Veterinary Nurse Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Veterinary nurse roles in the U.S. can be sponsored under the H-1B visa or EB-3 visa, but qualifying depends on how your employer classifies the position. Many clinics sponsor through PERM labor certification for permanent roles. Credential verification and state licensure requirements add steps that generic job searches won't flag for you.
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University Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer, Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
Posted Job Title
Emergency Service Veterinary Nurse
Job Profile Title
Veterinary Technician, Emergency Services
Job Description Summary
Performs emergency and anesthesia procedures, supporting both routine and urgent cases. Assists with triage, treatment preparation, and ongoing patient monitoring.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
- Assist with patient care/critical care, including: arterial, IV, and urinary catheterization; chest tube placement, setup, and evacuation; administration of sedatives and anesthesia; and radiology.
- Anticipate/identify medical complications
- Initial assessment of patients' conditions
- Develop familiarity with/use emergency clinical laboratory equipment and emergency service equipment.
- Receptionist responsibilities, including patient charges and discharges.
- Assist with clinical research activities
- Communicate with clients and interact with referring veterinarians, faculty, and senior staff
- May assume occasional supervisory responsibility
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
Qualifications
Veterinary Technician A: CVT or board eligible - must sit for boards within 3 months of hire - 0-1 years experience
Veterinary Technician B: CVT and 2-3 years of experience
Veterinary Technician C: CVT and 3-5 years of experience
Veterinary Technician D: CVT and 5-8 years of experience
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
School of Veterinary Medicine
Pay Range
$19.81 - $36.00 Hourly Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
University Benefits
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Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
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Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
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Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
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Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
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Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
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Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
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Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
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University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
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Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
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Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
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Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
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Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Veterinary Nurse
Verify your credentials match U.S. licensing standards
Veterinary nursing credential recognition varies by state. Get your overseas qualifications evaluated by a recognized credential assessment body before applying, so employers aren't surprised by gaps between your home-country certification and U.S. Veterinary Technician state board requirements.
Target AAHA-accredited clinics and university hospitals
American Animal Hospital Association-accredited practices and veterinary school teaching hospitals are more experienced with sponsorship paperwork than independent clinics. They typically have HR teams familiar with PERM labor certification timelines and are more likely to absorb the employer-side costs.
Find sponsors using Migrate Mate's verified employer data
Filter veterinary nurse roles on Migrate Mate to surface employers with confirmed LCA filing history. This cuts out clinics that express interest in sponsoring but have never actually filed, saving you weeks of back-and-forth during job searching.
Clarify whether your role qualifies as a specialty occupation
H-1B sponsorship requires the position to meet the specialty occupation definition under USCIS. Some employers post veterinary nurse roles that don't require a bachelor's degree, which disqualifies the role from H-1B. Confirm in writing that the job description specifies a degree requirement before accepting.
Request the prevailing wage determination before negotiating
Your employer must file a prevailing wage determination with DOL under PERM or an LCA under H-1B. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for veterinary technician roles in your target city so you know whether the offer meets the legal minimum before you sign.
Account for state licensure timing in your start date
Most states require you to pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination before you can practice. USCIS won't delay processing for a pending state license, but your employer can't legally put you in a clinical role until you're licensed, so build exam prep into your pre-arrival timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What visa types are available for veterinary nurses seeking U.S. sponsorship?
The H-1B is the most common nonimmigrant option, but only if the employer classifies the role as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree. The EB-3 green card category is often more practical for veterinary nurses, as it covers skilled workers with two or more years of experience and doesn't require a four-year degree. Your employer files a PERM labor certification with DOL first, then petitions USCIS.
Does a veterinary nursing qualification from outside the U.S. count for sponsorship purposes?
Foreign credentials aren't automatically recognized. USCIS and sponsoring employers typically require a credential evaluation from an accredited evaluation service confirming your overseas qualification is equivalent to a U.S. associate or bachelor's degree. Some states also require international applicants to pass additional English proficiency or clinical competency assessments before sitting the Veterinary Technician National Examination.
How long does the PERM labor certification process take for veterinary nurse roles?
DOL currently processes standard PERM applications in roughly 12 to 18 months, though audited cases take longer. Veterinary nurse roles require the employer to run a good-faith recruitment campaign first, documenting that no qualified U.S. workers applied. That pre-filing recruitment period adds two to three months before the employer can even submit the PERM application to DOL.
Where can I find employers who actively sponsor veterinary nurses?
Migrate Mate lists U.S. employers with verified LCA and sponsorship filing history, searchable by role and location. Many veterinary clinics haven't sponsored before and won't readily appear in standard job searches, so using a platform that surfaces confirmed sponsors saves significant time in identifying realistic opportunities.
Can I work as a veterinary nurse on OPT or STEM OPT while looking for a sponsored role?
If you studied veterinary technology or a related life sciences program in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, you can work under OPT for 12 months post-graduation. Veterinary technology programs are generally not classified under STEM-designated CIP codes, so a 24-month STEM OPT extension is unlikely. You'll need to secure H-1B or EB-3 sponsorship before your OPT period expires.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Veterinary Nurse 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.