Trump administration reveals plan to impose $100,000 fee on international students seeking post-graduation US work

The Trump administration is considering imposing a $100,000 fee on international graduates seeking to work in the United States through the Optional Practical Training programme, a move that could discourage foreign students from choosing American universities and disrupt tech and finance companies that rely heavily on international talent.

A hundred thousand dollars to study. Now potentially another hundred thousand just to stay and work afterwards.

The Trump administration is weighing a $100,000 fee on international students who wish to work in the United States after graduating from American universities, targeting the Optional Practical Training programme that currently allows international graduates to work in the country for up to three years on student visas.

As reported by Peoples Gazette, citing The Wall Street Journal, the proposal is still under discussion at the Department of Homeland Security and it remains unclear whether the fee would be paid by foreign students or their prospective employers — or indeed whether the White House will ultimately approve it.

As of 2024, approximately 419,000 foreign nationals were working under the OPT programme — a pipeline that feeds heavily into the technology and finance sectors, where companies routinely recruit international graduates from American universities before later transitioning them onto H-1B skilled worker visas.

The proposal is the latest in a series of $100,000 barrier measures being deployed across the immigration system. A separate $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications previously faced a court ruling and heavy pushback from state attorneys general and technology companies. Officials are also considering a $100,000 bond for green card applicants outside the United States, redeemable only upon citizenship.

A DHS spokeswoman offered cautious language on the OPT proposal. “No policies should be considered final until formally announced. At DHS, we are always having conversations about how to use all tools in our arsenal to protect the integrity of our legal immigration system,” she said.

Advocates warned the proposed fee, if approved, could force international graduates to leave the US immediately after completing their studies — taking skills acquired at American institutions to foreign markets instead.

The DHS is expected to announce broader changes to the OPT programme later this year.