H-1B Visa for Physical Therapists: Requirements, Wages, and Sponsors 2026

Do Physical Therapists Qualify for H-1B Specialty Occupation?

Yes, physical therapy is widely recognized as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes. The DOL and USCIS both recognize physical therapists under SOC 29-1123 (Physical Therapists) as a profession requiring at minimum a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from an accredited program. Since 2016, the DPT has been the entry-level degree required for physical therapy practice in the United States, further strengthening the specialty occupation argument.

Physical therapy H-1B petitions generally have a lower RFE rate than more ambiguous consulting or business roles. The degree-to-occupation connection is direct: licensure requires a DPT, and a DPT requires specialized graduate-level physical science, anatomy, clinical science, and patient care training that cannot be substituted by a general degree.

State licensure is required in all 50 states before a physical therapist can practice. Foreign-trained physical therapists must have their credentials evaluated by FCCPT (Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy) and must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) before state licensure. The H-1B petition should include evidence of foreign credential evaluation and NPTE passage or pending examination enrollment.

Prevailing Wages for Physical Therapists Under H-1B

Physical therapists are classified under SOC 29-1123 for LCA prevailing wage purposes. Wages vary significantly by geographic area and practice setting. Here are representative prevailing wages for key markets:

Verify exact wages for your specific metro area using the DOL Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (flcdatacenter.com). Select the most current OES wage survey year and confirm whether rural or hospital-specific practice settings affect the wage determination.

Foreign-Trained Physical Therapists: Credential Evaluation

Foreign-trained physical therapists seeking H-1B must have their credentials evaluated before state licensure and H-1B petition filing. The primary credential evaluation body for physical therapists is the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT).

FCCPT Evaluation: FCCPT reviews foreign physical therapy education programs and determines if they are substantially equivalent to U.S. DPT programs. An FCCPT Type I Course Report is required for state licensure in most states. The evaluation takes 3–6 months and costs approximately $450–$600.

NPTE Examination: After FCCPT evaluation, foreign-trained PTs must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Many states require a passing score on the NPTE before issuing a license.

English Proficiency: Foreign PTs from non-English-speaking countries must typically demonstrate English proficiency (TOEFL or OET) for state licensure. This is a state requirement, not an H-1B requirement, but failure to meet it prevents practice.

Some states have additional requirements (e.g., jurisprudence exam, background check). Always verify state-specific licensing requirements before targeting a geographic market for employment.

Top H-1B Sponsor Employers for Physical Therapists

Physical therapist H-1B sponsors span hospitals, rehabilitation networks, long-term care facilities, and outpatient clinic chains. Based on USCIS disclosure data, the following employer types are the most active sponsors:

Hospital Systems: Large health systems including HCA Healthcare, Ascension Health, CommonSpirit Health, Cleveland Clinic, and Kaiser Permanente sponsor physical therapists within their rehabilitation departments. Academic medical center PT departments are often cap-exempt.

Rehabilitation Networks: Select Medical (Concentra), Kindred Healthcare, Encompass Health, and HealthSouth operate large outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation networks with significant PT workforces and active H-1B sponsorship programs.

Outpatient Clinics: ATI Physical Therapy, Athletico, Results Physiotherapy, and other large outpatient PT chains sponsor H-1B workers across their clinic networks. LCAs must be filed for each clinic location where the PT works.

Travel PT Agencies: Some travel PT staffing agencies sponsor H-1B visas for PTs working at multiple facilities. However, travel assignments complicate LCA compliance because each new assignment location may require a new LCA, the employer must be diligent about this compliance requirement.

Can Physical Therapists Avoid the H-1B Lottery?

Physical therapists working at cap-exempt employers, including hospital systems affiliated with universities, nonprofit hospitals functioning as IHE affiliates, and government health facilities, can obtain H-1B status without going through the annual lottery. This is a significant advantage in a field with high demand for international workers.

Major academic medical center rehabilitation departments are typically cap-exempt because they are affiliated with medical schools (which are IHEs). A PT working at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) rehabilitation department, for example, would be working for a cap-exempt employer and can have an H-1B filed at any time.

For PTs at cap-subject employers (outpatient chains, non-affiliated hospitals), the concurrent H-1B strategy applies: obtain a cap-exempt H-1B through a university-affiliated employer (even part-time), then use the concurrent petition pathway for the primary cap-subject employer.

The EB-3 green card path is common for physical therapists: employer-sponsored PERM → I-140 → I-485. Wait times for EB-3 from most countries (except India) are relatively short, making the green card timeline reasonable for PT practitioners.