Trump Administration Plans to Charge International Students $70,000 for Work Authorization

Washington: The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed that international students pay ‌at least $70,000 in training fees if they want to work in the country, according to a government notice posted online on Wednesday, part of the Trump administration's wider crackdown on foreign visa holders.

Under the proposal, nonimmigrant students with F-1 ​visas would be required to pay $70,000 to a certified institution for on-the-job training, known as Optional ​Practical Training (OPT), and $30,000 for any additional work training.

DHS said the new rules were ⁠meant "to combat fraud, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system, and protect US workers."

Under the OPT system, ​foreign students can engage in work training for up to 20 hours per week while school is in ​session, as well as for a limited time after graduation, with an additional allowance for those with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Those who enroll are currently expected to pay around $500.

"DHS is now setting a fee to ensure ​employers, students, and institutions are engaging in appropriate activities consistent with admission as an F-1 nonimmigrant," the ​agency said.

Such training programs often serve as a bridge for students seeking work under H-1B visas, which the Trump ‌administration has ⁠also targeted with increased fees, opens new tab.

For decades, the H-1B program has allowed young engineers and scientists from across the world, especially India and China, to turn years of study at US universities into high-paying jobs and a path to permanent US residency. Leading US tech companies have come to rely heavily on these workers to ​fill skilled positions.

When he was ​campaigning in 2024, President ⁠Donald Trump vowed he would make it easier for foreign students to remain in the country, suggesting they be automatically awarded a Green Card after graduation.

Like ​similar DHS proposals, the rule change is likely to be met with ​swift legal challenges.

"This ⁠proposed rule isn't going to fare well in the courts, just as the 100k H-1B fee and other restrictionist policies have been struck down," Doug Rand, director of the Talent Mobility Fund, which works to attract ⁠foreign STEM ​professionals, wrote on LinkedIn on Wednesday.

The proposal is subject to ​30 days of public comment before it can be finalized.

DHS said it would wait 60 days after finalization before putting the rule ​into effect to allow schools, students and employers time to prepare.

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