry level welding components that range from similar to dissimilar metals and alloys requiring a high degree of skill and welding technique or involving a considerable number of parts and/or smaller more complicated weldments where alignment, dimensions and weld quality must conform to strict quality standards.
Major Responsibilities:
- Accuracy with alignment, dimensions, materials, number of components, correct corresponding machine order and general inspection requirements.
- Setup weldments per blueprint specifications.
- Mig weld to blueprint specifications.
- Tig, Arc, Stud weld and utilization of a torch.
- Properly setup welding machines to obtain proper welding penetration.
- Clean welds to check for imperfections.
- Ensure proper finish squareness.
- Interpretation of work orders, blueprints and bills of material.
- Other duties and responsibilities as required.
Required Education / Experience / Skills:
-
General supervision: routine duties are performed with minimal supervision. Standard practices or procedures allow me to proceed alone at routine work. Occasional check of work while in progress. Work is reviewed upon completion.
-
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- One-year certificate from college or technical school. Or three to six months related experience and/or training. Or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
- Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
- Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
- Basic personal computer skills.
- Prioritize tasks.
Travel: No overnight travel required.
Language: English
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Coverage
- Spending accounts (HSA, Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA)
- Paid Time Off and Holidays
- 401k Retirement Plan with Matching Employer Contributions
- Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
- Paid Leaves
- Tuition Assistance
About Regal Rexnord
Regal Rexnord is a publicly held global industrial manufacturer with 30,000 associates around the world who help create a better tomorrow by providing sustainable solutions that power, transmit and control motion. The Company’s electric motors and air moving subsystems provide the power to create motion. A portfolio of highly engineered power transmission components and subsystems efficiently transmits motion to power industrial applications. The Company’s automation offering, comprised of controls, actuators, drives, and precision motors, controls motion in applications ranging from factory automation to precision control in surgical tools.
The Company’s end markets benefit from meaningful secular demand tailwinds, and include factory automation, food & beverage, aerospace, medical, data center, warehouse, alternative energy, residential and commercial buildings, general industrial, construction, metals and mining, and agriculture.
Regal Rexnord is comprised of three operating segments: Industrial Powertrain Solutions, Power Efficiency Solutions, and Automation & Motion Control. Regal Rexnord has offices and manufacturing, sales and service facilities worldwide. For more information, including a copy of our Sustainability Report, visit RegalRexnord.com.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Regal Rexnord is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, ancestry, national origin, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status (unless required by the applicable law or government contract), disability or protected veteran status or any other status or characteristic protected by law. Regal Rexnord is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are committed to building a team that represents diverse and inclusive backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. If you’d like to view a copy of the company’s affirmative action plan for protected veterans/individuals with disabilities or policy statement, please email Recruiting@RegalRexnord.com. If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please e-mail Recruiting@RegalRexnord.com.
Notification to Agencies: Please note that Regal Rexnord Corporation and its affiliates and subsidiaries ("Regal Rexnord") do not accept unsolicited resumes or calls from third-party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Master Service Agreement or similar contract and approval from HR to submit resumes for a specific requisition, Regal Rexnord will not consider or approve payment to any third-parties for hires made.
See all OPT Welder Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Welder
Target industrial manufacturers and fabrication shops
Large-scale manufacturers and structural fabrication companies hire welders in volume and are more likely to have HR infrastructure for work authorization. Focus your search on employers with 50 or more employees who regularly hire skilled tradespeople.
Highlight your AWS or other welding certifications upfront
Certifications from the American Welding Society signal job-readiness to employers unfamiliar with OPT. Listing your certification code and date prominently on your resume removes the most common reason hiring managers pass on international candidates before the first call.
Address OPT authorization early in the conversation
Employers in skilled trades are often unfamiliar with F-1 OPT. Explain clearly that you have existing work authorization, require no sponsorship to start, and that your EAD card is the only document they need to verify employment eligibility during your OPT period.
Focus on sectors with consistent workforce shortages
Aerospace, shipbuilding, and pipeline construction face persistent welder shortages, making employers in these industries more willing to invest in sponsorship after your OPT period ends. Starting in a shortage sector improves your long-term immigration options significantly.
Ask about H-2B or sponsorship pathways before accepting an offer
OPT lasts 12 months for welding roles, so it is worth asking a prospective employer whether they have sponsored workers before. Companies with prior sponsorship experience are far more likely to support you when your OPT authorization approaches its end date.
Use Migrate Mate to find OPT-friendly welder openings
Migrate Mate filters job listings by sponsorship history and OPT compatibility, saving you the time of screening employers manually. Browsing roles on Migrate Mate narrows your search to companies already familiar with hiring international workers in skilled trades positions.
Welder OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students legally work as welders in the United States?
Yes. F-1 students with an approved EAD card can work as welders during their OPT period. Welding is not a STEM-designated field, so the standard 12-month OPT window applies. Your EAD is your work authorization document and satisfies I-9 requirements with any employer.
Does welding qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
No. Welding and most skilled trades programs do not fall under STEM-designated CIP codes recognized by DHS, so the 24-month STEM OPT extension is not available for this role. F-1 students working as welders on OPT have a 12-month authorization window, after which they need employer-sponsored status such as H-2B visa or H-1B visa to continue working legally.
What visa options exist after OPT expires for welders?
The most common path for welders after OPT is H-2B, a temporary nonimmigrant visa for non-agricultural workers in occupations with demonstrated labor shortages. H-1B is theoretically available but requires a specialty occupation degree nexus that is difficult to establish for welding roles. Some employers with ongoing labor needs sponsor EB-3 green cards for skilled tradespeople, though this process takes significantly longer.
How do I find welder employers who are open to hiring OPT workers?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find welder jobs posted by employers familiar with OPT and international hiring. Beyond that, targeting large industrial manufacturers, energy contractors, and shipbuilding companies gives you the best odds, as these sectors hire welders in volume and are more experienced navigating work authorization requirements than smaller fabrication shops.
Do I need to tell a welding employer I am on OPT before they make an offer?
You are not legally required to disclose your immigration status before receiving a job offer, but most immigration attorneys recommend being upfront with employers in skilled trades, who may be unfamiliar with OPT. Framing it clearly that you already have work authorization and need no employer action to start reduces friction and avoids surprises during the I-9 verification process.