The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to participate in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows foreign students to work in jobs related to their fields of study.
Gatekeepers News reports that under the proposed rule, schools would be required to pay $70,000 for each student’s initial application to the programme and $30,000 for each renewal.
The DHS announced the proposal in a statement on Wednesday, saying the measure was intended to combat fraud and abuse, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system and protect American workers.
OPT allows eligible international students to gain temporary work experience related to their academic programmes during or after their studies in the US.
Students are generally eligible for up to 12 months of employment under the programme, while graduates in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields may qualify for an additional 24 months.
Defending the proposed fees, a DHS spokesperson said the programme had strayed from its original purpose and required stricter oversight.
“Optional practical training was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labour, or a prize for those who game the system,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the proposal was intended to ensure that foreign students justified their value to employers.
“DHS is upskilling OPT to require foreign students to justify their worth to employers. American workers should not have to compete against a program that has been turned into a pipeline for cheap foreign labour,” the spokesperson said.
Existing federal regulations permit eligible international students to participate in OPT provided their employment is directly related to their major field of study.
To qualify, students must obtain a recommendation from their designated school official (DSO) and apply for employment authorisation through US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
According to the DHS, the proposed fees would encourage educational institutions to exercise greater scrutiny when recommending students for the programme.
“DHS believes the proposed fees would encourage schools to exercise greater oversight and selectivity when recommending F-1 non-immigrant students for OPT, helping reduce fraud and strengthen program integrity,” the department said.
The proposal forms part of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration enforcement agenda and efforts to reshape aspects of the US higher education system.
Last year, US authorities terminated the legal status of thousands of international students, with many facing detention and deportation.
The DHS said it would accept public comments on the proposed rule from October 8 to November 9, allowing interested parties to submit feedback before further action is taken.
