Why Trump’s proposed $100,000 OPT fee could hit Indian students hard

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International students at a US university commencement ceremony. (Photo: AP)

The Trump administration is considering a $100,000 (about Rs 96.4 lakh) fee for international graduates seeking to work in the US under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a move that could hit thousands of Indian students, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials familiar with the developments

The move will likely make studying in the US far less attractive for foreign students, and would mark a significant step in Trump’s wider push to restrict legal immigration

The Journal reported that the proposed fee would particularly hit universities, which rely on international students as a steady firms that hire a large share of international graduates for technical roles

The fee would apply to Optional Practical Training (OPT) visas, an extension of the F-1 student visa that lets foreign graduates work in the US for one to three years in fields related to their studies. Around 419,000 foreign nationals were working under OPT in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available

The proposal follows a US court ruling that struck down an earlier plan to charge a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas. Tech companies, which account for most recruitment of international graduates from US universities, had opposed that fee

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What is OPT
The proposed fee
Who’s affected
Trump’s measures
Why India cares
How OPT works today
1
A student graduatesOn an F-1 international student visa.
2
Applies for OPTWork authorisation in a field related to their degree.
3
Works in the US for 1–3 years12 months for most; up to 36 months total for STEM graduates.
4
May move to an H-1B visaOPT acts as a bridge to longer-term work sponsorship.
5
Long-term US employmentThe pathway many international graduates rely on.
OPT (Optional Practical Training) was introduced in 1992 and functions as a bridge between the F-1 student visa and the H-1B work visa. Sources: WSJ, AFP, Bloomberg Law.
$100,000
the fee reportedly under consideration — not approved or in force
Now vs the proposal
Cost of OPT
Available after graduation at modest application cost
A reported $100,000 charge to use it
Effect on students
Work 1–3 years in your field
Could put the option out of reach for many
Likely knock-on effect
A big draw for overseas students
Analysts warn it could cut overseas enrolment
Reported by the Wall Street Journal; the White House says there is no imminent change but hasn’t denied the proposal. Who pays and how (one-time or annual) has not been specified.
Who a fee could ripple through
🎓
International students
Face a potential six-figure cost to work after graduating.
🏫
US universities
Rely on international enrolment; a fee could deter applicants.
💻
Tech companies
Silicon Valley hires OPT graduates for technical roles.
🏦
Wall Street firms
Also recruit international graduates into specialist posts.
🌎
The wider US economy
Economists warn ending OPT could carry a large GDP cost.
The GDP-cost warnings (e.g. a Peterson Institute brief) refer to ending OPT altogether, not the fee alone; estimates vary. Sources: WSJ, Korea JoongAng Daily.
Where this sits in a wider push
.
2025
A $100,000 fee on H-1B visas is introduced as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
.
June–July 2026
Courts strike down the H-1B fee — a Massachusetts judge (June 8), upheld by the First Circuit (July 24) — as a charge Congress never authorised.
.
July 16, 2026
DHS finalises a rule capping student-visa stays at four years.
.
Late July 2026
The administration floats a $100,000 OPT fee — the focus of this story.
.
Also under discussion
A proposed green-card “bond” and other measures targeting legal migration.
The OPT fee mirrors the blocked H-1B charge, which is why analysts expect any OPT version to face similar legal challenges. Sources: Tech Times, American Bazaar.
Why Indian students are watching closely
🇮🇳
India is one of the largest sources of international students in the US.
🔬
Indian nationals make up about 48% of STEM OPT students — the group that uses the 3-year extension.
💼
OPT is often the first step toward US employment and an eventual H-1B.
💰
A six-figure fee could sharply raise the cost of staying on after graduation.
OPT by the numbers
~419,000
graduates worked on OPT in 2024
48%
of STEM OPT students are Indian
36 mths
max OPT for STEM graduates
Figures per US government data cited by Tech Times and American Bazaar; China is the second-largest OPT source country.
Sources: Wall Street Journal · AFP · Bloomberg Law · SCMP · Korea JoongAng Daily · Tech Times · American Bazaar. A proposal under consideration; not current law.
Express InfoGenIE
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A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said, “No policies should be considered final until formally announced,” adding that the department is continually looking at how to use every tool available to protect the integrity of the legal immigration system

Beyond H-1B and student visas, State Department officials are also weighing a $100,000 (roughly Rs 96.4 lakh) bond requirement for green card applicants based outside the US, refundable only once they move to the US and become citizens

The OPT programme is one of the main reasons international students choose to study in the US. Without it, most international students would have to leave the country immediately after graduating, taking the skills gained at American universities to other markets instead

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Source: indianexpress.com