The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the country, in the latest move by the Trump administration to tighten regulations on foreign students and immigration.
Under the proposed rule, schools would be required to pay $70,000 for every international student participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows eligible foreign students to gain work experience related to their fields of study while in the United States.
International students are generally eligible to work for up to one year after completing their studies through the OPT programme, while graduates in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields may qualify for an additional two years.
The proposed fee would be $70,000 for each student’s initial OPT application and $30,000 for each renewal.
The policy could affect Nigerian students and other international students who rely on OPT to gain practical work experience in the United States after graduation.
American universities depend significantly on international students, including those from Nigeria and other countries, for tuition revenue, while technology companies and other businesses recruit international graduates for technical and specialised positions.
The Chief Executive Officer of NAFSA, Fanta Aw, said OPT enables international students to gain practical experience while helping employers address labour shortages, particularly in STEM-related fields.
Aw warned that restricting the programme could undermine American innovation, economic growth and workforce development.
However, the DHS said the proposed fee is aimed at addressing what it considers fraud and abuse within the OPT programme.
The department described OPT as a “pipeline for cheap foreign labour.”
