English Teaching Assistant Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
English Teaching Assistant jobs can qualify for H-1B visa or J-1 visa sponsorship when the role requires a bachelor's degree in education or a related field. Many positions are funded through school districts, universities, or cultural exchange programs, each with different sponsorship timelines and filing obligations.
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Assistant Professor, 20th/21st-Century World English Literature
The Department of English at Auburn University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in 20th/21st-Century World English Literature, beginning August 15, 2027. We seek applicants whose research focuses on literary and cultural production in English from the twentieth and/or twenty-first centuries. We welcome candidates working in British literature as well as those specializing in anglophone literatures and cultures beyond Britain and the United States, including but not limited to Africa, the Caribbean, Ireland, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, East Asia, the Middle East, Indigenous communities, and diasporic contexts. Research interests may include transnational, comparative, postcolonial, decolonial, environmental, global, and related approaches to literature in English.
Applications submitted by December 1, 2026, will receive fullest consideration.
The Department of English comprises 30 tenure-line faculty and 38 full-time lecturers along with a number of post-doctoral fellows and part-time instructors. We offer the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in English, and both a master’s and a graduate certificate in Technical and Professional Communication. More information about our programs can be found at https://cla.auburn.edu/english. Our award-winning faculty is engaged in a variety of research, pedagogical, and creative interests. Our scholarly books appear in distinguished university presses such as Cambridge, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana State, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Virginia, Northwestern, Ohio State, SUNY, and Syracuse, as well as in independent presses such as the Arizona Center for Renaissance and Medieval Studies, Brill, and Routledge. Faculty creative work appears in top trade presses such as Penguin Random House and Penguin Riverhead, as well as independent presses such as Tupelo Press. Our faculty members regularly publish in their respective fields’ most important journals.
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) comprises 46 majors in a wide range of fields, including the humanities, the fine and performing arts, the social sciences, communications, health services administration, and aviation. We produce successful business leaders, industry professionals, and researchers who work in the U.S. and around the world. The CLA’s cutting-edge facilities provide the opportunity to collaborate with other researchers at the forefront of their respective fields.
Auburn, AL, is a vibrant, thriving college town and community. Southern Living recently recognized the city of Auburn as one of the top small towns in the South, and Money magazine has named Auburn “the best place to live” in Alabama. Known as the “Loveliest Village on the Plains,” Auburn offers a high quality of life, including a vibrant cultural scene at the new Gogue Performing Arts Center, SEC sports throughout the academic year, award-winning chefs and restaurants, a K-12 school system that is among the most highly-ranked in the state, and an exceptional College of Veterinary Medicine for pet care. The Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport is only 90 minutes away, with multiple daily shuttle-service options to and from Auburn. Birmingham is a similar drive to the north, and Montgomery, the state capital, is only 50 minutes to the southwest.
Responsibilities:
This position carries a 2-2 teaching load. Responsibilities include: in-person teaching; online teaching (as needed); core teaching (both large lecture and small class formats); upper-division undergraduate and major core teaching; graduate teaching and advising.
The successful candidate will be expected to maintain a highly active research program and participate in departmental and university service. Excellent communication skills required.
Please submit the following documents:
- Application letter
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Writing sample (article or chapter length)
- Teaching philosophy (1 page only)
- Contact information for three recommenders, and academic transcripts (official transcripts required upon hire).
Only completed application materials will be considered. The application letter and CV should be uploaded together under RESUME and all other documents should be uploaded under Additional Documents. For questions regarding this position, please contact Dr. James Ryan, Search Committee Chair, at ryanjae@auburn.edu.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
PhD in English or related field by the August 15, 2027, appointment date; a clear agenda for scholarly productivity relevant to the field; and a strong commitment to collegiality in a department of English that includes majors/concentrations in creative writing, literature, and writing studies.
Desired Qualifications
Ability to teach 20th/21st-Century British and commonwealth literature. A record of publication or distinct promise of scholarly achievement; demonstrable evidence of teaching excellence generally, as well as in courses directly related to the field; interest in interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration across academic units; creative use of classroom technologies; and experience or interest in mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students.
