The Wall Street Journal reported on July 30, 2026 that the administration is considering a $100,000 fee tied to Optional Practical Training, the program that lets international students work in the United States for one to three years after graduating from a U.S. university. It’s important to be precise about what this is and isn’t: this is sourced reporting describing an idea reportedly under internal discussion at DHS, not a proposed rule, a published fee, or an announced policy of any kind.
According to the report, no final decision has been made, and key details remain unsettled, including whether the fee would fall on the student, the university, or the employer, and how it would interact with the OPT extension application requirement DHS introduced earlier this month. When asked for comment, a DHS spokeswoman told the Journal only that no policy should be considered final until formally announced, without confirming or denying that this specific idea is under consideration. DHS is separately reported to be working on a broader rule rewriting OPT more generally, expected as soon as this fall, though even that timeline is not confirmed.
Context matters here. This would echo, in structure, the $100,000 fee the administration previously attached to certain H-1B petitions, a policy that has been tied up in litigation since a Massachusetts federal court vacated it in June, with the First Circuit declining to pause that ruling as recently as late July. If a similar fee were pursued for OPT, it would likely face comparable legal challenges, and nothing about the current H-1B fee litigation guarantees how an OPT-specific fee, if ever formally proposed, would fare.
For students, universities, and employers relying on OPT today, there is no fee in effect and no application or filing requirement tied to this reported proposal, because it does not yet exist as a rule. The one confirmed, currently applicable change is the separate OPT extension application requirement DHS announced earlier this month, which is unrelated to this reported fee discussion and already in effect on its own terms. Anyone with OPT plans should continue proceeding under the current rules and watch for an actual proposed rule, rather than adjusting plans based on this report alone.
We’ll continue monitoring this and will update if DHS publishes an actual proposal. In the meantime, treating this as an early signal worth watching, rather than a change that has already happened, is the accurate way to understand where things currently stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there now a $100,000 fee for OPT?
No. This is currently limited to reporting that the idea is under internal discussion at DHS. There is no proposed rule, no published fee, and no formal policy announcement.
Who would have to pay this fee if it moves forward?
That has not been determined publicly. According to the reporting, it remains unclear whether a fee like this would fall on the student, the university, or the employer.
Does this affect my current OPT application or status?
Not at this time. There is no rule or fee in effect, so current OPT applications and existing work authorization continue under the rules already in place.
Is this connected to the OPT extension application requirement DHS already announced?
They are related in subject matter but are not the same thing. The extension application requirement is a confirmed, currently applicable change. This reported fee discussion is separate and unconfirmed.
What should students and employers do right now?
Continue following the current OPT rules as they stand today. There is nothing to file or prepare for based on this report alone, though it’s worth watching for an actual proposed rule from DHS.
If you have questions about your current OPT status or how developing policy discussions could affect your plans, our attorneys are available to help.
If you or your family members have questions about how these immigration matters may affect you, please do not hesitate to contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can reach us by emailing info@visaserve.com or by visiting our website at www.visaserve.com for more information.