US proposes $70,000 fee for international student work training

The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed a significant fee increase for international students seeking work training in the US. Under the plan, universities would pay $70,000 for each international student they recommend for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows students on F-1 visas to work in jobs related to their field of study after graduation.

According to Nairametrics, applications for extensions would also attract a $30,000 fee, a substantial rise from the current application fee of about $500, previously paid by international students themselves. This change could impact international student recruitment, as OPT is a major consideration for foreign students choosing to study in the US.

More than 294,250 international students participated in OPT during the 2024/2025 academic year, accounting for roughly one-quarter of the international student population in the country, as reported by Nairametrics citing the Institute of International Education. The proposed fee increase may lead to higher costs for universities, particularly those that rely heavily on international enrolment and tuition revenue.

Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Times, Nairametrics — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.