DHS Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee for Foreign Students After 10,000 Fraud Cases
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 7
DHS Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee for Foreign Students After 10,000 Fraud Cases
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 7
Summary
$70,000 for an initial OPT work authorization and $30,000 for an extension would replace today’s roughly $500 fee under a DHS proposal targeting foreign students on F-1 visas.
More than 10,000 fraud cases in the Optional Practical Training program drove the plan, DHS said, citing abuses by schools, designated officials, employers and students, including non-compliant worksites and “pay-to-stay” schemes.
OPT currently lets eligible students work part-time while enrolled and full-time after graduation, with STEM graduates able to seek an additional 24-month extension.
DHS says the higher fees would curb cheap-labor incentives and force schools to scrutinize recommendations more closely, but immigration advocates argue the agency lacks authority and expect an immediate court fight.
The rule still faces a public comment period before any final implementation, leaving its legal and practical future uncertain.