The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking initial participation in Optional Practical Training (OPT), according to a report by Higher Dive. The same proposal sets a $30,000 fee for students applying to extend their OPT participation.

The figures, if adopted, would represent one of the largest financial barriers ever attached to post-study work authorization in the United States. OPT allows international students who have completed or are pursuing a degree at a U.S. institution to work in their field of study for a limited period.

What does the proposal change?

Under the plan reported by Higher Dive, two fee tiers would apply:

• $70,000 — for initial OPT participation, the stage at which graduates first obtain work authorization tied to their studies.
• $30,000 — for extensions of OPT participation beyond the initial period.

The proposal comes from DHS, the federal department that oversees U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and administers the OPT programme. At present, students pay substantially lower government filing fees when they apply for OPT employment authorization, making the proposed figures a dramatic departure from existing cost structures.

Who would be affected?

The proposal targets international students on F-1 visas who use OPT to work in the United States after completing their studies. The OPT programme has long served as a principal pathway connecting U.S. university graduates with American employers, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, where extension mechanisms have historically been available.

A fee of this magnitude would place a significant financial burden on recent graduates, most of whom are early in their careers and have already incurred the costs of U.S. tuition. Universities and employers that recruit international talent would also feel the effects, since many students weigh the total cost of studying and working in the United States against competing destinations such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Is the fee final?

No. The figures reported by Higher Dive represent a proposal from DHS, not an enacted rule. Proposals of this kind generally move through a federal rulemaking process before any fee takes effect. Readers should treat the $70,000 and $30,000 figures as proposed amounts subject to that process, and should rely on official DHS and USCIS channels for confirmation of any final rule, its effective date and its precise terms.

Students and employers should monitor announcements from DHS and USCIS rather than making plans based solely on the proposal. Until an official rule is published, existing OPT procedures and fee schedules remain the operative framework.

Why does this matter now?

The United States has competed for international students in part on the strength of its post-study work options. A five-figure or six-figure fee for work authorization would reshape that calculus for prospective students deciding where to study, and for graduates deciding whether to remain in the U.S. labour market.

The proposal also signals a broader policy direction at DHS regarding the cost of immigration benefits, shifting a substantially larger share of programme expenses onto applicants themselves.

Passport File will continue to track this proposal as it moves through the rulemaking process and will report any final fee amounts, deadlines and eligibility terms once DHS publishes them officially.