DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee for Each Initial OPT Recommendation

Overview

• The Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule in early October that would require SEVP‑certified schools to pay $70,000 for each initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) recommendation and $30,000 for each subsequent recommendation.
• DHS says the fees aim to curb fraud in OPT, increase schools’ scrutiny of student placements, and protect U.S. workers, and the agency estimates the charge could raise about $12.4 billion a year.
• The proposal is not in effect and is open for public comment through November 9, after which DHS will decide whether to issue a final rule and a typical 60‑day delay would follow before it could take effect.
• Universities including Michigan, Cornell, USC and others have publicly opposed the plan, warning schools might pass costs to students or employers and that the fees could sharply reduce OPT participation and international enrollment.
• Legal and political pushback is likely because courts blocked other 2026 DHS visa rules, and industry lawyers say the scale of the charges could break the practical pipeline from OPT into U.S. STEM hiring.