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The Department of Homeland Security has proposed charging international students $70,000 for permission to work in the United States in their field of study, Fox News reported.
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Shop NowThe measure is a proposed rule, not a final one. It has not taken effect, and the program it targets is still operating.
Under the proposal, F-1 visa holders would pay $70,000 for an initial Optional Practical Training authorization and $30,000 for any later extension.
The program currently costs around $500, according to Fox, and lets eligible students work part-time while enrolled and full-time for a set period after graduation. Graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics can qualify for a further 24 months.
A DHS spokesperson said the program “was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce.”
The agency said the fees respond to fraud identified by its Student and Exchange Visitor Program, including noncompliant worksites and pay-to-stay visa schemes.
Doug Rand, director of the Talent Mobility Fund, which advocates attracting foreign STEM talent, wrote on LinkedIn that DHS lacks the authority to impose the fee and predicted courts would reject it. The Fox report quoted no member of Congress from either party.
The rule faces a public comment period before any final implementation.
Click here to read the full story on Fox News
