The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the United States after graduation.
The proposal would require schools to pay the fee for each international student applying for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme.
OPT allows eligible foreign students to gain work experience in jobs related to their fields of study while in school or after graduation.
International students can generally work for one year after completing their studies under the programme, while graduates in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields can get an additional two years.
Under the proposed rule, the initial OPT application would attract a $70,000 fee, while each renewal would cost $30,000.
The proposal could affect Nigerian students and other international students who depend on OPT to gain work experience in the US after completing their studies.
US universities also rely heavily on international students for tuition revenue, while technology companies and other employers recruit foreign graduates for specialised roles.
Fanta Aw, CEO of the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), said OPT helps international students gain practical experience while helping employers address labour shortages, particularly in STEM fields.
She warned that discouraging international students could hurt US innovation, economic growth and workforce development.
However, DHS said the proposed fee is aimed at tackling what it described as fraud and abuse in the programme.
The department described OPT as a “pipeline for cheap foreign labor.”
The public will have 60 days to submit comments before DHS decides whether to finalise the proposal.
The proposed rule could also face legal challenges from higher education organisations and business groups, which may delay its implementation.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s wider effort to tighten immigration rules and increase scrutiny of international students.
The administration has previously terminated the legal status of thousands of international students, with some later detained or deported.
A separate rule seeking to limit international students’ stay in the US to four years was blocked by a federal court in September.
Doug Rand, a former senior adviser at US Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the proposed OPT fee was likely to face legal challenges.
He argued that high fees should not be used to discourage international graduates from working in the US after completing their studies.
