Facts only, not legal advice. Last checked November 6, 2026.

DHS proposed $70,000 OPT fees. Comments close November 9, 2026.

Nothing has changed yet. This is a proposal, and the public can comment on it until November 9, 2026. Here is what it says, who it would affect, and how to comment through the official docket.

What the proposal says

  • On October 8, 2026, DHS published a proposed rule that would add fees for F-1 Optional Practical Training: $70,000 for a first OPT and $30,000 for a later OPT period. Source
  • The fee is tied to the school's OPT recommendation, not to an employer. It does not cover Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Source
  • It is only a proposal. Today, the current OPT and STEM OPT rules and fees still apply. Source
  • DHS proposed that a final rule take effect 60 days after it is published. Students already on OPT or STEM OPT, and students whose OPT is recommended or approved before that date, would not be charged for that OPT period. Source
  • Public comments are due November 9, 2026, through docket ICEB-2026-0100. Source
Sources disagree on two points
  • Whether the $30,000 applies to the 24-month STEM OPT extension: summaries differ. Read the notice itself.
  • Whether the comment window is 30 or 60 days: DHS lists October 8 to November 9, 2026. Use November 9.

How to comment before November 9, 2026

  1. Comment only through the official docket. Comments are public, so leave out anything private.
  2. DHS asks commenters to name the section they are writing about, explain each recommendation, and include data or experience that supports it.
  3. Your own numbers and your own story count more than a copied form letter.
Open the official comment docket →

Read the full notice first: Federal Register, Optional Practical Training Fees (FR Doc. 2026-20660, 91 FR 64566). Your school's international student office (DSO) is the right place for questions about your own case.

Related rules in effect today

  • The $100,000 H-1B fee applies to petitions for people outside the U.S. A change of status from F-1 (including OPT and STEM OPT) to H-1B filed inside the U.S. is excluded, as long as it's approved and you don't leave before it's decided. Source
  • Since the FY2027 lottery, H-1B registrations are weighted by wage level: Level I gets one entry and Level IV gets four. Source
While OPT rules are in motion, spend your time on employers that actually sponsor.

Every U.S. job on TalentDock shows the employer's H-1B approvals from official USCIS data. Nearly half of the 80,000+ employers in that data got exactly one approval in three years, so the number matters.

Check any company's sponsorship →