US proposes $70,000 fee for foreign students' OPT work permits
In short
The US Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 7 proposed a $70,000 fee for F-1 student visa holders' first application to Optional Practical Training (OPT), the program that lets foreign graduates work in the US, and $30,000 for later applications. The rule makes schools liable for the fee, but Korean outlets said students or employers are likely to bear it. The current fee is about $500.
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The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Oct. 7, local time, a proposed rule that would impose a $70,000 fee when an F-1 student visa holder first applies for Optional Practical Training (OPT), and $30,000 for each later application, Yonhap and other Korean outlets reported. The current OPT application cost is about $500, according to Dong-A Ilbo, Seoul Economic Daily and Kyunghyang Shinmun. Seoul Economic Daily said the amount is lower than the $100,000 initially discussed; Dong-A Ilbo's headline put the maximum at $100,000. [ 2 , 5 , 8 , 9 ]
OPT lets foreign students at US universities work in their field of study on their existing F-1 visa without a separate work visa. It normally allows one year of work, and STEM graduates can extend by two years for up to three years in total. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
A DHS spokesperson said OPT is "not a back door into the American labour market, a subsidy for low-wage labour, or a reward for those who abuse the system," and that American workers should not have to compete with a program that has become a pipeline for low-wage foreign labour. DHS said the rule follows fraud and abuse cases found by ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Program, and that it expects schools to apply stricter oversight when recommending students for OPT. Seoul Economic Daily added that ICE said earlier this year it had found more than 10,000 potential fraud cases. [ 2 , 8 , 9 ]
The rule makes schools liable for the fee, and DHS said USCIS would not grant work authorization if a school does not pay. Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily and Kyunghyang Shinmun said universities are unlikely to pay, so the cost is likely to fall on students or the companies hiring them. [ 2 , 8 , 9 ]
Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily said the rule will be finalised after a 60-day comment period, while Kyunghyang Shinmun reported a 30-day period ending Nov. 9. Doug Rand, a former senior USCIS adviser under the Biden administration, told AP he expects courts to invalidate the fee, as they did with a $100,000 H-1B visa fee. Yonhap cited AP and Kyunghyang Shinmun cited Reuters as saying lawsuits by universities or business groups could delay it. [ 2 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
Sarah Spreitzer of the American Council on Education told AP that OPT is a key reason foreign students study in the US. New foreign student enrolment fell 17% last autumn, and some universities report declines of 30-40% this autumn, according to Asia Economy and Kyunghyang Shinmun. Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, said pushing foreign students out would harm innovation and economic growth, Asia Economy reported. [ 6 , 9 ]
Why it matters
OPT has served as a path for foreign graduates of US universities, including in STEM fields, to work in the US, and more than 294,250 students took part in 2024-2025, according to the Institute of International Education as cited by Seoul Economic Daily. Education groups quoted by Korean outlets warned the fee could deepen a fall in foreign enrolment, and a former USCIS adviser expects courts to strike it down.
Key facts
- DHS announced a proposed rule on Oct. 7 (US time) imposing new fees on F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training. [ 2 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- The first OPT application would carry a $70,000 fee and later applications $30,000. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- The current OPT application cost is about $500. [ 5 , 8 , 9 ]
- Under the rule, schools are liable for the fee, and USCIS would not grant work authorization if the school does not pay. [ 2 , 8 , 9 ]
- OPT normally allows one year of work, with STEM graduates allowed two more years, for up to three years. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- DHS cited fraud and abuse found by ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Program as the reason for the rule. [ 2 , 9 ]
- More than 294,250 students took part in OPT in the 2024-2025 academic year, about a quarter of all foreign students in the US, according to the Institute of International Education. [ 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- DHS proposed a $70,000 fee for a first OPT application and $30,000 for subsequent applications. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- The proposed rule designates schools as the party that pays the fee. [ 2 , 3 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- A DHS spokesperson said OPT is not a back door into the US labour market or a subsidy for low-wage labour. [ 2 , 8 , 9 ]
- Doug Rand, a former senior USCIS adviser under the Biden administration, told AP he expects courts to invalidate the fee. [ 2 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- New foreign student enrolment in the US fell 17% last autumn, and some universities report declines of 30-40% this autumn. [ 6 , 9 ]
Still unclear
- Length of the public comment period. Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily report a 60-day comment period, while Kyunghyang Shinmun reports 30 days ending Nov. 9.
- Maximum fee amount. Dong-A Ilbo's headline and summary say up to $100,000, while its own detail and other outlets give $70,000 for a first application; Seoul Economic Daily says $100,000 was the figure initially discussed.
- Who will ultimately pay the fee. The rule puts it on schools, but outlets said it is likely to fall on students or employers; this is a projection, not a stated provision.
- Whether litigation will delay the rule. Yonhap attributes the possibility of delay through lawsuits to AP, while Kyunghyang Shinmun attributes it to Reuters; no lawsuit is reported yet.
- ICE's count of more than 10,000 potential OPT fraud cases. Reported only by Seoul Economic Daily.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports DHS's proposed OPT fee from Washington. [ 2 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports the proposed fee of up to $70,000. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the plan, putting the maximum at $100,000 in its headline. [ 5 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the rule, noting $100,000 was the figure initially discussed. [ 8 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports a 30-day comment period ending Nov. 9. [ 9 ]