US Proposes $70,000 Fee for International Students Seeking Work After School
The United States government has proposed a new fee of $70,000 for international students who want to work in the country after completing their studies.
The proposal, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would affect students on F-1 visas who want to take part in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme.
OPT allows eligible international students to work temporarily in jobs related to their course of study after graduation.
Under the proposed rule, schools would pay $70,000 when recommending a student for their first OPT period. A further $30,000 fee would apply for a subsequent OPT period.
The proposal would affect international students from many countries, including Nigerians. It is not, however, a special fee placed on Nigerian students.
DHS said the new fees are aimed at reducing fraud and abuse in the OPT programme. The department said it had found cases involving questionable jobs, fake work arrangements and schemes that allow some students to remain in the US without genuine employment.
The government also said the proposal is intended to reduce the use of cheap foreign labour and give American workers a better chance to compete for jobs.
The proposed $70,000 fee would initially be paid by schools rather than directly by students. However, schools could decide to recover the cost from students or employers.
The proposal is not yet law. International students are not currently required to pay the new $70,000 fee.
DHS has opened the proposal for public comments from October 8 to November 9. The government will consider the comments before deciding whether to make the rule final.
If approved, the new fees could make studying and working in the United States much more expensive for international students, including Nigerians who plan to gain work experience in the country after graduation.
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