H-1B Visa Petitions for Recreational Therapists Show Minimal Activity
Explore H-1B visa filings for Recreational Therapists. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 71 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 71 |
| Approval Rate | 90% |
| Average Salary | $61,190 |
| Salary Range | $31,111 - $98,028 |
| Top Sponsor | Department of State Hospitals - Coalinga |
| Primary Location | California |
Recreational Therapists is one of the H-1B visa categories with 7 filings and an average salary of $46,621. H-1B hiring for Recreational Therapists is currently very low, with only 7 petitions filed in FY2025. The data suggests a nascent or emerging trend for H-1B employment in this specific role. Geographic concentration is minimal, with petitions spread across only three states (SC, FL, MS).
| Total Filings | 71 |
| Approval Rate | 90% |
| Average Salary | $61,190 |
| Median Salary | $58,240 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $73,800 |
| Minimum Salary | $31,111 |
| Maximum Salary | $98,028 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,685 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 |
| Median (50th) | $58,240 |
| 75th Percentile | $73,800 |
| 90th Percentile | $91,044 |
| Average | $61,190 |
| Sample Size | 69 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 65 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 6 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 71 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State Hospitals - Coalinga | 11 | $85k |
| URNC OPERATING LLC | 5 | $50k |
| Delfina Pilates LLC | 4 | $65k |
| Beautiful Gate Center | 4 | $40k |
| California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | 4 | $87k |
| NORTH MISSISSIPPI REGIONAL CENTER | 3 | $42k |
| The Music Place, Inc | 2 | $74k |
| Hans Homecare Inc | 2 | $49k |
| Serenity Care Inc | 2 | $41k |
| St. Otto's Care Center Inc. | 2 | $51k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 23 |
| New York | 10 |
| Florida | 6 |
| South Carolina | 4 |
| Illinois | 4 |
| Mississippi | 3 |
| Colorado | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 3 |
| Kansas | 3 |
| Maryland | 3 |
Focus on employers in South Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi, and be prepared to demonstrate unique skills or experience that justify H-1B sponsorship for this niche role.
The average H-1B salary for Recreational Therapists is $46,621, with a median of $42,640. The 25th-75th percentile range is $37,440 to $67,538.
Top H-1B sponsors for Recreational Therapists include Beautiful Gate Center, Delfina Pilates LLC, NORTH MISSISSIPPI REGIONAL CENTER. A total of 3 employers have filed for this role.
There are 7 H-1B filings on record for Recreational Therapists positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Recreational Therapists positions are South Carolina (4), Florida (2), Mississippi (1).
Yes, Recreational Therapists is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 7 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Recreational Therapists salaries range from $31,111 to $67,538. The median salary is $42,640.
The approval rate for Recreational Therapists H-1B petitions is 100.0%. The total number of petitions (7) is extremely small, making it difficult to draw robust statistical conclusions.
All petitions are concentrated in the most recent fiscal year (FY2025), indicating a potential new area of interest for H-1B sponsorship.
Focus on employers in South Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi, and be prepared to demonstrate unique skills or experience that justify H-1B sponsorship for this niche role.
The limited state distribution (SC, FL, MS) might reflect specific employer needs or regional demand.
The Recreational Therapists occupation (SOC code 29-112500) 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.
Recreational Therapists 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 Recreational Therapists positions is Not Specified (71 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 71 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Recreational Therapists positions show an average offered salary of $61,190, with a range from $31,111 at the entry level to $98,028 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (23 filings) and New York (10 filings).
Career outlook for Recreational Therapists 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 Recreational Therapists 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 Recreational Therapists 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 Recreational Therapists positions, the average offered salary of $61,190 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 6.6%, with 49% 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 Recreational Therapists positions is 90%.
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. Recreational Therapists 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 Recreational Therapists H-1B filings is approximately 33 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Recreational Therapists positions.