Foreign Healthcare Workers

Occupational Therapists

Johan An occupational therapist who needed work authorization following his advanced studies at the University. We completed his application and adjusted his status and his family to permanent residents.

Internationally-educated Occupational Therapists are eligible for a professional visa to work in the US, referred to as an H-1B1. This visa, with extensions, is valid for a period of up to six (6) years. This visa is in high demand for professionals as it is efficient, well tested and, with premium processing can result in a decision within fifteen (15) days. Occupational Therapists are required to pass a number of exams before being admitted to the US on a temporary visa.

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification is a U.S. nation-wide recognition, that an OT practitioner has met certain professional requirements.

Certification requirements for internationally-educated OTs include graduation from an entry-level occupational therapy program recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) at the time of graduation, or graduation from an entry-level occupational therapy program NOT recognized by WFOT at the time of graduation, but determined by NBCOT to be professionally comparable to that of a US educated occupational therapist holding a Bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy.

Candidates educated outside the US also must have completed at least 1,000 hours of fieldwork and passed three English tests, including the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of Written English (TWE) and the Test of Spoken English (TSE). (Graduates of OT programs in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are currently exempt from the English test requirements.) Finally, internationally-educated OTs must pass the NBCOT certification examination, and every third year, complete certification renewal requirements in order to maintain use of the OTR credential.

NBCOT works in partnership with state regulatory agencies to protect the public interest. State regulatory entities are an important component of the credentialing process in the field of occupational therapy, and all recognize NBCOT's occupational therapy certification examinations. A state license grants an occupational therapy practitioner permission to practice in that jurisdiction. State regulations vary.

For more information and questions about filing a non-immigrant H-1B petition, please call our US office at 603-228-1277.

For more information you may visit www.nbcot.org