US proposes $70,000 fee for international students in OPT work programme
Synopsis
The US DHS has proposed a $70,000 upfront fee for international students to access the Optional Practical Training programme — a move that could effectively price out thousands of foreign graduates, including large numbers of Indian STEM students, from post-study work experience in America. The public comment window opens 8 October.
Key Takeaways
US DHS has proposed a $70,000 fee for initial OPT participation and a $30,000 fee for subsequent participation.
Fees would be paid by SEVP-certified schools , not directly by students; USCIS would deny authorisation if schools have not paid.
STEM OPT graduates can currently access up to 36 months of work authorisation — making the fee especially impactful for Indian tech graduates.
DHS says the change targets fraud, 'pay-to-stay' visa schemes, and cheap-labour exploitation of the programme.
Public comments are open from 8 October to 9 November 2026 ; no final rule has been issued yet.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking initial participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a sweeping measure that could dramatically raise the cost of post-study work experience in the United States. The proposal, announced on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, would also levy a $30,000 fee for any subsequent OPT participation.
What the Proposed Rule Changes
Under the proposal, the fees would not be paid directly by students. Instead, SEVP-certified schools would be required to pay the amount before their designated school officials (DSOs) recommend students for OPT in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would deny employment authorisation if the school had not paid the required fee, according to DHS.
Importantly, the fee would not be tied to a specific employer — it would apply whenever a school recommends an F-1 student for any form of OPT. All collected funds would be deposited in the US Treasury.
Why DHS Says It Is Proposing the Change
DHS said the proposal is aimed at combating fraud and abuse, strengthening immigration-system integrity, and protecting US workers. The department cited instances in which schools, designated school officials, employers, and F-1 students were involved in schemes exploiting existing regulations, including problematic worksites and so-called 'pay-to-stay' visa schemes.
'Optional Practical Training was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labour, or a prize for those who game the system,' a DHS spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that DHS was 'upskilling OPT to require foreign students to justify their worth to employers,' and argued that 'American workers should not have to compete against a program that has been turned into a pipeline for cheap foreign labour.'
DHS said the proposed fees could also encourage schools to exercise greater oversight and selectivity before recommending students for OPT.
Who Is Affected and How OPT Currently Works
OPT allows eligible international students in F-1 status to obtain temporary employment authorisation for work directly related to their field of study. Students can access up to 12 months of OPT at each educational level — either before completing their programme or after graduation. Graduates with qualifying degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) can apply for an additional 24-month STEM OPT extension, making the programme especially critical for international graduates targeting the US technology sector.
The programme is widely used by foreign graduates of US colleges and universities. For Indian students in particular — who form one of the largest international student cohorts in the US — the proposed cost increase represents a significant structural barrier to post-study employment.
Timeline and Next Steps
The fees are proposed and are not currently in effect. DHS will accept public comments from 8 October through 9 November 2026. After the comment period closes, the department will review submissions and may revise the proposal before issuing any final rule. The announcement is part of a broader push by the current US administration to tighten employment-based immigration programmes, with officials arguing that stronger enforcement is needed to curb fraud and safeguard domestic workers.
Point of View
000 school-paid fee is less a regulation than a de facto ban — it shifts liability onto institutions in a way that makes recommending OPT financially untenable for most. The framing around 'cheap foreign labour' sidesteps the reality that OPT graduates are often paid market or above-market rates and fill documented STEM shortfalls. For India, whose students make up the second-largest international cohort in the US and disproportionately pursue STEM pathways, this is among the most consequential immigration proposals in years — and it has arrived with almost no diplomatic visibility. The comment period is the only leverage available, and it closes in 33 days.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the US DHS proposal on OPT fees?
The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed charging $70,000 for international students' initial participation in the Optional Practical Training programme and $30,000 for any subsequent OPT participation. The fees would be paid by SEVP-certified schools, not directly by students, and USCIS would deny employment authorisation if schools have not paid.
Is the $70,000 OPT fee already in effect?
No. The fee is a proposal and is not currently in effect. DHS is accepting public comments from 8 October through 9 November 2026, after which it may revise the rule before issuing a final version.
How does this affect Indian students in the US?
Indian students are among the largest users of the OPT programme, particularly through the STEM OPT extension, which allows up to 24 additional months of work authorisation after the standard 12. If enacted, the proposed fee could discourage schools from recommending Indian and other international STEM graduates for OPT, sharply limiting their post-study employment options in the US.
Why is DHS proposing such a large fee for OPT?
DHS says the change is meant to combat fraud, 'pay-to-stay' visa schemes, and exploitation of the OPT programme as a source of cheap labour. The department argues that higher fees will encourage schools to exercise greater selectivity before recommending students for work authorisation.
What is the STEM OPT extension and why does it matter?
The STEM OPT extension allows international graduates with qualifying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degrees to access an additional 24 months of work authorisation beyond the standard 12-month OPT, for a total of up to 36 months. It is widely used by Indian and other international graduates targeting the US technology sector, making the proposed fee particularly consequential for this group.
