Overview
- On Wednesday the Department of Homeland Security published a draft rule that would require SEVP‑certified schools to pay $70,000 before a designated school official can recommend an F‑1 student for initial Optional Practical Training and $30,000 for each later authorization, with USCIS barred from approving work authorization if the school has not paid.
- DHS framed the proposal as a fraud‑control and worker‑protection measure, saying investigations by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program found problematic worksites and so‑called pay‑to‑stay schemes it wants to deter.
- Universities, international‑education groups such as NAFSA and employers warned the fee would shift huge costs to schools and could be passed to students or employers, which critics say would sharply reduce post‑study work opportunities especially for STEM graduates from India.
- The rule is only proposed and is open for public comment with outlets reporting 30‑ or 60‑day windows; stakeholders are preparing submissions and legal challenges that could revise, delay or block any final regulation.
- OPT currently gives most F‑1 graduates 12 months of work authorization and eligible STEM graduates an additional 24 months, and experts say the proposal could shrink the pipeline that feeds U.S. employers and H‑1B sponsorship, cutting enrollment and revenue for some colleges.