DHS proposes steep new fee

The Department of Homeland Security proposed Wednesday that schools pay seventy thousand dollars per international student seeking to work in the U.S. through Optional Practical Training, a temporary employment program.

What OPT currently allows

Optional Practical Training lets students work in jobs related to their field of study for up to a year during or after their studies. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics students may get extensions.

Current cost versus proposed

Students now pay about five hundred dollars to apply for OPT. Under the proposal, schools would pay seventy thousand dollars for initial participation and thirty thousand dollars for each additional program participation.

DHS claims OPT is abused

The Department of Homeland Security said in May it found more than ten thousand foreign students working for highly suspect employers, including empty buildings and locked doors at addresses where hundreds allegedly worked.

Program growth outpaces oversight

The department said one hundred ninety-four thousand five hundred fifty-four students were granted employment authorization in twenty twenty-four, compared to one hundred sixty thousand six hundred twenty-seven in twenty twenty-three.

DHS's stated purpose

The Department of Homeland Security said OPT was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce or a subsidy for cheap labor, and the fee would ensure schools exercise greater oversight when recommending students.

“OPT was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labor, or a prize for those who game the system.”

Critics say proposal is illegal

Advocates argue the fee lacks legal authority and will not survive court challenges, citing previous defeats of similar policies. A one hundred thousand dollar H-one B visa fee was already blocked in courts.

Survey shows students would leave

A survey by the Institute for Progress found eighty percent fewer international students said they would likely stay if proposed fees were implemented. For STEM students, only fifteen percent said they would likely stay.

Broader consequences for universities

Critics warn that declining international enrollment would strain institutional budgets, increase tuition pressure on American students, and diminish the educational experience for everyone at universities and colleges.