OPT Fee Comment Deadline Passes for International Students

The November 9 deadline for public comments on DHS's proposed OPT fees has now passed. The proposal would introduce a $70,000 fee for a student's initial Optional Practical Training recommendation and $30,000 for each subsequent recommendation. A separate federal court hearing concerning Curricular Practical Training was scheduled for November 6. Meanwhile, the proposal to replace duration of status protections with fixed admission periods remains blocked by a federal court. These developments have not changed the existing OPT or student status rules.