US proposes US$70,000 fee for foreign students to work after graduation

The United States has proposed requiring universities and other certified schools to pay US$70,000 for each foreign student entering a post-graduation work programme, a measure that could sharply raise the cost for thousands of Chinese graduates seeking employment experience in the country.

The Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that the proposed fee would apply to initial participation in Optional Practical Training, or OPT, with a further US$30,000 charge for subsequent participation.

Nearly 62,000 Chinese students took part in OPT in the 2024-2025 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report. The programme allows eligible students on F-1 visas to work in jobs directly related to their field of study.

Schools would have to pay before recommending a student for OPT, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services would not grant employment authorisation without payment, DHS said.