The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the country. This move is part of the Trump administration's efforts to tighten rules around foreign students and immigration. The proposed rule would require schools to pay the fee for every international student participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme. This programme allows eligible foreign students to work in jobs related to their fields of study while in school or after graduation.
International students are generally eligible to work for one year after completing their studies through OPT, while graduates in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can receive an additional two years. The proposed fee would be $70,000 for each student's initial OPT application and $30,000 for each renewal. This policy could affect Nigerian students and other international students who rely on OPT to gain work experience in the United States after completing their studies.
American universities rely heavily on international students, including those from Nigeria and other countries, for tuition revenue. Technology companies and other businesses also recruit international graduates for technical and specialised positions. Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an association representing international education, expressed concerns that the proposed fee would drive away talented international students. Aw stated that OPT allows international students to gain practical experience while helping employers fill labour shortages, particularly in STEM fields.
However, DHS described OPT as a "pipeline for cheap foreign labor" and stated that the proposed fee is intended to address what it considers fraud and abuse within the programme. The public will have 60 days to submit comments on the proposal before DHS can decide whether to finalise and implement the rule. The proposal could also face legal challenges from higher education organisations and business groups, potentially delaying its implementation.
The proposed OPT fee is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration rules and increase scrutiny of international students in the United States. Last year, the administration terminated the legal status of thousands of international students, with some subsequently detained or deported. The administration also finalised a rule this summer that sought to limit international students' stay in the US to four years unless they received approval from the federal government to remain longer.
Higher education leaders criticised the measure, arguing that it would create additional burdens for universities and noting that some degree programmes are designed to last longer than four years. A federal court blocked the rule from taking effect in September. Doug Rand, a former senior adviser at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Biden administration, predicted that the proposed OPT fee would face legal challenges.
Rand compared the proposed fee with a $100,000 fee imposed on H-1B work visas, which are widely used by technology companies and universities to recruit skilled workers. Rand argued that high fees were not the solution and that the US should embrace international students who want to work and apply their talents after graduating. The proposed fee has sparked concerns about its potential impact on American innovation, economic growth, and workforce development.
Key points
- The proposed $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the US could affect Nigerian students and other international students who rely on OPT to gain work experience.
- The Trump administration's efforts to tighten immigration rules and increase scrutiny of international students in the US have sparked concerns from higher education leaders and business groups.
- The proposed OPT fee is part of a broader effort to address what DHS considers fraud and abuse within the programme.
