A proposed DHS OPT fee would charge F-1 visa holders $70,000 for initial Optional Practical Training work authorization, plus $30,000 for each STEM extension, under a rule announced Oct. 7, 2026. The change would reshape the path international students use to work in the United States after graduation, where the current cost is about $500.
How Much Would the DHS OPT Fee Cost?
Under the proposal, an F-1 visa holder would owe $70,000 for a first OPT authorization and $30,000 for any later STEM OPT extension. Today's OPT participation costs around $500. STEM graduates can currently qualify for an additional 24-month extension. Students must work in a field related to their major and get employment authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Why DHS Wants the Fee
DHS says the fee structure targets fraud and abuse flagged by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which has identified widespread exploitation. A spokesperson said optional practical training “was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labor or a prize for those who game the system.” The agency says schools must be more selective.
The rule follows enforcement work in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified more than 10,000 cases of foreign student visa fraud within the program, officials said.
What Happens Next?
The proposal must pass a public comment period before it can take effect, and legal challenges are expected. Doug Rand, director of the Talent Mobility Fund, which advocates for attracting foreign STEM talent, wrote that DHS has no authority to impose the $70,000 fee and predicted courts would reject the rule.
