$100K OPT Fee Could Hit Thousands of Indian Students Hard
The Trump administration is considering introducing a $100,000 fee for international graduates seeking to work in the US under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme. This move could significantly impact thousands of Indian students who rely on the OPT programme to gain work experience and potentially transition to an H-1B visa.
According to The Wall Street Journal, around 419,000 foreign nationals were working under OPT in 2024, with approximately 48% of STEM OPT students being Indian. The proposed fee would likely make studying in the US far less attractive for foreign students and have a ripple effect on universities that rely heavily on international students as a source of revenue.
Major tech companies and Wall Street firms also hire a large share of international graduates for technical roles, which could be severely impacted by this proposal. Economists warn that ending OPT altogether could carry a significant GDP cost, although the exact figure is uncertain.