Pay Range: USD $80,000.00 - USD $85,000.00 /Yr.
Why Work at Auburn?:
- Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
- Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
- We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
- Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
- A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!
Equal Opportunity Compliance Statement:
It is our policy to provide equal employment and education opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance's website to learn more.
Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
The candidate selected must be able to meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time the appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally during employment.
Required Pre-Employment Screenings:
n/a
Overview:
Assistant Professor, 20th/21st-Century World English Literature
The Department of English at Auburn University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in 20th/21st-Century World English Literature, beginning August 15, 2027. We seek applicants whose research focuses on literary and cultural production in English from the twentieth and/or twenty-first centuries. We welcome candidates working in British literature as well as those specializing in anglophone literatures and cultures beyond Britain and the United States, including but not limited to Africa, the Caribbean, Ireland, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, East Asia, the Middle East, Indigenous communities, and diasporic contexts. Research interests may include transnational, comparative, postcolonial, decolonial, environmental, global, and related approaches to literature in English.
Applications submitted by December 1, 2026, will receive fullest consideration.
The Department of English comprises 30 tenure-line faculty and 38 full-time lecturers along with a number of post-doctoral fellows and part-time instructors. We offer the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in English, and both a master’s and a graduate certificate in Technical and Professional Communication. More information about our programs can be found at https://cla.auburn.edu/english. Our award-winning faculty is engaged in a variety of research, pedagogical, and creative interests. Our scholarly books appear in distinguished university presses such as Cambridge, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana State, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Virginia, Northwestern, Ohio State, SUNY, and Syracuse, as well as in independent presses such as the Arizona Center for Renaissance and Medieval Studies, Brill, and Routledge. Faculty creative work appears in top trade presses such as Penguin Random House and Penguin Riverhead, as well as independent presses such as Tupelo Press. Our faculty members regularly publish in their respective fields’ most important journals.
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) comprises 46 majors in a wide range of fields, including the humanities, the fine and performing arts, the social sciences, communications, health services administration, and aviation. We produce successful business leaders, industry professionals, and researchers who work in the U.S. and around the world. The CLA’s cutting-edge facilities provide the opportunity to collaborate with other researchers at the forefront of their respective fields.
Auburn, AL, is a vibrant, thriving college town and community. Southern Living recently recognized the city of Auburn as one of the top small towns in the South, and Money magazine has named Auburn “the best place to live” in Alabama. Known as the “Loveliest Village on the Plains,” Auburn offers a high quality of life, including a vibrant cultural scene at the new Gogue Performing Arts Center, SEC sports throughout the academic year, award-winning chefs and restaurants, a K-12 school system that is among the most highly-ranked in the state, and an exceptional College of Veterinary Medicine for pet care. The Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport is only 90 minutes away, with multiple daily shuttle-service options to and from Auburn. Birmingham is a similar drive to the north, and Montgomery, the state capital, is only 50 minutes to the southwest.
Responsibilities:
This position carries a 2-2 teaching load. Responsibilities include: in-person teaching; online teaching (as needed); core teaching (both large lecture and small class formats); upper-division undergraduate and major core teaching; graduate teaching and advising.
The successful candidate will be expected to maintain a highly active research program and participate in departmental and university service. Excellent communication skills required.
Please submit the following documents:
- Application letter
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Writing sample (article or chapter length)
- Teaching philosophy (1 page only)
- Contact information for three recommenders, and academic transcripts (official transcripts required upon hire).
Only completed application materials will be considered. The application letter and CV should be uploaded together under RESUME and all other documents should be uploaded under Additional Documents. For questions regarding this position, please contact Dr. James Ryan, Search Committee Chair, at ryanjae@auburn.edu.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
PhD in English or related field by the August 15, 2027, appointment date; a clear agenda for scholarly productivity relevant to the field; and a strong commitment to collegiality in a department of English that includes majors/concentrations in creative writing, literature, and writing studies.
