DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee for Foreign Students Seeking Initial OPT Work Authorization

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed major new fees for foreign students seeking work authorization through Optional Practical Training, a program that allows eligible F-1 students to work in jobs related to their academic field.

Under the proposed rule announced October 7, DHS would establish a $70,000 fee for initial OPT and a $30,000 fee for subsequent OPT participation. The proposal is not yet final and will go through a public-comment process before DHS decides whether and how to implement it.

What OPT currently allows

Optional Practical Training allows eligible F-1 students to obtain temporary employment authorization for work directly related to their major field of study.

Students can generally receive up to 12 months of OPT at each education level. Those who complete qualifying science, technology, engineering or mathematics degrees may be eligible for an additional 24-month STEM extension.

Participation requires a recommendation from a designated school official and a separate application for employment authorization through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

What DHS is proposing

DHS said the proposed rule would require schools to pay the new fee before a designated school official recommends a student for OPT in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and before the student applies to USCIS for employment authorization.

The proposed fee would not be tied to a particular employer. It would apply when a school recommends an eligible F-1 student for the program.

DHS said money collected under the proposal would be deposited in the U.S. Treasury.

The administration says the rule is aimed at program abuse

DHS framed the proposal as an effort to reduce fraud, strengthen oversight and protect U.S. workers.

The department said the Student and Exchange Visitor Program has identified cases involving problematic worksites, improper arrangements and so-called “pay-to-stay” schemes in which immigration status is maintained without legitimate academic or employment activity.

Those are the administration’s stated reasons for the proposal. The rule has not yet gone through the full public-comment process, and opponents may challenge both its policy rationale and its economic impact.

The size of the proposed fees is unusually large

A $70,000 initial fee would represent a substantial new cost associated with participation in OPT. The financial burden could affect universities, students and employers differently depending on how schools choose to respond.

Because the proposed rule places the payment obligation on participating schools before they recommend students for OPT, colleges and universities could face difficult decisions about whether to absorb the cost, limit participation or seek other arrangements.

The practical effect will depend on the final text, any exceptions or definitions included in the rule, and whether the proposal survives legal and political challenges.

The rule is not yet in effect

This is a proposed rule, not a current fee requirement.

DHS said it will accept public comments from October 8 through November 9. The Paperwork Reduction Act portion of the proposal will have a separate 60-day comment period.

After the comment period, DHS can revise the proposal before issuing a final rule. It can also delay, modify or abandon parts of the plan depending on public feedback, legal review and administrative decisions.

Why the proposal matters

OPT has become an important bridge between U.S. higher education and the American labor market, especially in technology, engineering and other STEM fields.

Supporters of the program argue that it helps U.S. employers retain highly educated graduates from American universities and strengthens innovation. Critics argue that parts of the program can be used to undercut domestic workers or create weak oversight.

The new proposal moves that long-running debate into a much more consequential phase because the size of the proposed fees could materially change participation.

The bottom line

DHS is proposing a major restructuring of the cost of Optional Practical Training for F-1 students. The headline numbers — $70,000 for initial OPT and $30,000 for subsequent OPT — are significant, but they are not yet final policy.

Students, schools and employers should rely on the final Federal Register notice and any later DHS guidance before making decisions based on the proposal.

Source reviewed: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, October 7, 2026.