Surgical Assistant Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Surgical assistant jobs attract visa sponsorship through H-1B visa and EB-3 pathways, with employers filing a Labor Condition Application before you can start. Hospitals and surgical centers account for most sponsoring employers, and your degree field must directly align with the role to satisfy specialty occupation requirements.
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Job ID: R1065072
Type: Full Time
Location: Moorestown, New Jersey
Standard Hours: 40
Shift: 1st Shift
About the Role:
Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics is looking for an experienced Physician Assistant to join their patient focused orthopedic practice. This position will primarily support the Surgical Sports Medicine Team with ancillary support provided to the other service lines within the practice when necessary. The position schedule is full-time, weekdays, and one weekend shift every three months. Weekend work is second call with an attending surgeon taking first call and includes hospital rounds, consults, and first assist in OR for add-on cases. This position will float to all Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics office locations. The position presents the opportunity to split the working week between the office and the operating room. Orientation will be approximately three months, working five days per week, eight-hour shifts. Once orientation is completed, the position will move to four ten-hour shifts.
Position Responsibilities:
- Obtains a relevant and complete social, medical and orthopedic history.
- Performs an appropriate physical examination with strong knowledge of anatomy and physiology.
- Appropriately selects diagnostic tests.
- Accurately interprets test results including labs, X-rays, and complete documentation.
- Synthesizes information accurately from PE, test results, written forms, EMR and patient verbal report.
- Integrates the patient’s PMHx and PSHx into decision making regarding orthopedic treatments.
- Appropriately orders pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, anticoagulants, pain management), braces, therapies, weight-bearing status.
- Provides quality patient education: timely and thorough during office visit and callbacks.
- Provides health education aimed at preventing problems or maintaining health.
- Appropriately sizes, applies & removes casts/splints/braces.
- Performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including but not limited to joint/tendon/bursa injections.
- Conducts hospital rounds and consults for hospital patients including evaluation, formulation of treatment plan, and completes all necessary documentation.
- Maintains sterile technique and safety standards.
- Performs all duties related to surgical first assisting.
Qualifications
- Graduation from accredited Physician Assistant program.
- NCCPA Certification and Physician Assistant license issued by the State of New Jersey.
- Minimum two years of orthopedic experience including surgical first assist (with a preference for experience in assisting in complex sports surgery cases such as ACL Reconstruction, Shoulder Arthroscopy, and Shoulder Arthroplasty).
- BLS Certification.
- Valid Driver’s License.
Compensation:
In compliance with New Jersey pay transparency laws, all physician assistant roles include a posted minimum base salary. The minimum base salary for this position is $131,250.00 per year. Final compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience, qualifications, and prevailing market factors.
Our Culture:
At Virtua, we embrace the Culture of We, where our community is our family. We believe every interaction is an opportunity to build relationships and loyalty by listening to our patients, anticipating their care needs, collaborating with care partners in our region, and engaging with our community.
Virtua Medical Group treats patients of all ages with an emphasis on providing an outstanding patient experience. Conveniently located throughout four counties in Southern New Jersey, VMG offers internal medicine, primary care, urgent care, and many medical and surgical specialties. Clinicians are supported by the vast network of Virtua facilities, offering advanced diagnostic testing, outpatient surgery, physical therapy, and health and wellness centers. Hospitalization and nursing home care are also part of the care continuum. Virtua Medical Group clinicians provide the care patients need, when and where they need it.
Interested in joining our team?
Submit your CV through this posting or email it directly to vmgrecruiting@virtua.org attention Stephanie McNasby.
Virtua offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: medical/prescription, dental and vision insurance; health and dependent care flexible spending accounts; 403(b) (401(k) subject to collective bargaining agreement); paid time off, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, colleague and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; tuition assistance, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Surgical Assistant
Verify your degree aligns with surgical assisting
H-1B eligibility requires a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. A degree in surgical technology, health sciences, or a clinical discipline strengthens your case. A general business or unrelated science degree will likely trigger a Request for Evidence from USCIS.
Pull OFLC Wage Search data before negotiating
Your employer's LCA must certify wages at or above the prevailing wage for your location and role. Check the OFLC Wage Search for your metro area first so you can flag underpayment offers before the LCA is filed with DOL.
Target hospital systems with OR expansion plans
Surgical assistant sponsorship concentrates in hospitals actively opening new operating rooms or ambulatory surgical centers. Facilities announcing expansions or new service lines are more likely to need staff quickly enough to justify the sponsorship timeline and filing costs.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsoring employers
Surgical assistant roles don't always advertise visa sponsorship upfront. Migrate Mate surfaces employers with verified LCA filing history for surgical and perioperative roles, so you're contacting facilities that have already committed to sponsoring this position type.
Get your credentials verified before interviews
Many surgical assistant roles require national certification through NBSTSA or NSAA. Employers filing an LCA expect you to meet all licensure requirements before the petition is submitted to USCIS, so have your certification documentation ready when you apply.
Clarify who files and who pays before accepting an offer
Your employer files both the LCA with DOL and the I-129 petition with USCIS. Federal law prohibits employers from passing H-1B filing fees to you. Confirm in writing that the employer covers all government and legal filing costs before you sign anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a surgical assistant role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
It can, but it's not automatic. USCIS evaluates whether the specific position normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Surgical assistant roles with clinical degree requirements and advanced responsibilities are more likely to qualify than broadly defined surgical tech positions. Your employer's job description needs to clearly reflect degree-level duties to withstand scrutiny.
Which visa types realistically cover surgical assistant sponsorship?
H-1B is the most common nonimmigrant path if the role meets specialty occupation standards. EB-3 skilled worker is the main employment-based green card route, requiring PERM labor certification from DOL before USCIS adjudicates the immigrant petition. TN visa does not cover surgical assistants since the role isn't on the USMCA profession list. F-1 OPT can bridge you to full sponsorship if your degree field aligns.
How long does it take to get sponsored as a surgical assistant?
The LCA typically certifies within seven business days after DOL receives it. USCIS then adjudicates the I-129 petition under standard processing, which currently runs several months, or faster with premium processing. For EB-3 green card routes, PERM labor certification adds significant time before the immigrant petition is even filed, and per-country backlogs may extend total timelines further.
Where can I find surgical assistant jobs with visa sponsorship?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified LCA filing history for surgical and perioperative roles, so you're not guessing which facilities are willing to sponsor. Many hospital systems don't advertise sponsorship directly in job postings, making a targeted search through verified filing data far more efficient than applying broadly.
Does the hospital need to run a PERM process before sponsoring me on H-1B?
No. PERM labor certification is only required for employment-based green card categories like EB-2 and EB-3, not for H-1B petitions. For H-1B sponsorship, your employer files a Labor Condition Application with DOL and an I-129 petition with USCIS. PERM only enters the picture if you and your employer later pursue permanent residence.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Surgical 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.