The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $70,000 fee for one year of Optional Practical Training (OPT), plus $30,000 for a two-year STEM extension. OPT allows eligible international students to work in their field after graduation.
If implemented, this would be a major blow to Indian students in the U.S., especially those struggling to find jobs and navigate changing immigration rules.
After spending heavily on tuition and living expenses, they could face another $100,000 just for permission to work, without any guarantee of a job.
Courts have recently blocked the separate $100,000 H-1B fee while litigation continues. That may give students hope of similar relief if the OPT proposal is finalized and challenged. However, the H-1B rulings do not automatically stop this proposal.
For now, the OPT fees remain a proposal and are not in effect.
