Arborist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois
Arborist visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois draw international candidates to a state with extensive urban forestry programs, forest preserves, and municipal tree care contracts. Chicago's park district, Davey Tree Expert Company, and regional utility contractors employ certified arborists across Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties, creating steady demand for tree care professionals with specialized credentials.
Find Arborist JobsOverview
Showing 1 of 18+ Arborist Jobs in Illinois with Visa Sponsorship


See all Arborist Jobs in Illinois with Visa Sponsorship
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Arborist Jobs in Illinois with Visa Sponsorship.
Get Access To All Jobs
Climbing Arborist Crew Leader | Burr Ridge, IL
Company: The Davey Tree Expert Company
Locations: Burr Ridge, IL
Work Site: On Site
Req ID: 230383
Position Overview
Directs crew members and equipment and plans and executes assigned work or tasks by performing the following duties.
Job Duties
What You’ll Do:
- Climb Trees! Davey offers both DdRT/MRS and SRT/SRS climbing systems.
- Safely and productively lead a crew in providing arboricultural care for our clients.
- Including but not limited to:
- Jobsite Hazards, Obstacles, Plan, Equipment (H.O.P.E) process
- Pruning, thinning and removing deadwood throughout the tree canopy
- Installation of cables, bracing and lightning protection systems
- Removal of hazardous trees
- Mentor crew members through the Davey Career Development Program.
- Properly maintain, prepare and operate all tools and equipment including chainsaws, chippers, aerial lifts and more.
Qualifications
What We’re Looking for:
- Love of the outdoors
- Ability to complete the Davey Tree Trimmer Orientation Program upon hire
- Ability to complete the Davey Tree First Aid, CPR and defensive driving course upon hire
- Preferred: Relevant pesticide and related licenses and certificates
- Preferred: ISA Certified Arborist ®, ISA Certified Tree Worker ®, and/or TCIA Certified Tree Care Safety Professional ®
Additional Information
What We Offer:
- Paid time off and paid holidays
- Opportunities for advancement
- All job specific equipment and safety gear provided
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with a company match
- Employee-owned company & discounted stock purchase options
- Group Health Plan
- Employee referral bonus program
- Locations throughout US in major cities and desirable areas
- Career Development Program supported by Industry Expert Safety Specialists & Skills Trainers
- Scholarship Program for Children of Employees
- Charitable matching gift program
- Starting pay range is $30-40 per hour and up, dependent on experience and skill level
- All listed benefits available to eligible employees
Company Overview
Invest in your future. Join one of the largest employee owned companies in the nation! Davey has a unique culture that focuses on the open exchange of ideas, community partnerships, a commitment to safety and delivering unrivaled client service while acting as industry leaders in horticultural and environmental services.
We are currently looking to add a dynamic Climbing Arborist Crew Leader to our passionate team of tree care professionals. Your office is outdoors, and you get a new view every day!
Divisional Overview
The Davey Tree Expert Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected class, including race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, marital or familial status, disability, status as a protected veteran, status as an Aboriginal or Indigenous person, or other classification protected by law.
The Davey Tree Expert Company provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. We care about our clients, each other and the world around us. We offer the resources, size and stability of a big company while maintaining the culture, entrepreneurial spirit and feel of a small one. We invest in our employees by offering industry-leading training, technology and benefits that lead to a rewarding and safe work experience at all levels. Wherever you want to grow your career, there’s a place for you at Davey. To learn more, visit Davey.com.
Accommodations: If requested by employee or otherwise as required by law, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
If you need assistance at any time, please contact us at 1-877-411-7601 or at Recruiting@davey.com.
Employment Type: Permanent
Job Type: Full Time
Travel Expectations: Up to 25%
Arborist Job Roles in Illinois
See all Arborist Jobs in Illinois
Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.
Search Arborist Jobs in IllinoisArborist Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which visa types realistically fit arborist roles in Illinois?
Arborist roles are hands-on trade positions, not specialty occupations requiring a directly related bachelor's degree, so H-1B visa does not typically apply. The most realistic path for temporary workers is H-2B visa, which covers seasonal or temporary non-agricultural outdoor work like tree trimming and removal. Canadian and Mexican nationals cannot use TN visa for arborist work, as it is not a USMCA-listed profession. F-1 students may use OPT if the role relates to their field of study.
Which companies sponsor visas for arborists in Illinois?
Davey Tree Expert Company operates extensively across the Chicago metropolitan area and has a history of hiring skilled arborists. Bartlett Tree Experts and SavATree maintain Illinois branches serving residential and commercial clients. The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation and municipal forestry divisions in Naperville, Evanston, and Rockford also employ arborists, though government positions may have additional work authorization requirements. Utility contractors servicing ComEd infrastructure hire seasonal crews under H-2B programs.
Which cities in Illinois have the most arborist sponsorship jobs?
Chicago and its collar counties, particularly DuPage, Lake, and Kane, concentrate the highest arborist hiring activity in Illinois due to dense urban tree canopies, aging infrastructure, and large forest preserve systems. Naperville, Evanston, and Aurora have active municipal forestry programs. Downstate cities including Springfield, Peoria, and Champaign-Urbana also post arborist openings, particularly tied to university campuses and state park maintenance contracts throughout central and southern Illinois.
How to find arborist visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find arborist visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois, as the platform shows employers with verified sponsorship filing history filtered to tree care and outdoor skilled trades roles in the state. Searching by city lets you compare opportunities in Chicago, Naperville, or Rockford without manually sorting through general job boards. Focusing on employers with prior H-2B certification history gives the clearest signal of genuine sponsorship intent for arborist positions.
Are there state-specific factors that affect arborist sponsorship in Illinois?
Illinois requires commercial arborists operating on public property in many municipalities to hold ISA Certified Arborist credentials or meet local licensing standards, which can affect whether an employer will sponsor an international candidate who has not yet obtained those certifications. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages state forestry programs that create seasonal demand. Illinois also has a strong utility vegetation management sector tied to ComEd contracts, which historically uses H-2B workers for peak storm-response and line-clearing seasons.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored arborist jobs in Illinois?
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.