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The Trump administration has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the United States after completing their studies, a move that could affect thousands of Nigerian students.
The proposal by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) targets the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows eligible foreign students to gain work experience related to their fields of study.
Under the proposed rule, US educational institutions would pay $70,000 for each student’s initial OPT application and $30,000 for every renewal.
International students are generally allowed to work for up to one year after graduation through OPT, while graduates in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields may qualify for an additional two years.
The proposed charges could significantly increase the cost of hiring international graduates, including Nigerians, who depend on the programme to gain professional experience in the US.
American universities rely substantially on international students for tuition revenue, while technology companies and other employers recruit foreign graduates for specialised and technical positions.
Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an association representing international education, said OPT helps international students gain practical experience while enabling employers to address labour shortages, particularly in STEM fields.
She warned that restricting the programme could hurt American innovation, economic growth and workforce development.
DHS, however, defended the proposal, saying it was intended to address fraud and abuse in the programme.
The department described OPT as a “pipeline for cheap foreign labour”.
Members of the public will have 60 days to submit comments before DHS decides whether to finalise the proposal.
The measure could also face legal challenges from universities, business groups and other organisations, potentially delaying its implementation.
The proposed OPT fee is part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to tighten immigration controls and increase scrutiny of international students.
The administration has previously terminated the legal status of thousands of international students, some of whom were subsequently detained or deported.
It also introduced a rule seeking to limit international students’ stay in the US to four years unless they obtain federal approval to remain longer.
A federal court blocked that rule from taking effect in September following criticism from higher education leaders.
Doug Rand, a former senior adviser at US Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Biden administration, predicted that the proposed OPT fee would also face legal challenges.
Rand compared the proposal with the $100,000 fee imposed on H-1B work visas, which are widely used by technology companies and universities to recruit skilled foreign workers.
He argued that imposing high fees would not solve the challenges facing the US workforce.
“When we educate international students at our universities, and they want to work and apply their talents here after graduating, of course we should embrace them — not use an exorbitant fee as a pretext to send them packing,” Rand said.
