Another $100,000 Question: DHS’s “Pay to Play” Proposal for OPT Employment

Many U.S. employers hire international students and recent graduates on F-1 visas. After graduation, students may work for 12 months under Optional Practical Training (OPT), with eligible STEM graduates able to extend their work authorization for an additional 24 months. This webinar will discuss the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposal for significant new fees: $70,000 for a school’s first OPT recommendation and $30,000 for each subsequent recommendation. The speakers will cover the basics of OPT and STEM OPT and explain how the process currently works. They will also explain the DHS fee proposal (who pays, when, and how it would work), as well as a separate blocked rule on length of stay and how the two could be combined. The webinar will conclude with a discussion of potential legal risks and practical steps to take now.