Professor and Chair Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship

Professor and Chair roles at U.S. universities rank among the most reliably sponsored academic positions, with most institutions filing H-1B visa or O-1 visa petitions and many supporting green card pathways through PERM or the EB-1A extraordinary ability route. Department chair appointments often trigger a fresh LCA filing even when you already hold H-1B visa status.

Find Professor and Chair Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs48+
Top Visa TypeH-1B
Work Type100% On-site
Top LocationTampa, FL
Most JobsAlabama State University

Showing 5 of 48+ Professor and Chair jobs

Chair, Associate/Full Professor of Computer Information Systems
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Added 1w ago
Chair, Associate/Full Professor of Computer Information Systems
Alabama State University
Montgomery, Alabama
Teaching & Instruction
Academic & Educational Administration
Higher Education
On-Site
Doctorate
1,001-5,000

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Chair and Associate/Full Professor
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Added 2w ago
Chair and Associate/Full Professor
Thomas Jefferson University & Jefferson Health
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Teaching & Instruction
Academic & Educational Administration
Higher Education
On-Site
Doctorate
5,001-10,000

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Chair and Professor of the Practice
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Added 2w ago
Chair and Professor of the Practice
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
Teaching & Instruction
Academic & Educational Administration
Higher Education
$180k - $216k/yr
On-Site
Master's
10,000+

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Professor & Chair - Industrial & Mgmt Systems Eng
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Added 2w ago
Professor & Chair - Industrial & Mgmt Systems Eng
University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida
Human Resources
Academic & Educational Administration
Project & Program Management
On-Site
Doctorate
10,000+

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Associate Professor or Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work
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Added 3w ago
Associate Professor or Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Teaching & Instruction
Academic & Educational Administration
Research & Academia
Higher Education
On-Site
Doctorate
1,001-5,000

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Tips for Finding Professor and Chair Jobs

Align your CV to specialty occupation standards

Your CV must demonstrate that the role requires a directly related doctoral degree, not just any advanced degree. Highlight discipline-specific research, graduate teaching, and publications that map your terminal degree to the chair's field.

Request a cap-exempt filing from your institution

Most colleges and universities qualify as cap-exempt H-1B employers, meaning your petition bypasses the annual lottery entirely. Confirm this status with your hiring department before accepting an offer, since it removes the biggest timing risk in your process.

Distinguish chair duties in the LCA job description

A chair appointment adds administrative duties that differ from a standard faculty role. USCIS scrutinizes whether the position still meets specialty occupation criteria, so your employer's LCA should frame leadership responsibilities as requiring your specific doctoral expertise.

Track prevailing wage tier for your discipline and region

Use the OFLC Wage Search to compare Level I through Level IV wages for your occupation code and institution's location. Chairs typically qualify at Level III or IV, and underbidding on wage level in the LCA is a common RFE trigger.

Start your PERM timeline before your H-1B extension

PERM labor certification for a tenured or tenure-track chair can take 18 months or longer. File well before your sixth year in H-1B status so an approved I-140 petition preserves your priority date and keeps extension options open under AC21.

Find institutions with active sponsorship history on Migrate Mate

Search Migrate Mate to identify universities and colleges with verified LCA filing history for academic roles in your discipline and region. Targeting employers who have sponsored similar positions reduces negotiation friction over whether sponsorship is possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which visa types do universities typically use to sponsor a Professor and Chair?

Most U.S. universities sponsor Professor and Chair hires through the H-1B, which qualifies because the role requires a doctoral degree in a directly related field. Institutions also use the O-1A for candidates with an established record of extraordinary achievement. Some departments recruit internationally through J-1 visa exchange scholar status, though that category carries a two-year home residency requirement and doesn't lead directly to a green card.

Does a department chair appointment require a new H-1B petition if I'm already on H-1B?

Yes, in most cases. If the chair role represents a material change in job duties, employer, or salary compared to your current H-1B, your institution must file an amended or new I-129 petition before you assume the chair's responsibilities. USCIS treats a significant administrative title change as a material change even when the base employer remains the same university.

Can a university sponsor a Professor and Chair for a green card?

Yes. Universities routinely sponsor tenured and tenure-track chairs through the EB-1B outstanding researcher or professor category, which does not require PERM labor certification, or through EB-2 and EB-3 pathways that do. Candidates with a sustained national or international reputation may self-petition under EB-1A extraordinary ability or file a National Interest Waiver under EB-2, bypassing the employer-initiated PERM process entirely.

What degree does a sponsoring university expect for a Professor and Chair visa petition?

USCIS requires a U.S. equivalent doctoral degree, or a master's degree plus substantial specialized experience, in a field directly related to the chair's academic discipline. A foreign three-year bachelor's degree evaluated as equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree is generally accepted. For O*NET-classified roles in the life sciences, social sciences, engineering, or humanities, the terminal degree in that specific discipline is what establishes specialty occupation status, not a general research or education background.

Where can I find universities actively sponsoring Professor and Chair roles?

Migrate Mate lists U.S. universities and colleges with verified LCA sponsorship history for academic positions, searchable by field and location. Browsing employers who have filed for comparable faculty roles in your discipline is the fastest way to build a targeted list of institutions that have already navigated the H-1B specialty occupation question for a chair-level hire.

What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Professor and Chair 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.