H-1B Demand for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Surges in FY2025, Concentrated in NY
Explore H-1B visa filings for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 99% |
| Average Salary | $72,393 |
| Salary Range | $45,000 - $208,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Omni Health Services Inc. |
| Primary Location | New York |
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is one of the H-1B visa categories with 40 filings and an average salary of $85,731. H-1B hiring for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is concentrated in a few key states, with New York leading significantly. The majority of H-1B petitions for this role are recent, with a strong focus on FY2025. The median salary offered to H-1B workers in this field is slightly higher than the national median salary for the occupation. While the number of petitions is relatively small, the data indicates a recent surge in demand.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 99% |
| Average Salary | $72,393 |
| Median Salary | $61,500 |
| 25th Percentile | $52,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $82,430 |
| Minimum Salary | $45,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $208,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $50,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $52,000 |
| Median (50th) | $61,500 |
| 75th Percentile | $82,430 |
| 90th Percentile | $105,000 |
| Average | $72,393 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 96 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 4 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| New York | 32 |
| Pennsylvania | 20 |
| California | 9 |
| Illinois | 9 |
| Indiana | 5 |
| Utah | 4 |
| Minnesota | 4 |
| Massachusetts | 3 |
| Washington | 3 |
| Wisconsin | 2 |
Focus your H-1B job search on states with higher concentrations of hiring, particularly New York, and highlight your qualifications for roles offering competitive salaries above the national median.
The average H-1B salary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is $85,731, with a median of $74,700. The 25th-75th percentile range is $60,000 to $98,238.
Top H-1B sponsors for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers include New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, ASIAN COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICE, North East Medical Services, YAI-National Institute for People with Disabilities, Parkview Health System, Inc.. A total of 31 employers have filed for this role.
There are 40 H-1B filings on record for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions. 97.5% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions are New York (14), Illinois (6), California (3), Indiana (3), Washington (2).
Yes, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 40 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salaries range from $49,150 to $208,000. The median salary is $74,700.
The approval rate for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers H-1B petitions is 97.5%. New York accounts for a disproportionately high percentage of H-1B petitions (14 out of 40 total).
Illinois and California also show notable, though smaller, concentrations of H-1B hiring.
Focus your H-1B job search on states with higher concentrations of hiring, particularly New York, and highlight your qualifications for roles offering competitive salaries above the national median.
The data shows a significant increase in petitions from FY2024 to FY2025, suggesting growing employer interest.
The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers occupation (SOC code 21-102300) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions show an average offered salary of $72,393, with a range from $45,000 at the entry level to $208,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in New York (32 filings) and Pennsylvania (20 filings).
Career outlook for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions, the average offered salary of $72,393 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 23%, with 84% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions is 99%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers H-1B filings is approximately 35 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers positions.