Imagine spending four years at an American university, earning a degree in engineering, nursing or computer science, and preparing to contribute to the country that educated you. Then, just as an employer expresses interest, you’re told to pay $70,000 to get the job.
Welcome to the latest proposed obstacle course for international students in America. The Department of Homeland Security announced October 7 that it wants to impose a $70,000 fee for initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) and $30,000 for subsequent OPT participation. The proposal could dramatically change how foreign students transition from American classrooms into American workplaces.
OPT currently allows eligible F-1 international students to gain temporary work experience related to their studies, generally for 12 months. Qualified graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics can seek an additional 24 months. For students from Nigeria, India, Ghana, China and other countries, the program offers an opportunity to apply their education while gaining professional experience.
Under the proposed rule, however, that opportunity could become considerably more expensive. According to the October 7, 2026, Press release. ,DHS argues that OPT has been exploited by employers seeking inexpensive foreign labor and by participants involved in fraudulent arrangements. The department says the proposed fees would discourage abuse, strengthen oversight and protect American workers.
Those are legitimate policy objectives. But the proposed solution raises another question: Rajiv Singh an Indian engineering graduate from Wright State University who recently got a job offer from a defense contractor in Beavercreek Ohio is pissed: “ It’s just not fair, he says. Why should I, a legitimate international graduate student pay the price for the misconduct by others?” The fee is more than the entry level salary in my job offer. Where will I get the money. Singh adds
Singh’s situation is sad not only at the personal level but also for the American Industrial base: Employer need the specialized skills that international students like Boateng offer and such graduate want experience that American employer offers, but a $70.000 bill will make it impossible for both the employer to leverage the American education of the international student.
Checks by African Metro News show that the proposed regulation would technically require SEVP-certified schools—not individual students or employers—to pay before recommending a student for OPT. That distinction may however offer little comfort. Universities could struggle to absorb the expense, potentially restricting opportunities for students. Employers, meanwhile, could find qualified international graduates increasingly difficult to hire. The financial burden might not appear directly on an employer’s invoice, but its consequences could reach the recruiting office.
Department of Homeland Security maintains that limiting access to OPT would protect American workers from unfair competition. Critics of such restrictions, however, could argue that employers needing specialized talent may lose access to graduates already trained in American institutions.
For universities recruiting international students, the proposal also complicates an important selling point: the opportunity to gain professional experience after graduation. America would still welcome foreign students to its classrooms. Whether it would welcome their skills afterward could depend on who can afford the admission price.
To be clear, the fees are not yet law. DHS is accepting public comments from October 8 through November 9, 2026. Students, universities, employers and immigrant organizations can submit comments through Regulations.gov using Docket ICEB-2026-0100.
