Archivist Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Archivist roles at universities, federal agencies, and cultural institutions do sponsor H-1B visa and O-1 visas, but most openings require a master's degree in library science or archival studies and clear specialty occupation documentation to satisfy USCIS standards. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsPosition Summary:
Oversee day-to-day archival reference operations serving both in-person and remote patrons, including internal partners. Manage large-scale research projects for administrative offices and departments. Coordinate the sharing of collection content across the website, blog, and social media platforms. Serve as a liaison with communications departments across the University. Supervise and train all student employees. Work with the University Archivist on outreach, student instruction, and collection development.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required Education:
Master's Degree in Library & Information Science or Archival Studies from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent.
Required Experience:
3+ years relevant archival experience with at least 2 years of experience in an academic or institutional archive or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Preferred Experience:
3+ years Library digitization involving library metadata and/or experience working at a university archives/repository.
Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
- Excellent organizational, writing, and interpersonal skills.
- Knowledge of archives and manuscripts management.
- Proficiency with archival standards and literature.
Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
- Experience with outreach activities, including exhibition and workshop planning.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $71,644.94 to USD $91,644.94. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items.
NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/nyugreen.
NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply at all levels.
Position Summary:
Oversee day-to-day archival reference operations serving both in-person and remote patrons, including internal partners. Manage large-scale research projects for administrative offices and departments. Coordinate the sharing of collection content across the website, blog, and social media platforms. Serve as a liaison with communications departments across the University. Supervise and train all student employees. Work with the University Archivist on outreach, student instruction, and collection development.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required Education:
Master's Degree in Library & Information Science or Archival Studies from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent.
Required Experience:
3+ years relevant archival experience with at least 2 years of experience in an academic or institutional archive or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Preferred Experience:
3+ years Library digitization involving library metadata and/or experience working at a university archives/repository.
Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
- Excellent organizational, writing, and interpersonal skills.
- Knowledge of archives and manuscripts management.
- Proficiency with archival standards and literature.
Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
- Experience with outreach activities, including exhibition and workshop planning.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $71,644.94 to USD $91,644.94. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items.
NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/nyugreen.
NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply at all levels.
See all Archivist Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Archivist Jobs
Frame your MLS as specialty occupation proof
USCIS scrutinizes archivist petitions closely because the role isn't always recognized as a specialty occupation. Your degree transcript and job offer letter must explicitly connect your master's in library science or archival studies to the specific duties listed.
Target federal agencies and land-grant universities
Federal agencies like the National Archives and land-grant universities have established PERM and H-1B filing infrastructure. These employers process sponsorship in-house, cutting delays that smaller cultural institutions often face when hiring international archivists.
Verify prevailing wage before accepting an offer
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the SOC code 25-4011 for your work location before negotiating. Your offered salary must meet or exceed the DOL's prevailing wage, or the LCA certification will fail.
Request the O*NET profile during interviews
The O*NET profile for archivists documents the specialized knowledge and training requirements that support a specialty occupation argument. Sharing it with a hesitant employer's HR team often accelerates their decision to pursue sponsorship.
File LCA documentation before your CPT or OPT ends
If you're transitioning from F-1 status, your employer must have a certified LCA before USCIS can accept the H-1B petition. Build in at least 60 days for DOL certification so the petition reaches USCIS while your authorized period is still valid.
Use Migrate Mate to identify sponsoring employers
Archivist sponsorship history isn't obvious from job postings alone. Migrate Mate surfaces employers with active H-1B filing records for archivist and related library science roles, so you target institutions that have already committed to sponsoring this occupation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an archivist role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
It can, but it's not automatic. USCIS requires evidence that the position normally demands at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. Archivist roles tied to a master's in library science or archival studies typically meet that bar. Roles described more broadly, such as records clerk duties alongside archival tasks, are more likely to receive a Request for Evidence.
Which types of employers are most likely to sponsor an archivist's visa?
Federal agencies, large research universities, and major cultural institutions such as museums and presidential libraries are the most consistent sponsors. These organizations have dedicated HR and legal teams familiar with PERM and H-1B filings. Smaller historical societies and local government archives rarely have the infrastructure to sponsor international staff. Browse Migrate Mate to filter archivist roles by employers with documented H-1B filing history.
Is a master's degree required to get H-1B sponsorship as an archivist?
A master's degree in library science, archival studies, or a closely related field is effectively required for most sponsorship-eligible archivist positions. USCIS looks for a direct relationship between the degree field and the job duties. A bachelor's in an unrelated discipline, even combined with archivist experience, is harder to defend as a specialty occupation without additional supporting documentation.
Can an archivist on OPT or STEM OPT transition directly to H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, but archival studies is not a STEM-designated CIP code, so standard OPT runs 12 months with no STEM extension. You'll need your employer to file the H-1B petition before your OPT authorization expires. The cap-subject H-1B lottery registration runs in March each year for an October 1 start date, so timing your job search and offer acceptance to that calendar is critical.
Does the O-1 visa work for archivists who don't qualify for H-1B?
The O-1A visa is available to archivists who can demonstrate extraordinary ability, typically through published research, awards, judging roles for professional associations, or contributions of major significance to the field. This is a high bar for most mid-career archivists, but those who have led significant digitization projects, published in peer-reviewed journals, or held leadership roles in the Society of American Archivists sometimes qualify. USCIS adjudicates each case on the totality of evidence submitted.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Archivist jobs?
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.