Trump administration proposes $70,000 fee for popular international student work program

What fee has the Department of Homeland Security proposed, and when would the additional $30,000 fee apply?

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $70,000 fee for Optional Practical Training, or OPT. Academic institutions would pay it for each student they recommend. DHS says the money would help fight fraud and protect U.S. workers, while estimating $12.4 billion in annual collections.

A second $30,000 fee would apply when a student uses OPT beyond one year. That matters especially for science graduates, because many STEM students remain eligible for as long as three years. The fee structure would therefore make extended work authorization especially expensive.

The proposal is not final. DHS planned to publish it in the Federal Register and accept public comments through November 9. The agency estimates the policy could also create $4 billion annually in opportunity costs through lost student work experience, employer productivity, and university enrollment.

What is Optional Practical Training, and how does it let international students work in jobs related to their studies?

Optional Practical Training is a work authorization program for international students in the United States. It allows them to gain hands-on experience related to their field of study while still using a student visa. The program matters because it connects classroom learning with professional work.

The process begins at the school. A designated administrator must recommend the student for OPT. The student then applies for authorization through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS. After receiving authorization, the student has 90 days to find a job related to the program’s requirements.

OPT can become a bridge to longer-term U.S. employment. STEM graduates may participate for up to three years, according to the article. DHS says some people have misused the program, while NAFSA argues that OPT gives international students experience comparable to that available to domestic students.

How large is the OPT program, and how much has participation by STEM graduates grown since 2015?

OPT has expanded sharply among graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The article reports that STEM OPT authorizations increased from nearly 27,500 in 2015 to more than 95,000 in 2024. That growth shows how important work authorization has become to international students and employers.

The increase is more than 67,500 authorizations, based on the reported figures. Participation therefore grew to over three times its 2015 level. STEM students can remain in OPT for as long as three years, helping explain why the program is especially significant in technical fields.

The article does not provide a total count for every OPT participant or identify how many current users would face the proposed fees. DHS links the growth to more reports of alleged abuse. NAFSA instead emphasizes that international students fill shortages and can generate jobs for U.S. workers.

How do schools, students, employers, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services each take part in the OPT authorization process?

Schools start the OPT process by having an administrator recommend an eligible international student. This recommendation confirms the school supports the student’s participation. Under the proposal, the academic institution would also be expected to pay the applicable fee for each recommended student.

The student then applies for work authorization to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, a DHS division. Once authorized, the student has 90 days to find a job. The employer supplies the position and workplace, which should connect to the student’s field of study under OPT’s intended design.

This chain gives each actor a distinct role. Schools recommend and may pay; students apply and seek employment; employers provide jobs; USCIS makes the authorization decision. DHS alleges that some students, employers, and school administrations have exploited the system, including through jobs with little connection to study.

What examples of fraud or abuse does DHS cite in arguing that the OPT program needs tighter rules?

DHS says alleged abuse has grown alongside OPT’s expansion. In the unpublished proposal, the department describes widespread use of OPT as an unlimited employment benefit with little or no connection to a student’s field of study. That allegation challenges the program’s central purpose: practical, study-related training.

The agency cites a 2020 incident in which federal agents arrested 15 foreign students charged with fraudulently using OPT to remain in the United States. DHS also describes a newer investigation involving more than 10,000 international students working for highly suspect employers. Some worksites were reportedly empty or nonexistent.

These examples form the administration’s case for tighter rules and large fees. The article presents DHS’s allegations, not findings that every OPT participant or employer committed abuse. NAFSA disputes the broader policy direction and says OPT supports legitimate training, labor needs, and U.S. economic activity.

What could happen to international students, employers, universities, and U.S. workers if the proposed fees take effect?

If finalized, the fees could make OPT harder for institutions to support and for students to access. DHS estimates $4 billion a year in opportunity costs, including students losing professional experience and universities losing international enrollment. The article does not say exactly how many students would be affected.

Employers could lose productivity if they cannot replace international workers, especially in high-demand STEM fields. Universities could also face fewer international students. NAFSA says OPT helps students gain experience alongside domestic peers while filling labor shortages and generating jobs for U.S. workers.

DHS argues that protecting U.S. workers and preserving program integrity would outweigh these costs. The proposal remains under consideration, so its final effects are uncertain. Public comments were scheduled through November 9, and the agency could revise the rule before any final policy takes effect.

Why do international students matter to U.S. research and labor markets, and how does OPT fit into the broader pathway from a student visa to long-term employment?

International students are a major part of U.S. research and advanced training. They represent about a quarter of life-science Ph.D. graduates and 60% of postdoctoral researchers, according to the article. Their presence supports laboratories, universities, and fields facing shortages, especially STEM.

OPT fits between education and employment. A student enters on a student visa, receives a school recommendation, applies to USCIS, and then works in a related field. STEM graduates may use OPT for up to three years. That experience can serve as a bridge toward longer-term U.S. work, although OPT itself is not permanent employment authorization.

The program’s importance is reflected in a NAFSA survey: 54% of current graduate students and postdocs said they would not have come to the United States without OPT. Proposed fees could reshape this pathway, affecting research talent, employers, universities, and the debate over worker protection.

Key Facts:

📌 $70,000 is the proposed base fee for each OPT recommendation.

📌 An additional $30,000 applies when OPT continues beyond one year.

📌 DHS estimates $12.4 billion in annual fee collections.

📌 OPT provides practical work experience related to a student’s studies.

📌 Schools recommend students before USCIS reviews work authorization applications.

📌 Students have 90 days to find a job.

📌 STEM OPT authorizations exceeded 95,000 in 2024.