Social Work Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Kentucky
Social work visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky are available across healthcare systems, state agencies, and nonprofits. Major employers include Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and organizations serving Louisville, Lexington, and rural Appalachian communities. International social workers with MSW credentials find active hiring pipelines across clinical, child welfare, and behavioral health settings.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Title: Assistant Professor in Social Work
Requisition Number: FE04970
Department Name: 8T110:College of Social Work
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Tenure Track
Required Education
PhD in Social Work, Sociology, Criminal Justice, or related field (ABD will be considered)
Required Related Experience
- Strong potential for securing external funding and producing high-quality scholarship.
- Ability to foster, develop, and/or maintain positive professional relationships with local, state, federal, and private social work focused agencies/organizations/associations.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK (CoSW) is a renowned leader in higher education. Our mission is clear: Through rigorous research, excellence in instruction, and steadfast service, the CoSW works to improve the human condition. Always, in all ways.
As the state’s flagship university, CoSW is committed to actualizing our mission through innovative, accessible academic programming. CoSW is home to several undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, including: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (traditional and online), Master of Science in Criminal Justice (online), Master of Social Work (hybrid and online), Doctorate of Social Work (online), Ph.D. in Social Work (traditional), and multiple certificate programs. In addition to Lexington’s main campus, we have a satellite campus at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.
To continue to advance our support infrastructure for CoSW, we invite applicants for a 9-month, tenure eligible, Assistant Professor in Social Work position in the Regular Title Series to begin as early as Spring or Fall 2027.
The University’s mission involves three primary functions across our faculty cohort: instruction, research, and service. Each year, various ranking faculty work with the Office of the Dean to delineate their distribution of effort (DOE). This DOE outlines how faculty will spend their time. In general, DOE for faculty members in the Regular Title Series typically includes allocations in the areas of instruction, research, and service. Of course, the DOE can fluctuate depending on an array of factors (e.g., grant funding, new course development, service to the college, etc.).
While the DOE is reviewed on an ongoing basis, faculty are expected to develop and maintain a dynamic, externally funded research program and strong record of high-impact scholarship (e.g., publications, presentations, etc.). In addition, successful candidates are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses. It is expected that work in this faculty appointment, including but not limited to course instruction, office hours, administrative meetings, and attending college-wide events such as faculty meetings, will occur on-site.
Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits
Minimum Requirements
- PhD in Social Work, Sociology, Criminal Justice, or related field (ABD will be considered)
- Strong potential for securing external funding and producing high-quality scholarship
- Ability to foster, develop, and/or maintain positive professional relationships with local, state, federal, and private social work focused agencies/organizations/associations
Procedure for Candidacy
Applicants are requested to submit the following:
- Letter of interest detailing applicant’s goodness of fit for the position, a brief discussion of research agenda, and relevant teaching experience (upload as Cover Letter)
- Curriculum Vitae (upload as Resume)
- Research statement that summarizes applicant’s current interests, trajectory, and impact on the social work field (upload as Specific Request #1)
- Contact information for at least three professional references (upload as Specific Request #2)
We anticipate this search will run from October through December 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until positions are filled.
Inquiries about the position can be emailed to UKCOSW@uky.edu.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No
Preferred Education/Experience
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled: Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Job Title: Assistant Professor in Social Work
Requisition Number: FE04970
Department Name: 8T110:College of Social Work
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Tenure Track
Required Education
PhD in Social Work, Sociology, Criminal Justice, or related field (ABD will be considered)
Required Related Experience
- Strong potential for securing external funding and producing high-quality scholarship.
- Ability to foster, develop, and/or maintain positive professional relationships with local, state, federal, and private social work focused agencies/organizations/associations.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK (CoSW) is a renowned leader in higher education. Our mission is clear: Through rigorous research, excellence in instruction, and steadfast service, the CoSW works to improve the human condition. Always, in all ways.
As the state’s flagship university, CoSW is committed to actualizing our mission through innovative, accessible academic programming. CoSW is home to several undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, including: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (traditional and online), Master of Science in Criminal Justice (online), Master of Social Work (hybrid and online), Doctorate of Social Work (online), Ph.D. in Social Work (traditional), and multiple certificate programs. In addition to Lexington’s main campus, we have a satellite campus at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.
