The Post-Study Work Pathway
Optional Practical Training, or OPT, is a long-standing program that allows eligible international students on F-1 visas to gain temporary work experience in the United States related to their field of study. For most graduates, it provides 12 months
of employment authorization. For those in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, a 24-month extension is possible, allowing for up to three years of work. For decades, OPT has served as a critical bridge between a US education and a professional career, often acting as a pathway toward a longer-term work visa like the H-1B. It is a key reason many students choose the US for higher education, as it provides a way to apply their learning and earn money to offset the high cost of their degrees.
The $100,000 Fee Explained
Recent reports, originating from The Wall Street Journal, indicate the Trump administration is considering a proposal that would require international students to pay a $100,000 fee to participate in the OPT program. According to the reports, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is exploring the idea, though no formal rule has been announced. This move is seen by some as an attempt to deter international graduates from working in the US after their studies. The logic may be similar to a previously attempted $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, which was struck down by a federal court as an unconstitutional tax. The goal appears to be to limit access to the US job market for foreign nationals, a long-stated aim of some policy groups.
Current Status and Feasibility
As of mid-August 2026, the $100,000 OPT fee remains a proposal under consideration and has not been published as a formal rule on the Department of Homeland Security's regulatory agenda. Immigration law experts have expressed skepticism about its chances of survival, citing a lack of clear legal authority for such a high fee without new legislation from Congress. The proposal is seen by some as political maneuvering rather than a likely policy outcome. However, the administration has been actively re-evaluating the OPT program, citing concerns over fraud, national security, and the displacement of American workers. This re-evaluation is happening alongside other regulatory changes, such as replacing the flexible "duration of status" admission for students with a fixed end date, which is set to take effect on September 15, 2026, and will add complexity to extensions needed for OPT.
The Scale of Potential Impact
The impact of such a fee would be massive, particularly for Indian students. In the 2024-25 academic year, the US hosted over 1.1 million international students, with students from India (363,019) and China (265,919) making up 53% of the total. During that same period, nearly 300,000 graduates were working on OPT. Indian nationals constituted the largest group by a wide margin, with 143,740 participants, or 49% of the total. Chinese students were second, with about 21%. A prohibitive fee would make OPT financially impossible for the vast majority of these students, fundamentally altering the return on investment for a US degree and potentially driving top talent to other countries like Canada, the UK, or Australia.
The Wider Context and Competing Views
The debate around OPT is not new. Proponents, including universities and many business groups, argue that the program is essential for attracting global talent, fueling innovation, and strengthening the US economy. They point to research showing that foreign graduates on OPT do not harm job prospects for American workers but instead contribute to economic growth. Critics, however, argue the program functions as a loophole that bypasses congressional limits on work visas and creates a pipeline of cheap labor that can displace and lower wages for American graduates. Some think tanks have called for the program to be scrapped entirely. The $100,000 proposal, while extreme, is part of this broader, ongoing battle over the role of international students in the US workforce.
