Lead Therapist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Lead therapist visa sponsorship jobs in California span large health systems like Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, and Dignity Health, alongside community mental health centers concentrated in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento. California's high demand for clinical leadership in behavioral health and rehabilitation makes it one of the most active states for internationally sponsored lead therapist positions.
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UCI Health is one of California's largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health - Orange, UCI Health - Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties.
As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education.
Responsibilities:
Position Summary: The Respiratory Therapist II – Lead assists the Supervisor with overseeing the daily operations and making day-to-day operational decisions for the department respiratory therapists, maintaining equipment, ensuring quality, and cost management. The incumbent is responsible for evaluating pulmonary dysfunction and performing cardiopulmonary procedures to treat and care for the patient employing respiratory therapy and ventilatory assistance. Additionally, provides day-to-day operational direction, within their realm, to the team and offers essential support, resources and guidance to each co-worker, enabling them to perform their duties well.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications:
- Must be a graduate of an AMA-approved Respiratory Care Program.
- Must be a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
- Five (5) years’ experience as a licensed respiratory care practitioner, with a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in the work areas associated with certifications held.
- Current RCP License in good standing.
- Current Pediatric Advanced Life Support (Required). Current coworkers will be grandfathered until December 31st, 2027, at which time, will be required to have PALS credentials.
- Current Neonatal Resuscitation Protocol (Required at Academic Medical Center Locations and Fountain Valley).
- Current Basic Life Support (Required).
- Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (Required).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hold current Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS), Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist (NPS), and/or Asthma Educator Specialist (AE-C) credentials from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) or are in the process of obtaining them.
- Bachelor’s degree.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Basic Life Support.
Education:
TOTAL REWARDS
We offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:
- Background Check and Live Scan.
- Employment Misconduct*.
- Legal Right to Work in the United States.
- Vaccination Policies.
- Smoking and Tobacco Policy.
- Drug Free Environment.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.
- California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.
- E-Verify.
- Pre-Placement Health Evaluation.
Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page: https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php
CLOSING STATEMENT:
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.
We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.
UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact UCI's Employee Experience Center (EEC) at eec@uci.edu or at (949) 824-0500, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Overview:
UCI Health is one of California's largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health - Orange, UCI Health - Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties.
As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education.
Responsibilities:
Position Summary: The Respiratory Therapist II – Lead assists the Supervisor with overseeing the daily operations and making day-to-day operational decisions for the department respiratory therapists, maintaining equipment, ensuring quality, and cost management. The incumbent is responsible for evaluating pulmonary dysfunction and performing cardiopulmonary procedures to treat and care for the patient employing respiratory therapy and ventilatory assistance. Additionally, provides day-to-day operational direction, within their realm, to the team and offers essential support, resources and guidance to each co-worker, enabling them to perform their duties well.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications:
- Must be a graduate of an AMA-approved Respiratory Care Program.
- Must be a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
- Five (5) years’ experience as a licensed respiratory care practitioner, with a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in the work areas associated with certifications held.
- Current RCP License in good standing.
- Current Pediatric Advanced Life Support (Required). Current coworkers will be grandfathered until December 31st, 2027, at which time, will be required to have PALS credentials.
- Current Neonatal Resuscitation Protocol (Required at Academic Medical Center Locations and Fountain Valley).
- Current Basic Life Support (Required).
- Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (Required).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hold current Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS), Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist (NPS), and/or Asthma Educator Specialist (AE-C) credentials from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) or are in the process of obtaining them.
- Bachelor’s degree.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Basic Life Support.
Education:
TOTAL REWARDS
We offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:
- Background Check and Live Scan.
- Employment Misconduct*.
- Legal Right to Work in the United States.
- Vaccination Policies.
- Smoking and Tobacco Policy.
- Drug Free Environment.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.
- California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.
- E-Verify.
- Pre-Placement Health Evaluation.
Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page: https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php
CLOSING STATEMENT:
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.
We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.
UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact UCI's Employee Experience Center (EEC) at eec@uci.edu or at (949) 824-0500, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lead Therapist Job Roles in California
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Search Lead Therapist Jobs in CaliforniaLead Therapist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which visa types realistically fit lead therapist roles in California?
Lead therapist positions typically qualify for H-1B visa status as a specialty occupation requiring a master's or doctoral degree in a directly related clinical field such as marriage and family therapy, occupational therapy, or psychology. Physical therapists and occupational therapists from Australia may also qualify for the E-3 visa. Canadian and Mexican physical therapists and occupational therapists may qualify under H-1B1 visa or H-1B visa respectively. TN visa does not cover lead therapist roles broadly. EB-2 and EB-3 green card pathways are also available for experienced clinicians through employer-sponsored PERM labor certification.
Which companies sponsor visas for lead therapists in California?
Large integrated health systems with established immigration programs include Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, Dignity Health, and Stanford Health Care. Behavioral health organizations such as Telecare Corporation and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Los Angeles have also sponsored clinical leadership roles. Rehabilitation-focused employers including Encompass Health and Select Medical operate California facilities and have H-1B filing histories. University-affiliated medical centers such as UCSF Health and UCLA Health are additional active sponsors.
Which cities in California have the most lead therapist sponsorship jobs?
Los Angeles has the highest concentration of sponsored lead therapist openings, driven by its large hospital networks and community mental health infrastructure. San Francisco and the broader Bay Area follow closely, with strong demand from academic medical centers and technology-sector employee assistance programs. San Diego benefits from proximity to military health facilities and research hospitals, while Sacramento's growth in community behavioral health services has expanded sponsorship opportunities in the state capital region.
How to find lead therapist visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists California lead therapist roles specifically filtered to employers with verified visa sponsorship history, so you can focus on organizations that have filed for clinical positions before. Search by city to compare openings across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Each listing on Migrate Mate reflects employer LCA filing activity, giving you a practical starting point for targeting health systems and behavioral health organizations that actively support international clinical staff.
What state-specific factors should international lead therapists consider when targeting California?
California requires licensure through the relevant state board before clinical practice can begin, so international candidates must account for credential evaluation and licensure timelines alongside visa processing. California's Board of Behavioral Sciences, Board of Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy Board each have their own requirements for internationally trained applicants. Many California health systems also prioritize candidates with supervised post-graduate hours already completed, since H-1B sponsorship is easier to initiate once a candidate is license-eligible rather than mid-process.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored lead therapist jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.