US proposes $70,000 fee for schools recommending foreign graduates for work authorization
The Department of Homeland Security has proposed charging schools $70,000 for a student's first Optional Practical Training recommendation and $30,000 for later ones. DHS cites fraud; an international educators' group says it would harm the US economy.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1The Trump administration has proposed charging universities $70,000 for each international student they recommend for work authorization in the US after graduation. NewsweekN “The Trump administration has proposed charging universities $70,000 for each international student they recommend for work authorization in the U.S. after graduation” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 2Under the proposed Optional Practical Training Fees rule, certified schools would pay $70,000 for a student's first Optional Practical Training (OPT) recommendation and $30,000 for each subsequent recommendation, including eligible extensions. NewsweekN “schools certified to enroll foreign students would pay $70,000 for a student’s first Optional Practical Training recommendation and $30,000 for each subsequent recommendation, including eligible extensions” Read at Newsweek ↗ South China Morning PostN “the proposed fee would apply to initial participation in Optional Practical Training, or OPT, with a further US$30,000 charge for subsequent participation” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 1The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the proposal on Wednesday. It said schools would have to pay before recommending a student, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services would not grant employment authorization without payment. South China Morning PostN “Schools would have to pay before recommending a student for OPT, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services would not grant employment authorisation without payment, DHS said.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Centre · 1Although schools would be responsible for paying, the proposed rule says they could pass the cost to students or employers, which raises questions about whether institutions would keep recommending students and how participants would finance the charges. South China Morning PostN “the proposed rule says they could pass the cost to students or employers. That raises questions about whether institutions would continue recommending students” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 2Currently, eligible F-1 students can receive up to 12 months of temporary employment authorization for work related to their field of study, and graduates in qualifying STEM fields may be eligible for a further 24-month extension. NewsweekN “eligible F-1 students may receive up to 12 months of temporary employment authorization for work related to their field of study. Graduates with qualifying STEM degrees may be eligible for an additional 24-month extension.” Read at Newsweek ↗ South China Morning PostN “Graduates in designated science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields may qualify for a further 24-month extension.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 2DHS said the fees are meant to combat fraud, improve oversight, encourage universities to scrutinize applications more closely and protect American workers, citing suspected "pay-to-stay" schemes and false employment. A DHS spokesperson said OPT "was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labour, or a prize for those who game the system." NewsweekN “The department cited suspected “pay-to-stay” schemes, false workplaces and other alleged abuses of the program.” Read at Newsweek ↗ South China Morning PostN ““Optional Practical Training was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labour, or a prize for those who game the system,” a DHS spokesperson said” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Centre · 1NAFSA: Association of International Educators criticised the plan. Its executive director and chief executive, Fanta Aw, said international students "don't take opportunities from Americans, they create them" and that the change would hurt American innovation and economic growth. NAFSA said it would submit detailed comments. South China Morning PostN ““International students don’t take opportunities from Americans, they create them,” said Fanta Aw, the association’s executive director and chief executive.”“NAFSA said it would work with its members to submit detailed comments outlining its concerns about the proposed rule.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 1Nearly 62,000 Chinese students took part in OPT in 2024-2025, according to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors report, so the South China Morning Post said the fee could sharply raise costs for thousands of Chinese graduates. South China Morning PostN “Nearly 62,000 Chinese students took part in OPT in the 2024-2025 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 2The fees are not yet in effect. DHS will accept public comments from October 8 through November 9 and could revise the rule. The rule would take effect 60 days after a final rule is published, and existing OPT approvals and school recommendations issued before then would not trigger the fee. South China Morning PostN “DHS said it would accept public comments from October 8 through November 9 and could revise the rule after reviewing submissions.”“Existing OPT approvals and school recommendations issued before that date would not trigger the fee” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ NewsweekN “The fees are not yet in effect and would apply only if the proposal is finalized following public comment.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the proposal as a DHS rule proposal still open to comment. Newsweek leads on the scale of the change for a programme used by hundreds of thousands of students. The South China Morning Post leads on the cost to Chinese graduates.
- Emphasis
- Fee amounts, the DHS fraud rationale, and the proposal's non-final status. The South China Morning Post adds NAFSA's criticism, the comment period and the Chinese student numbers.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Newsweek's piece, still developing, has no reaction from critics or details of the comment period. The South China Morning Post does not detail the alleged abuses beyond DHS's description.
- Charged language
- “pay-to-stay”“back door into the American workforce”“sweeping change”
- For example
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“a sweeping change that could sharply restrict access to a program used by hundreds of thousands of foreign students” — Newsweek
“a measure that could sharply raise the cost for thousands of Chinese graduates seeking employment experience in the country” — South China Morning Post
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- DHS proposed a $70,000 fee for a student's first OPT recommendation and $30,000 for each later one.
- The fees are a proposal, not yet in effect, and depend on finalisation after public comment.
- DHS justifies the fees as a way to combat fraud and protect American workers, citing 'pay-to-stay' schemes.
Donald Trump person
The Trump administration, through DHS, presents the fee as a way to combat fraud, make universities scrutinize applications more closely and protect American workers.
“intended to combat fraud, encourage universities to scrutinize applications more closely and protect American workers” — Newsweek
“The department said the fees would combat fraud, improve oversight and protect American workers.” — South China Morning Post
International students topic
International students and their advocates, represented here by NAFSA, say the programme brings economic benefits and fills STEM shortages, and that the fee would deepen uncertainty and harm US innovation.
“NAFSA: Association of International Educators criticised the proposal, saying it would deepen uncertainty for international students and undermine the US economy.” — South China Morning Post
North America2 outlets
Newsweek treats it as a breaking US policy story about the programme's scale and DHS's stated rationale.
“a program used by hundreds of thousands of foreign students” — Newsweek
Newsweek, Raw Story
East and Southeast Asia1 outlet
The South China Morning Post focuses on the impact on Chinese graduates and includes the US educators' criticism.
“could sharply raise the cost for thousands of Chinese graduates” — South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
Left1 article
Centre3 articles
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Trump Admin Proposes $70,000 Fee for Foreign Graduates to Work in US
Neutral Breaking-news report on the proposed fee, noting its scale and that DHS's fraud rationale is the administration's stated justification.
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US proposes US$70,000 fee for foreign students to work after graduation
Mixed Reports the DHS proposal with a focus on Chinese students and gives NAFSA's critical response alongside DHS's fraud arguments.
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Gulf NewsN · · via AP
Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 7 Oct 14:47 First NewsweekN Trump Admin Proposes $70,000 Fee for Foreign Graduates to Work in US
- 7 Oct 17:18 +2h 30m South China Morning PostN US proposes US$70,000 fee for foreign students to work after graduation
- 7 Oct 17:45 +2h 58m Gulf NewsN Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US via AP
- 7 Oct 18:54 +4h 6m Raw StoryL Experts gasp at new Trump move expected to 'decimate' science and technology workers
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.