On October 8, 2026, DHS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would attach a fee to Optional Practical Training for F-1 students. The notice proposes $70,000 for a student's initial OPT and $30,000 for any subsequent OPT. This is a proposal, not a rule in effect, and DHS...
A group of higher education organizations went to federal court in Massachusetts on October 5, 2026, to contest the way ICE has narrowed Curricular Practical Training for F-1 students. The groups behind the case are NAFSA, the Association of American Universities, the Presidents' Alliance, and AICUM, which speaks for independent colleges in...
As employers turn to budgeting and headcount planning for 2027, there's a step worth adding to that process that doesn't usually make the list: a review of where your sponsored foreign national employees actually stand. This year alone has brought an unusual volume of change to employment-based immigration, and a number of...
There's a significant update to a rule we've been closely tracking: on September 14, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking DHS's rule ending Duration of Status for F, J, and I nonimmigrants — just one day before the rule was scheduled to take effect. The...
Major changes affecting F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors are set to take effect on September 15, 2026. The new rule replaces Duration of Status (D/S) with fixed periods of admission, introduces an “Admit Until Date,” reduces the F-1 grace period from 60 to 30 days, and creates new requirements for...
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has issued two significant updates concerning Curricular Practical Training (CPT), signaling increased scrutiny of when F-1 students may qualify for this type of practical training.
On August 12, 2026, SEVP issued Broadcast Message 2608-01, “Reminder of Liability for DSOs Regarding CPT...
Back in July, we sent an initial alert letting you know that DHS had finalized this rule (you can revisit our original post, “It's Final: DHS Ends Duration of Status for F, J, and I Visa Holders,” here). Since then, several important developments have occurred, including a legal challenge to the...
International students thinking about an EB-5 investment as their path to a green card now have an added layer of timing to work through. With the end of duration of status taking effect September 15, 2026, F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors will move from an open-ended admission tied to their program...
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...
Once the DHS rule ending duration of status takes effect on September 15, 2026, the date printed on an F-1 student's, J-1 exchange visitor's, or I foreign media representative's Form I-94 becomes the hard deadline for their authorized stay. Anyone who needs more time to finish a program, complete Optional Practical Training,...
