Trump Administration Proposes $70,000 Fee for International Student Workers
The Department of Homeland Security proposes a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the US through OPT, sparking major backlash.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — The Department of Homeland Security introduced a proposed regulation on Wednesday that would levy a $70,000 fee for international students pursuing employment opportunities in the United States.
Under the prospective framework, educational institutions would shoulder the $70,000 charge for every participant in the optional practical training initiative, commonly known as OPT. This program enables scholars to take on positions directly tied to their field of study either during their academic enrollment or following graduation, with a standard one-year duration extended by an additional two years for specific science, technology, engineering, and math graduates.
Beyond the initial application expense, schools would face a separate $30,000 renewal fee for each subsequent extension requested by a participant. Such a financial shift poses a severe challenge for American colleges and universities that depend on foreign enrollment for vital tuition income, as well as technology firms and other commercial sectors that routinely recruit international graduates for specialized technical positions.
Fanta Aw, CEO of the international education association NAFSA, emphasized that the OPT initiative provides critical hands-on experience while addressing labor shortages across high-demand technical sectors. Driving away the talents, perspectives, and aspirations of international students will only hurt American innovation, economic growth, workforce development, and global leadership, Aw stated in a written declaration.
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Conversely, the Department of Homeland Security defended the financial measure by characterizing it as a necessary defense against systemic fraud and widespread abuse within a visa framework that it labeled a pipeline for cheap foreign labor. The federal agency’s blueprint now enters a 60-day public comment window prior to any finalization and implementation.
The latest initiative arrives amid a broader series of measures enacted by President Donald Trump’s administration to curb immigration and reshape the higher education landscape. Within the past year, the Republican administration abruptly terminated the legal standing of thousands of international students, leading to widespread detentions and deportations.
Earlier in the summer, authorities finalized a separate rule intended to restrict international students from remaining in the country for more than four years without explicit federal authorization. Although that mandate triggered immediate criticism from university officials pointing out that numerous academic tracks naturally exceed four years, a federal court intervened in September to block its execution.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
