First, What Is OPT?
Optional Practical Training, or OPT, is a long-standing program that allows international students on F-1 visas to work temporarily in the United States in a job directly related to their major area of study. It's not a separate visa, but a work authorization
benefit of their student status. Graduates typically get up to 12 months of OPT. Those with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) can apply for a 24-month extension, allowing them to work for a total of three years. For many, especially the large contingent of Indian students in the US, OPT is a crucial bridge. It allows them to gain valuable real-world experience, earn a US salary to help offset the high cost of American education, and potentially find an employer willing to sponsor them for a longer-term work visa like the H-1B.
The $100,000 Proposal: Real or Rumor?
The proposal to attach a six-figure fee to OPT is not yet a formal government policy but is reportedly under serious consideration within the Department of Homeland Security and circles allied with the Trump administration. This is not the first time such a figure has been floated. The administration previously attempted to impose a similar $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, a move that was ultimately blocked by a federal court in June 2026. The re-emergence of this idea, now targeted at OPT, is seen by many as part of a broader strategy to erect significant financial barriers within the legal immigration system and discourage foreign graduates from staying in the US. The current mandatory filing fee for an OPT application is just over $400, highlighting the monumental scale of the proposed increase.
Why Target OPT?
Proponents of stricter immigration controls have argued that the OPT program has grown beyond its original intent and has become a loophole that allows foreign nationals to take jobs that could go to Americans. Administration officials have voiced concerns that the program is susceptible to fraud and is used by individuals to unlawfully remain in the country after their studies are complete. The rationale behind such a high fee would be to ensure that only the most highly sought-after graduates, whose employers are willing to cover the cost, remain in the US, while simultaneously generating revenue. However, it's unclear whether the proposed fee would fall on the student or the employer.
The Devastating Impact on Indian Students
Should this proposal become reality, it would disproportionately affect Indian students, who represent the largest group of international students participating in OPT. In the 2024-25 academic year, nearly half of all students on OPT were from India, the majority in STEM fields. For many Indian families, the ability for their children to work and earn in the US after graduation is a core part of the financial calculation that justifies the enormous investment in an American degree. A $100,000 fee would effectively dismantle this calculation, making a US education an untenable dream for all but the wealthiest. Families and education consultants in India have expressed alarm, with some saying it would force them to question the value of sending their children to the US at all.
Backlash from Universities and Businesses
The proposal has been met with immediate and strong opposition from US universities and major industries. Higher education leaders warn that it would cripple their ability to recruit international students, who are a vital source of tuition revenue and contribute significantly to campus research and diversity. They fear that top talent would simply choose to study in other countries like Canada, the UK, or Australia, which have more welcoming post-study work policies. Meanwhile, technology and finance companies, which rely on the OPT program as a primary pipeline for recruiting top global talent from US universities, have called the idea economic self-sabotage that would stifle innovation and create skilled labor shortages.
