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1h ago

DHS Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee That Would Make Schools Pay to Authorize Student Work

Published in the Federal Register, the rule seeks to curb alleged OPT fraud through a 30-day public comment process.

CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 22: Newly sworn citizens leave the Department of Homeland Security auditorium after participating in a naturalization ceremony on February 22, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. About 100 people were sworn in as U.S. citizens during the ceremony. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
FILE - A Morehouse College student lines up before the school commencement, May 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
Trump’s $70,000 OPT fee proposal for international students explained: What is OPT and who will bear the cost? | Today News
The DHS has proposed a new rule that might require US schools to pay a fee for their international students' OPT.

Overview

  • The proposal, published Oct. 8, 2026, would require SEVP-certified schools to pay $70,000 for an initial Optional Practical Training recommendation and $30,000 for each subsequent period before a designated school official can enter the recommendation in SEVIS.
  • DHS says the fees are meant to fund oversight and protect U.S. workers after investigations found thousands of suspect OPT placements and reported 'phantom employee' schemes tied to the program.
  • The charges would leap from about $500 today to $70,000, prompting universities to warn they may pass costs to students or employers and that many prospective international students could opt for other countries.
  • The rule is not final and DHS is accepting public comments through Nov. 9, 2026, while higher-education groups, employers and immigration advocates prepare legal challenges that could delay or block the policy.
  • If finalized, DHS said it would wait 60 days before implementation and the change could shrink OPT participation, alter the OPT-to-H-1B pipeline, and generate large federal revenues while reshaping U.S. access to global STEM talent.