Desired Qualifications
Ability to teach 20th/21st-Century British and commonwealth literature. A record of publication or distinct promise of scholarly achievement; demonstrable evidence of teaching excellence generally, as well as in courses directly related to the field; interest in interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration across academic units; creative use of classroom technologies; and experience or interest in mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students.
Pay Range: USD $80,000.00 - USD $85,000.00 /Yr.
Why Work at Auburn?:
- Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
- Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
- We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
- Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
- A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!
Equal Opportunity Compliance Statement:
It is our policy to provide equal employment and education opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance's website to learn more.
Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
The candidate selected must be able to meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time the appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally during employment.
Required Pre-Employment Screenings:
n/a
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Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new English Teaching Assistant roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an English Teaching Assistant
Verify your degree field matches
Consular officers and USCIS scrutinize whether your degree directly relates to classroom instruction. A degree in English, linguistics, education, or TESOL strengthens your specialty occupation claim; a degree in an unrelated field requires additional documentation to establish the connection.
Distinguish J-1 from H-1B sponsorship
J-1 exchange visitor programs for teaching assistants are managed by designated sponsor organizations, not directly by schools. H-1B sponsorship requires the employer to file an I-129 petition. Knowing which route your hiring institution uses changes your timeline and paperwork obligations significantly.
Target school districts with PERM history
K-12 districts that have filed PERM labor certifications for prior teaching hires are more likely to have established HR processes for sponsorship. Use OFLC public disclosure data to identify districts that have sponsored teachers before approaching them about assistant roles.
Find verified sponsors through Migrate Mate
Search Migrate Mate's job board to browse English Teaching Assistant openings at employers with verified LCA filing history. This filters out postings from institutions that list sponsorship as possible but have no documented track record of actually filing.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting STEM OPT roles
If you're extending OPT under STEM authorization, your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before you start. Many small private language schools and tutoring centers are not enrolled, which disqualifies them as STEM OPT employers even if the role otherwise qualifies.
Request the LCA wage level before signing an offer
The employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the prevailing wage for your location and position. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the Level I and Level II rates for your county so you can flag any offer that falls short before the petition is filed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an English Teaching Assistant role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
It can, but it depends on how the job is defined. USCIS requires the position to normally require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. If the posting specifies a degree in education, English, linguistics, or TESOL as a minimum requirement, the role is more likely to qualify. Positions that accept any bachelor's degree, regardless of field, are harder to approve under the specialty occupation standard.
Which visa types do English Teaching Assistant jobs commonly sponsor?
H-1B is the most common work visa for degree-holding teaching assistants at universities and larger school districts. J-1 visa is widely used for cultural and language exchange programs, where a designated sponsor organization manages the visa rather than the employer directly. Some university positions also offer OPT or STEM OPT pathways for F-1 students already authorized to work. Browse verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate to see which visa types are actively filed for roles matching your background.
Do I need a teaching license to get visa sponsorship as a teaching assistant?
A state teaching license is typically not required for assistant roles, though some school districts prefer it. What matters more for visa purposes is holding a qualifying degree. For H-1B, the employer must demonstrate the position requires a specific bachelor's degree. For J-1 exchange programs, degree requirements vary by program category and are set by the designated sponsor organization rather than by state licensing boards.
Can a private language school sponsor my H-1B as an English Teaching Assistant?
Yes, private language schools can sponsor H-1B petitions, but many do not because of the cost and administrative complexity involved. Schools that operate as nonprofits affiliated with universities may qualify for cap-exempt H-1B status, which avoids the annual lottery entirely. For-profit language schools are cap-subject and must go through the lottery. Confirm cap-exempt status directly with the employer before factoring their sponsorship offer into your decision.
How does the two-year home residency requirement affect J-1 teaching assistants?
Some J-1 exchange visitor categories, including certain government-funded programs, carry a two-year home residency requirement under section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If this requirement applies to your J-1, you must return to your home country for two years before changing to H-1B or applying for a green card, unless you obtain a waiver. USCIS and the State Department both have roles in determining whether the requirement applies to your specific J-1 category and program.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored English Teaching Assistant 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.