Staff Therapist Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Staff Therapist roles qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B visa, requiring a master's degree in counseling, social work, or a related field. Many behavioral health networks, hospital systems, and community mental health centers sponsor visas, and PERM-based green card paths are common for licensed clinicians building long-term U.S. careers.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation: Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Pay Grade/Pay Range: Minimum: $54,000 - Midpoint: $67,500 (Salaried E8)
Department/Organization: 840101 - Counseling Center
Normal Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm, occasional nights & weekends, must be able to work on-call duty
Note to Applicants: This is a 9-month staff therapist position (August 16 through May 15 of each academic year).
Job Summary: The Staff Therapist II provides clinical services to clients. Completes client assessments. Performs case management and documentation duties. Serves as a liaison among stakeholders.
Additional Department Summary: This is a 9-month staff therapist position (August 16 through May 15 of each academic year). Listed salary range is prorated accordingly. Provides direct counseling services to enrolled University students, outreach and consultation services to members of the University community, and training to students in the mental health professions as needed. Rotates on-call throughout the year for the purpose of crisis intervention services. Works with people in distress and encounters life-threatening emergencies routinely. Maintains knowledge of and adheres to all policies and procedures as contained in the Counseling Center Policy and Procedure Manual. Follows Quality Improvement standards. Demonstrates exemplary attitudes and performance in the areas of teamwork and proactively assisting all constituencies within the scope of the Counseling Center mission. Completes required training related to University policies and procedures, laws, and regulations that create a more hospitable and respectful workplace and safer work environment. Requires some after-hours work.
Required Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree or higher in counseling, psychology, or social work and two (2) years of experience in consultation services, group therapy, teaching, outreach, student work, or case management. Licensure in the state of Alabama in good standing; OR licensed in another state and licensure eligible in Alabama with the ability to obtain within one (1) year of hire if coming from another state or province.
Skills and Knowledge:
- Excellent judgment and competence in managing critical incidents and communications with others.
- Excellent problem solving, human relations, communication, advocacy, and mental health intervention skills.
- Superior skills in the area of time and task management.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Basic computer skills (word processing and email).
- Ability to effectively interact with University community members for the purpose of program development.
- Ability to work flexible and evening hours.
- Ability to work with multi-cultural populations.
- Thorough knowledge of the myriad factors behind the resolution of psychological problems.
- High degree of sophistication of thought and creativity due to the complex nature of human problems.
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting all students.
Preferred Qualifications: College or University counseling center experience preferred.
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Pay Grade/Pay Range: Minimum: $54,000 - Midpoint: $67,500 (Salaried E8)
Department/Organization: 840101 - Counseling Center
Normal Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm, occasional nights & weekends, must be able to work on-call duty
Note to Applicants: This is a 9-month staff therapist position (August 16 through May 15 of each academic year).
Job Summary: The Staff Therapist II provides clinical services to clients. Completes client assessments. Performs case management and documentation duties. Serves as a liaison among stakeholders.
Additional Department Summary: This is a 9-month staff therapist position (August 16 through May 15 of each academic year). Listed salary range is prorated accordingly. Provides direct counseling services to enrolled University students, outreach and consultation services to members of the University community, and training to students in the mental health professions as needed. Rotates on-call throughout the year for the purpose of crisis intervention services. Works with people in distress and encounters life-threatening emergencies routinely. Maintains knowledge of and adheres to all policies and procedures as contained in the Counseling Center Policy and Procedure Manual. Follows Quality Improvement standards. Demonstrates exemplary attitudes and performance in the areas of teamwork and proactively assisting all constituencies within the scope of the Counseling Center mission. Completes required training related to University policies and procedures, laws, and regulations that create a more hospitable and respectful workplace and safer work environment. Requires some after-hours work.
Required Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree or higher in counseling, psychology, or social work and two (2) years of experience in consultation services, group therapy, teaching, outreach, student work, or case management. Licensure in the state of Alabama in good standing; OR licensed in another state and licensure eligible in Alabama with the ability to obtain within one (1) year of hire if coming from another state or province.
