The Trump administration has proposed a $70,000 fee for Optional Practical Training, the program that lets international students gain work experience in the U.S. after graduation. An additional $30,000 would apply to students who want to extend the program beyond one year. The Department of Homeland Security says the fee is needed to combat fraud and abuse, and to help American workers compete in the job market.
Academic and scientific groups have pushed back, arguing the fee will drive away international talent. NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, said international students create jobs rather than take them. The proposal is especially concerning for biomedical research: international students make up roughly a quarter of life science PhD graduates and 60% of postdoctoral researchers, according to the source.
DHS points to rising OPT use and alleged fraud, including a 2020 case involving 15 students and a recent investigation that flagged more than 10,000 students working for "highly suspect" employers. But critics see the fee as part of a broader pattern of restrictions, including a proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee that courts have blocked and an attempt to cap how long students and postdocs can stay in the U.S. The proposed OPT rule is open for public comment through November 9.