Crematory Operator Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Crematory operators fill a licensed, hands-on role that most employers struggle to staff locally. Visa sponsorship is available through H-1B visa and EB-3 pathways, though the specialty occupation argument requires careful documentation of your technical credentials and state licensure. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsWhy Work for Fitzgerald Funeral Home?
Service
- At every level, our dedicated team members display a strong work ethic and commitment to our core values, respect for the family, the profession, and the individual.
- Work with leading experts in the funeral and cemetery profession.
Benefits
- Financial assistant programs encouraging employees through education and development in industry related subjects.
- Robust Health and Welfare Plans, and savings account options, designed to support your personal needs, enhance well-being and help navigate life’s challenges.
- Rich 401k and Roth Retirement Plan options available for both Full Time and Part Time employees along with a Company Match.
- Variety of Vacation, Personal Days and Sick Days based on your role emphasizing the importance of physical and emotional replenishment for our team.
- Employee Discounts on services, merchandise, and property to help our team members in their time of need.
Culture
- We value honesty, courage, integrity, ethical behavior and the development of personal growth.
- We are rooted in the communities to provide a personal touch to every family we serve.
- We believe in the value of funeral and cemetery service, drawing on decades of experience to create the best experience for our families.
Essential Functions
- Operates cremation equipment and chamber/retort and ensures that cremation procedures are followed.
- Receives decedent(s) and ensures proper paperwork and protocol is followed.
- Performs verification of the deceased and reviews required documentation prior to performing cremation.
- Fully cleans crematory equipment (e.g., retort) after each cremation to prevent commingling of cremated remains.
- Maintains log of all cremations in accordance with state and/or local requirements.
- Provides cremated remains to the Funeral Director for interment or delivery to the client family.
- Performs general maintenance and care of crematory equipment.
- Facilitates annual retort inspection, general repairs and maintains service records.
- Maintains inventory supplies and orders items needed to run crematory.
- Attends all required safety training meetings as scheduled.
- Ensures that all required safety equipment requirements and procedures are followed when performing all tasks.
- Operates crematory in compliance with local laws and guidelines concerning retort operation and storage/use of chemical substances.
- Assists in loading and unloading of supplies, equipment, and/or merchandise.
- Maintains crematory building and adjacent areas by cleaning, sweeping, etc.
- Identifies and remedies all hazards in crematory area and on surrounding grounds.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies
- Self-Management.
- Communication Proficiency.
- Detail Orientation.
- Thoroughness.
- Customer Service Orientation.
- Quality Orientation.
Required Education, Experience, Certifications and Licensure
Four-year degree or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
- At least 1 year of experience as a Crematory Operator preferred.
- Valid Crematory Operators license.
- Valid state issued driver’s license in good standing and acceptable driving record.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications
- Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently. Bilingual is a plus.
- Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers.
- Ability to show respect and sensitivity toward client families while working in a physically demanding environment.
- Attention to detail and follow-through.
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- The duties associated with this position are generally performed in an outdoor setting with extreme temperatures.
- Outdoor duties may subject the employee to natural elements, such as inclement weather, extreme temperatures, uneven ground, dust, gas, and/or fumes.
- Duties require work around heavy equipment and excessive noise frequently.
- Equipment used to perform the essential function of this position includes, but is not limited to; computer, body lift, casket handling/transport devices, crematory retort, personal or company owned vehicle.
- Employees in this role must have sufficient strength and manual dexterity to operate power equipment and must be willing to work safely and comply with the Company’s safety procedures, including wearing any personal protective equipment that may be required.
- Employees in this role are regularly required to climb, sit, stand, bend, kneel, and frequently lift up to 75 pounds, and may be required to lift up to 100 pounds.
- Performance of this position’s duties also requires power reaching, pushing, and pulling.
- This position may also require reaching, pushing, and pulling.
- This position may also be exposed to chemicals and/or blood borne pathogens. Exposure risk is considered: High.
- Overtime is sometimes necessary or required.
Travel
- This position may require up to 10 percent out of area and overnight travel.
- Travel is primarily local occurring during the business day only.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Why Work for Fitzgerald Funeral Home?
Service
- At every level, our dedicated team members display a strong work ethic and commitment to our core values, respect for the family, the profession, and the individual.
- Work with leading experts in the funeral and cemetery profession.
Benefits
- Financial assistant programs encouraging employees through education and development in industry related subjects.
- Robust Health and Welfare Plans, and savings account options, designed to support your personal needs, enhance well-being and help navigate life’s challenges.
- Rich 401k and Roth Retirement Plan options available for both Full Time and Part Time employees along with a Company Match.
- Variety of Vacation, Personal Days and Sick Days based on your role emphasizing the importance of physical and emotional replenishment for our team.
- Employee Discounts on services, merchandise, and property to help our team members in their time of need.
Culture
- We value honesty, courage, integrity, ethical behavior and the development of personal growth.
- We are rooted in the communities to provide a personal touch to every family we serve.
- We believe in the value of funeral and cemetery service, drawing on decades of experience to create the best experience for our families.
Essential Functions
- Operates cremation equipment and chamber/retort and ensures that cremation procedures are followed.
- Receives decedent(s) and ensures proper paperwork and protocol is followed.
- Performs verification of the deceased and reviews required documentation prior to performing cremation.
- Fully cleans crematory equipment (e.g., retort) after each cremation to prevent commingling of cremated remains.
- Maintains log of all cremations in accordance with state and/or local requirements.
- Provides cremated remains to the Funeral Director for interment or delivery to the client family.
- Performs general maintenance and care of crematory equipment.
- Facilitates annual retort inspection, general repairs and maintains service records.