Skills and Knowledge:
- Excellent judgment and competence in managing critical incidents and communications with others.
- Excellent problem solving, human relations, communication, advocacy, and mental health intervention skills.
- Superior skills in the area of time and task management.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Basic computer skills (word processing and email).
- Ability to effectively interact with University community members for the purpose of program development.
- Ability to work flexible and evening hours.
- Ability to work with multi-cultural populations.
- Thorough knowledge of the myriad factors behind the resolution of psychological problems.
- High degree of sophistication of thought and creativity due to the complex nature of human problems.
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting all students.
Preferred Qualifications: College or University counseling center experience preferred.
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
See all 414+ Staff Therapist Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Staff Therapist Jobs
Get your foreign degree evaluated early
U.S. licensure boards require a credential evaluation before they'll process your application. Order a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-approved service so your master's in counseling or psychology maps cleanly to U.S. equivalency before you apply to any role.
Target employers with behavioral health billing infrastructure
Hospital systems, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and large outpatient networks already run H-1B sponsorship processes. They have HR teams familiar with LCA filings and are more likely to treat sponsorship as a standard hiring step, not a one-off exception.
Search verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate lists employers with confirmed LCA filing history for therapist roles, searchable by location and specialty. You can identify which behavioral health organizations have actively sponsored before, so you're not guessing from a general job posting.
Align your state licensure timeline with your visa status
Many states require supervised hours before granting full licensure, and your H-1B petition must list you in a specialty occupation from day one. Confirm with your employer that your supervision arrangement and provisional license still satisfy the specialty occupation requirement before USCIS reviews the petition.
Use OFLC Wage Search to verify your offered wage
Your employer's LCA must certify wages at or above the prevailing wage for your location and role level. Pull the current wage data from OFLC Wage Search for your specific county before accepting an offer, so you can flag any gap before the LCA is filed.
Ask your employer about PERM timing before you sign
Many staff therapist roles qualify for EB-2 or EB-3 green card sponsorship through PERM. Ask during the offer stage whether the employer has filed PERM for clinical staff before, since starting that process early reduces the time you spend waiting on a priority date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a staff therapist role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. USCIS treats staff therapist positions as specialty occupations when the role requires a master's degree or higher in counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a directly related field. Roles requiring only a bachelor's degree may face an RFE, so the job description must specify the graduate-level degree requirement clearly.
Which visa types are realistic for a foreign-trained therapist seeking U.S. employment?
H-1B is the most common path for therapists employed by private or nonprofit clinical organizations. TN visa is not available for therapist roles because mental health counseling and clinical social work are not on the USMCA profession list. J-1 visa is available through designated exchange programs for research or training placements, but most direct-hire staff roles use H-1B or, for permanent positions, an employer-sponsored green card through PERM.
How does state licensure affect my H-1B sponsorship as a therapist?
Your H-1B petition must demonstrate you're qualified to perform the job at the time of filing. If you're working toward full licensure under supervision, your employer needs to structure the offer so your provisional or associate license still satisfies the specialty occupation definition. Some states issue licensure only after accruing supervised hours, so confirm with your employer and USCIS that the supervised period is covered by your petition language.
What types of employers commonly sponsor therapists for H-1B visas?
Hospital health systems, Federally Qualified Health Centers, large outpatient behavioral health networks, and university-affiliated counseling centers are the most consistent sponsors. These organizations have dedicated HR processes for LCA filings and regularly hire licensed or license-eligible clinicians. Use Migrate Mate to browse staff therapist roles at employers with verified sponsorship history, so you can focus your applications where sponsorship is already established practice.
Can my employer sponsor me for a green card while I'm on an H-1B as a therapist?
Yes. Most staff therapist roles qualify for EB-2 sponsorship with a master's degree, or EB-3 as a skilled worker. The employer files a PERM labor certification with DOL, then an I-140 petition with USCIS. Wait times depend on your country of birth. Starting the PERM process early matters because H-1B extensions beyond six years are tied to progress in the green card process under AC21 portability rules.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Staff Therapist 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.