Overview
- Reports published Thursday say the Department of Homeland Security is considering attaching a $100,000 charge to Optional Practical Training, the program that lets F‑1 graduates work in the U.S. for one to three years after their degree.
- DHS has told reporters no policy is final and officials have not decided whether the cost would fall on students, employers, or some other party.
- A similar $100,000 H‑1B levy was proposed last year and a federal appeals court in Boston recently blocked its enforcement, signaling likely legal challenges if an OPT charge is pursued.
- Stakeholders warn the measure could sharply reduce the United States’ appeal for international students, cut tuition revenue at universities, and disrupt hiring pipelines that feed firms in tech and finance.
- Observers are watching for a formal rulemaking this fall and for whether the administration narrows the proposal, how courts respond, and how large groups of students—especially those from India—would be affected in practice.