- Maintains inventory supplies and orders items needed to run crematory.
- Attends all required safety training meetings as scheduled.
- Ensures that all required safety equipment requirements and procedures are followed when performing all tasks.
- Operates crematory in compliance with local laws and guidelines concerning retort operation and storage/use of chemical substances.
- Assists in loading and unloading of supplies, equipment, and/or merchandise.
- Maintains crematory building and adjacent areas by cleaning, sweeping, etc.
- Identifies and remedies all hazards in crematory area and on surrounding grounds.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies
- Self-Management.
- Communication Proficiency.
- Detail Orientation.
- Thoroughness.
- Customer Service Orientation.
- Quality Orientation.
Required Education, Experience, Certifications and Licensure
Four-year degree or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
- At least 1 year of experience as a Crematory Operator preferred.
- Valid Crematory Operators license.
- Valid state issued driver’s license in good standing and acceptable driving record.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications
- Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently. Bilingual is a plus.
- Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers.
- Ability to show respect and sensitivity toward client families while working in a physically demanding environment.
- Attention to detail and follow-through.
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- The duties associated with this position are generally performed in an outdoor setting with extreme temperatures.
- Outdoor duties may subject the employee to natural elements, such as inclement weather, extreme temperatures, uneven ground, dust, gas, and/or fumes.
- Duties require work around heavy equipment and excessive noise frequently.
- Equipment used to perform the essential function of this position includes, but is not limited to; computer, body lift, casket handling/transport devices, crematory retort, personal or company owned vehicle.
- Employees in this role must have sufficient strength and manual dexterity to operate power equipment and must be willing to work safely and comply with the Company’s safety procedures, including wearing any personal protective equipment that may be required.
- Employees in this role are regularly required to climb, sit, stand, bend, kneel, and frequently lift up to 75 pounds, and may be required to lift up to 100 pounds.
- Performance of this position’s duties also requires power reaching, pushing, and pulling.
- This position may also require reaching, pushing, and pulling.
- This position may also be exposed to chemicals and/or blood borne pathogens. Exposure risk is considered: High.
- Overtime is sometimes necessary or required.
Travel
- This position may require up to 10 percent out of area and overnight travel.
- Travel is primarily local occurring during the business day only.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
See all 1,090+ Crematory Operator Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Crematory Operator roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Crematory Operator Jobs
Verify your state cremation license transfers
Crematory operator licensing is state-issued and non-portable. Confirm the hiring state's requirements before accepting an offer, since an employer can't complete your visa filing if you can't legally operate in that jurisdiction.
Pull the prevailing wage before negotiating
Run your job title against the OFLC Wage Search using SOC code 39-4031 before any salary discussion. Your employer's LCA must meet or exceed the DOL prevailing wage, so knowing the floor protects you from an underpaying offer that could stall the filing.
Target funeral home groups with multi-state operations
Regional funeral home groups are more likely to have in-house HR familiar with visa filings than independent family-owned crematories. Multi-location operators have stronger financial standing to cover USCIS filing fees and legal costs.
Document cremation equipment certifications explicitly
USCIS will scrutinize whether crematory operation qualifies as a specialty occupation. Gather certifications from the Cremation Association of North America or equivalent bodies alongside your degree credentials to build a stronger specialty occupation argument.
File the LCA well before your start date
Use Migrate Mate to prepare and submit your employer's LCA through DOL's FLAG system. LCA certification typically takes seven business days, but building in extra lead time prevents your start date from slipping if DOL issues a deficiency notice.
Clarify whether EB-3 or H-1B fits your employer
If your role doesn't clear the specialty occupation bar for H-1B, EB-3 unskilled or skilled worker categories may still apply. Ask the employer directly whether they're willing to run a PERM labor certification, which takes longer but opens a green card pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a crematory operator role qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
It depends on how the role is defined. USCIS requires H-1B positions to qualify as specialty occupations, meaning a bachelor's degree in a specific field must be the normal minimum. Crematory operator roles tied to mortuary science degrees or formal cremation technology programs have a stronger case. Roles framed as general labor are unlikely to qualify, so the job description and your credentials need to align precisely.
Which visa categories are most realistic for crematory operator sponsorship?
EB-3 skilled or unskilled worker categories are the most common pathway, since the role doesn't always clear the specialty occupation bar required for H-1B. H-1B remains possible if the employer documents that a relevant degree is the industry standard for the position. Some candidates also enter on TN visa status if they're Canadian or Mexican nationals working in a qualifying professional category, though crematory operator isn't an explicitly listed TN occupation.
Do I need a mortuary science degree to get sponsored as a crematory operator?
A mortuary science degree strengthens any H-1B specialty occupation argument significantly, but it isn't always required for EB-3 sponsorship. What matters most for state licensure is completing a CANA-accredited cremation training program and passing the relevant state exam. USCIS will look at both your credentials and what the employer treats as the normal hiring standard for the role when evaluating the petition.
How do I find employers willing to sponsor a crematory operator visa?
Search Migrate Mate to filter crematory operator and mortuary services roles by visa sponsorship history. Focus on regional funeral home groups and hospital-affiliated cremation services, which are more likely to have HR infrastructure for immigration filings. Smaller independent crematories rarely sponsor visas due to the cost and administrative burden, so targeting larger operators significantly improves your chances of finding a willing sponsor.
Does state cremation licensing affect my visa application timeline?
Yes, directly. Your employer's LCA and I-129 petition need to reflect the work location, and some states require crematory operators to be licensed before they can legally work. If you're relocating for the role, confirm you can obtain the destination state's license before your employment start date. A gap between your visa approval and your ability to legally operate in that state can create compliance issues for both you and the employer.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Crematory Operator 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.