OPT $100,000 Fee Could Reshape Employment for International Students

OPT $100,000 Fee could make it significantly more difficult for international students to begin their careers in the United States, even after earning a degree from an American university.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering imposing a $100,000 fee on the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, a pathway that allows international graduates to work in the United States after completing their studies. The proposal was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on July 30.

OPT enables foreign students on F-1 visas who graduate from U.S. colleges or universities to work for American employers without immediately obtaining an H-1B work visa. Graduates in most academic fields are eligible to work for up to one year, while those with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) may qualify for an extension allowing up to three years of employment.

What the OPT $100,000 Fee Proposal Could Mean

According to federal data, approximately 419,000 international graduates were employed through the OPT program in 2024. If a $100,000 fee were imposed on every participant, the federal government could potentially generate about $41.9 billion in revenue.

The proposal, however, remains under internal review at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). No final decision has been made on whether the White House will approve the measure.

Key Details Still Undecided

Several major questions remain unresolved.

Federal officials have not determined whether the proposed fee would be charged directly to international students or instead be paid by the U.S. employers that hire them. The administration has also not announced whether the fee would apply to all OPT participants or only to certain categories of applicants.

Because the proposal is still under review, its scope, implementation timeline, and final structure could change before any formal policy is announced.

If adopted, the OPT $100,000 Fee would represent one of the most significant changes to the post-graduation employment pathway for international students in recent years, potentially affecting both foreign graduates seeking U.S. work experience and employers that rely on global talent.