Proposal of $100K OPT fee clears White House review: Here's what happens next?

The $100K OPT fee proposal has been cleared by White House. International students in the US are staring at a dramatic increase in the cost of working after graduation under a Trump administration proposal that has cleared the White House review. The proposal will soon become a rule and a $100,000 fee will be imposed for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.OPT is a temporary work programme that allows eligible F-1 international students to gain practical work experience related to their field of study in the US.Students generally receive permission to work for up to 12 months after completing their academic programme. Those who graduate in qualifying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can receive a 24-month extension, allowing them to work for up to three years in total.OPT is particularly important for international students because it provides a bridge between graduation and employment-based immigration, including the H-1B programme.Around 300,000 F-1 students had employment authorization through OPT last year, according to Bloomberg Law.Would students have to pay $100,000?That remains unclear. The DHS proposal does not publicly disclose the ...