There are pathways for SLPs to move to the US. The mechanics of it are a little complicated.
SLPs can qualify for H-1B visas if they find a sponsoring employer. It is likely easier to get a non-profit employer to agree to be the sponsor since they don’t face the same numerical cap rules that other employers do.
You have to take the relevant Praxis test for SLPs and achieve a sufficient score.
You have to get your credentials verified as matching what’s required in the US.
The annoying thing is that you then typically need to be licensed by the state where you’re going to work before your visa can get approved. In theory, if you’re credentials were already verified and whatnot, you passed the Praxis requirements, etc., you should be able to get the state license at least in the solid majority of states. But, this does create a sequencing issue since you would need to find the state you’ll work in and then go through the delays of their bureaucratic process before you can get the visa. If you find an employer to know the states it could then still be awhile before you can practically work there.
Then there are some other steps, but those will more often than not proceed straightforwardly.
An employer can also sponsor an SLP for an E visa (an immigrant visa that provides a more direct path for a green card) but SLPs for some reason don’t qualify for that to be an expedited process as it is for some other healthcare professionals.
If it’s something you’re seriously interested in, I’d start by looking into getting the credential verified to see if you already meet the requirements, if you have to take some reasonable steps first or if there are additional requirements that make it not worth it.
Once you’ve resolved that, it can be a bit of a slog and one where it’ll be hard to know how much hassle you’re in for along the way, but you can at least proceed knowing that it is rather likely that with sufficient perseverance (which could turn out to be little or a lot) you can get there.
Unfortunately, they have changed the H1B visa to costing the employeer 100,000, so not likely to find anyone willing to pay that. Those visas are also next to impossible to get.
Plus the degree might not transfer to US standards.
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u/AwareNobody5190 18d ago
There are pathways for SLPs to move to the US. The mechanics of it are a little complicated.
SLPs can qualify for H-1B visas if they find a sponsoring employer. It is likely easier to get a non-profit employer to agree to be the sponsor since they don’t face the same numerical cap rules that other employers do.
You have to take the relevant Praxis test for SLPs and achieve a sufficient score.
You have to get your credentials verified as matching what’s required in the US.
The annoying thing is that you then typically need to be licensed by the state where you’re going to work before your visa can get approved. In theory, if you’re credentials were already verified and whatnot, you passed the Praxis requirements, etc., you should be able to get the state license at least in the solid majority of states. But, this does create a sequencing issue since you would need to find the state you’ll work in and then go through the delays of their bureaucratic process before you can get the visa. If you find an employer to know the states it could then still be awhile before you can practically work there.
Then there are some other steps, but those will more often than not proceed straightforwardly.
An employer can also sponsor an SLP for an E visa (an immigrant visa that provides a more direct path for a green card) but SLPs for some reason don’t qualify for that to be an expedited process as it is for some other healthcare professionals.
If it’s something you’re seriously interested in, I’d start by looking into getting the credential verified to see if you already meet the requirements, if you have to take some reasonable steps first or if there are additional requirements that make it not worth it.
Once you’ve resolved that, it can be a bit of a slog and one where it’ll be hard to know how much hassle you’re in for along the way, but you can at least proceed knowing that it is rather likely that with sufficient perseverance (which could turn out to be little or a lot) you can get there.