To continue to advance our support infrastructure for CoSW, we invite applicants for a 9-month, tenure eligible, Assistant Professor in Social Work position in the Regular Title Series to begin as early as Spring or Fall 2027.
The University’s mission involves three primary functions across our faculty cohort: instruction, research, and service. Each year, various ranking faculty work with the Office of the Dean to delineate their distribution of effort (DOE). This DOE outlines how faculty will spend their time. In general, DOE for faculty members in the Regular Title Series typically includes allocations in the areas of instruction, research, and service. Of course, the DOE can fluctuate depending on an array of factors (e.g., grant funding, new course development, service to the college, etc.).
While the DOE is reviewed on an ongoing basis, faculty are expected to develop and maintain a dynamic, externally funded research program and strong record of high-impact scholarship (e.g., publications, presentations, etc.). In addition, successful candidates are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses. It is expected that work in this faculty appointment, including but not limited to course instruction, office hours, administrative meetings, and attending college-wide events such as faculty meetings, will occur on-site.
Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits
Minimum Requirements
- PhD in Social Work, Sociology, Criminal Justice, or related field (ABD will be considered)
- Strong potential for securing external funding and producing high-quality scholarship
- Ability to foster, develop, and/or maintain positive professional relationships with local, state, federal, and private social work focused agencies/organizations/associations
Procedure for Candidacy
Applicants are requested to submit the following:
- Letter of interest detailing applicant’s goodness of fit for the position, a brief discussion of research agenda, and relevant teaching experience (upload as Cover Letter)
- Curriculum Vitae (upload as Resume)
- Research statement that summarizes applicant’s current interests, trajectory, and impact on the social work field (upload as Specific Request #1)
- Contact information for at least three professional references (upload as Specific Request #2)
We anticipate this search will run from October through December 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until positions are filled.
Inquiries about the position can be emailed to UKCOSW@uky.edu.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No
Preferred Education/Experience
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled: Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Social Work Job Roles in Kentucky
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Search Social Work Jobs in KentuckySocial Work Jobs in Kentucky: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for social workers in Kentucky?
Kentucky's largest healthcare systems are the most consistent sponsors for social work roles. Norton Healthcare and Baptist Health in Louisville and Lexington regularly hire licensed clinical social workers and have sponsored H-1B visas for qualifying positions. The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville health systems also file sponsorship petitions. Nonprofit behavioral health agencies and federally qualified health centers occasionally sponsor as well, particularly for roles in underserved rural areas.
Which visa types are most common for social work roles in Kentucky?
The H-1B is the most common visa for social work positions in Kentucky, as licensed clinical social work roles generally meet the specialty occupation standard when a master's degree is required. Some positions at nonprofits or faith-based organizations may support an R-1 religious worker visa. Social workers with extraordinary recognition may qualify for an O-1 visa. EB-3 immigrant visa sponsorship occasionally appears at larger healthcare employers for long-term hires.
How to find social work visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find social work visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky. The platform filters roles specifically by sponsorship history and state, so you can focus on Kentucky employers in clinical, child welfare, and behavioral health settings without sorting through positions that don't sponsor. Searching by role type within Kentucky on Migrate Mate surfaces active openings at health systems, nonprofits, and state-contracted agencies that have sponsored international workers.
Which cities in Kentucky have the most social work sponsorship jobs?
Louisville is Kentucky's primary hub for sponsored social work roles, driven by its concentration of hospital systems, federally qualified health centers, and child welfare nonprofits. Lexington is the second strongest market, anchored by the University of Kentucky healthcare network. Owensboro and Bowling Green have smaller but active healthcare employers. Rural eastern Kentucky counties, particularly in the Appalachian region, see demand through federally funded community health programs that support visa sponsorship for licensed clinicians.
Are there any Kentucky-specific considerations for international social workers seeking sponsorship?
Kentucky requires state licensure for clinical social work practice, and international candidates must have their foreign MSW credentials evaluated for equivalency before applying for the LCSW exam through the Kentucky Board of Social Work. Employers filing H-1B petitions must document that the role meets specialty occupation standards, which is more straightforward for licensed clinical positions than for generalist case management roles. Kentucky's Appalachian region has federal designations as a health professional shortage area, which can strengthen employer justification for sponsoring international hires.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored social work jobs in Kentucky?
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.