The US administration is considering imposing a USD 100,000 fee on international students seeking to work in the country after graduating from American universities, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The proposal targets the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which enables foreign graduates to take up temporary employment in the US in fields related to their academic qualifications.

The move comes after a US court blocked an earlier proposal by the Trump administration to introduce a USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visas. According to the report, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now exploring whether a similar charge can be applied to the OPT programme, which operates as an extension of F-1 student visas.

OPT Programme Could Face Major Cost Increase

The OPT programme allows international students to remain in the US and work in jobs directly linked to their field of study after completing their education. Depending on their academic discipline, graduates can remain employed under the programme for between one and three years.

The programme has become a key attraction for students choosing to pursue higher education in the US, offering an opportunity to gain professional experience before seeking longer-term employment or returning home.

According to the latest available data, around 4,19,000 foreign nationals were employed under the OPT programme in 2024.

Proposal Follows Court Setback on H-1B Fee

The reported proposal comes after a federal court struck down the administration’s earlier attempt to impose a USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visas, a popular route used by US employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers.

Technology companies, which recruit a significant share of their workforce from American universities, had opposed the proposed H-1B fee, arguing that it would increase hiring costs and affect access to skilled talent.

Responding to the report, a DHS spokeswoman said, “No policies should be considered final until formally announced. At DHS we are always having conversations about how to use all tools in our arsenal to protect the integrity of our legal immigration system.”

Green Card Bond Also Under Consideration

The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration is also examining additional financial requirements for other immigration pathways. Officials at the US State Department are considering introducing a USD 100,000 bond for green card applicants applying from outside the country.

Under the proposal, applicants would be able to redeem the bond only after relocating to the US and eventually becoming American citizens.

Without access to the OPT programme, most international students would be required to leave the US immediately after completing their studies, taking the education and skills acquired at American universities to other countries. Any decision to introduce such a fee could therefore have significant implications for the attractiveness of US higher education and for employers that rely on international graduates.

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