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The US Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration has proposed charging international students with F-1 visas a minimum of $70,000 for Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows them to work in the country after graduation. Additionally, there is a proposed fee of $30,000 for any additional training beyond OPT. The government claims these measures are aimed at combating fraud and protecting US workers, but critics argue that such high fees will likely face legal challenges similar to previous restrictive policies on H-1B visas.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a new rule on October 8, 2026, that would require universities to pay $70,000 for each foreign student seeking to participate in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program upon graduation and an additional $30,000 for subsequent OPT authorizations. Under this proposal, schools must submit these fees before recommending students for OPT in SEVIS and USCIS will not issue employment authorization without receiving payment from the institutions. DHS claims the aim is to combat fraud and protect American workers, asserting that OPT was never intended as a backdoor into the U.S. workforce or a subsidy for cheap labor. This move could significantly impact thousands of Chinese students seeking work experience in America post-graduation.
Written for “US Student Work Visa Fee Increase” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 63824: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-07
Trump admin plans to charge international students US$70,000 for work authorisation
AI generated
asserted
admin → plan → authorisation
The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed that international students pay at least US$70,000 (S$90,000) in training fees if they want to work in the country, according to a government notice posted online on Oct 7, part of the Trump administration’s wider crackdown on foreign visa holders.
uncertain
they → propose → holders
Under the proposal, non-immigrant students with F-1 visas would be required to pay US$70,000 to a certified institution for on-the-job training, known as Optional Practical Training (OPT), and US$30,000 for any additional work training.
asserted
students → require → training
DHS said the new rules were meant “to combat fraud, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system, and protect US workers.”
asserted
rules → say → workers
Under the OPT system, foreign students can engage in work training for up to 20 hours a week while school is in session, as well as for a limited time after graduation, with an additional allowance for those with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
asserted
school → engage → science
Those who enroll are currently expected to pay around US$500.
asserted
who → enroll → 500
“DHS is now setting a fee to ensure employers, students, and institutions are engaging in appropriate activities consistent with admission as an F-1 non-immigrant,” the agency said.
asserted
agency → set → immigrant
Such training programmes often serve as a bridge for students seeking work under H-1B visas, which the Trump administration has also targeted with increased fees.
asserted
administration → serve → fees
For decades, the H-1B programme has allowed young engineers and scientists from across the world, especially India and China, to turn years of study at US universities into high-paying jobs and a path to permanent US residency.
asserted
engineers → allow → residency
Leading US tech companies have come to rely heavily on these workers to fill skilled positions.
asserted
companies → lead → positions
When he was campaigning in 2024, President Donald Trump vowed he would make it easier for foreign students to remain in the country, suggesting they be automatically awarded a Green Card after graduation.
asserted
they → campaign → graduation
Like similar DHS proposals, the rule change is likely to be met with swift legal challenges.
asserted
change → meet → challenges
“This proposed rule isn’t going to fare well in the courts, just as the 100k H-1B fee and other restrictionist policies have been struck down,” Doug Rand, director of the Talent Mobility Fund, which works to attract foreign STEM professionals, wrote on LinkedIn on Oct 7.
asserted
which → propose → Oct
The proposal is subject to 30 days of public comment before it can be finalised.
asserted
it → finalise → comment
DHS said it would wait 60 days after finalisation before putting the rule into effect to allow schools, students and employers time to prepare.
asserted
it → say → time
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