Social Worker Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California hires social workers across public agencies like the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, county behavioral health departments, and large health systems such as Kaiser Permanente and UCSF Health. Demand is strong in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento, where visa sponsorship appears most frequently for licensed clinical and healthcare social work roles.
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INTRODUCTION
Under the supervision of the Clinical Supervisor of The Margot, the Clinical Social Worker I/II (CSW I/II) works with formerly homeless individuals with mental illness, chronic physical health issues, and/or substance abusing clients to prevent homelessness and link to appropriate outpatient services. The CSW I/II will carry a caseload of residents from permanent supportive housing site The Margot and provide individual treatment including; case management services, psychotherapy, crisis intervention and 5150 assessments, substance abuse treatment, and psycho education, group treatment, community events; intake, assessment, service planning and consultation. The CSW I/II will coordinate closely with property management staff from DISH, support service partners, Compass, Margot Team members to develop successful treatment strategies. The CSW I/II will provide advocacy and coordination with other agencies, families and clients; track client contacts in the One System. They will complete assessments, referrals and linkage; coordinate closely with hospitals and clinic medical providers and the candidate will also perform other duties as assigned. Patients typically require routine assistance, individualized treatment approach and support from a community of providers. Primary emphasis in treatment is housing retention with a combination of clinical case management and advocacy and maximizing patient’s independence. The incumbent must foster and embrace the UCSF PRIDE values and work from a clinical approach and professional orientation committed to anti-racism, equity and inclusion.
The CSW I/II will work closely with the on-site team at The Margot to support residents in maintaining their housing, reducing risks and achieving their treatment goals. The CSW will provide a high caliber of services to consumers and support our team in meeting our program objectives. The incumbent will carry a caseload of residents and provide them with clinical case management, crisis intervention and housing retention services. The incumbent will also provide care coordination, consultation and advocacy with their team and partners from DISH, Compass and outside community agencies to support clients in reducing risks and maximizing housing retention. The CSW will develop individualized treatment plans, complete assessments upon move-in and every six months, respond to psychiatric, medical and housing crisis for residents at The Margot.
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION:
The Division of Citywide Case Management Programs provides comprehensive outpatient treatment to San Franciscans living with severe mental illness, often complicated by substance abuse and/or chronic medical conditions. The mission of the division is to help clients recover prior functioning, while reducing reliance on acute services, and facilitate transitions from ZFGH psychiatric inpatient, jails, or other institutions to the community.
The Citywide Team at The Margot provides mental health treatment, housing advocacy, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, and case management services to 120 formerly homeless clients residing in permanent, supportive housing site at 1321 Mission St, subsidized through the Dept of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. The program's mission is to help residents maintain housing and support their recovery with comprehensive clinical and case management services along with building community and fostering partnerships with property management and other supportive services providers on-site. Funding comes from the SF Department of Public Health, Human Services Agency. The incumbent needs to work collaboratively with core partners, DISH and Compass as well as community agencies and partners to ensure that tenant’s rights and responsibilities are attended to, while treatment and case management needs are addressed.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Master’s in Social Work (MSW)
- CSW I: Master’s degree in social work, psychology or related field from an accredited university and knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position
- CSW II: Master’s degree in social work, psychology or related field from an accredited university and possession of the requirements necessary for application for licensure as determined by the California Board of Behavioral Science and knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position
- You must be registered with the BBS or be in the process of registration
- Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or related field from an accredited university and registered with the Board of Behavioral Science as An Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) or Intern Marriage Family Therapist (IMFT), Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) or an equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
- Knowledge of psychiatric service operations and ability to apply concepts in an acute care setting.
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with populations that is diverse in gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.
- Ability to work cooperatively and communicate effectively with others. Ability to work in a high stress, high volume area and work well under pressure and with deadlines. Ability to follow oral and written instructions accurately; detail oriented. Able to efficiently prepare written summaries of activities, set priorities and complete reports within required time frames. Knowledge of medical and/or psychiatric terminology.
- Ability to work with clients and program staff from diverse cultural and social class backgrounds.
- Ability to ensure patient care service standards are consistently met; assists staff with managing challenging patient interactions with sensitivity and skill.
- The ability to do outreach to client units and in the community at inpatient hospitals and other community locations.
- One year experience doing community based case management and the ability to do outreach and crisis intervention to residents in their units.
PREFERRED:
- Two years working with severely mentally ill adults, the homeless and dual diagnosed populations.
- Two years’ experience working with individuals actively involved in the SF Homelessness Response System
- Demonstrated ability to work within multidisciplinary team to support clients
- Spanish language fluency adequate to provide therapy and clinical services to clients in this language
- Experience with SF ONE System
- Commitment to social justice & anti-racism
- Prior related experience in the homelessness response system of SF
- Demonstrated understanding of Harm Reduction, The Recovery Model and Housing First Model
LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS:
- You must be registered with the BBS or be in the process of registration
- Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or related field from an accredited university and registered with the Board of Behavioral Science as An Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) or Intern Marriage Family Therapist (IMFT), Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) or an equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
About UCSF
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences. We bring together the world’s leading experts in nearly every area of health. We are home to five Nobel laureates who have advanced the understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging and stem cells.
Pride Values
UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence – also known as our PRIDE values.
In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity – both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care.
Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.
Equal Employment Opportunity
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 status under state or federal law.
Salary Information
The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy.
Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.
Social Worker Job Roles in California
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Search Social Worker Jobs in CaliforniaSocial Worker Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for social workers in California?
Large healthcare employers are among the most active sponsors for social workers in California. Kaiser Permanente, UCSF Health, Cedars-Sinai, and Dignity Health have sponsored social work roles through H-1B visa petitions in recent years. County agencies, including Los Angeles County DCFS and Alameda County Behavioral Health, also hire social workers, though public agency sponsorship varies by department and funding cycle.
Which visa types are most common for social worker roles in California?
The H-1B is the most common visa for social workers in California. Licensed clinical social work roles typically qualify as specialty occupations because they require a Master of Social Work degree. Some employers in academic medical centers also sponsor J-1 visa exchange visitor visas for clinical training positions. Canadian and Mexican nationals in social work may qualify for TN visa status under the professional category for social workers.
Which cities in California have the most social worker sponsorship jobs?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento concentrate the highest volume of social worker sponsorship opportunities in California. Los Angeles has the largest public child welfare and behavioral health infrastructure in the state. The San Francisco Bay Area sees demand driven by healthcare systems and nonprofit organizations. San Diego and Sacramento have active county behavioral health and veterans services hiring pipelines.
How to find social worker visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it easier to identify California employers actively open to sponsoring social workers rather than sorting through listings that don't address immigration. You can filter by state and role type to find licensed clinical, healthcare, and school social work positions in California where sponsorship has been offered. It's a practical starting point given how inconsistently sponsorship information appears in standard job postings.
Are there any California-specific considerations for social workers seeking visa sponsorship?
California requires a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential for most clinical roles, which involves supervised hours that can take two or more years post-degree to complete. Employers sponsoring international social workers typically need candidates who already hold licensure or are close to qualifying. California's prevailing wage requirements under H-1B rules apply, and the state's high cost of living in metro areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles is reflected in those wage determinations.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored social worker 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.