The US proposes new H-1B and F-1 OPT fees; students could face a $100,000 charge.

The US proposes new H-1B and F-1 OPT fees; students could face a $100,000 charge.
The United States intends to impose increased H-1B and F-1 OPT fees, with reports indicating a potential $100,000 OPT payment. Here's what overseas students and workers should know.
Foreign skilled workers and international students traveling to the United States may face increased immigration costs if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) presses forward with planned fees for F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) and some H-1B petitions.
On August 20, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) received a proposed fee rule for Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is currently being reviewed. On August 19, a separate H-1B fee proposal was submitted and cleared the OMB review.Possible $100,000 OPT fee under review.
The precise charge levels are kept hidden until DHS publishes the proposals in the Federal Register. However, new reports have suggested a $100,000 price for OPT applications, which would significantly increase the cost of the US study-to-work option.
For Indian students, the matter is extremely pressing. One of the most common options for international graduates to obtain job experience in the United States after finishing their degrees is through OPT.
The planned H-1B visa cost may also be related to the legal struggle over the previously announced $100,000 charge on certain H-1B petitions, which was stopped by a federal court.
No immediate fee change.
Neither plan takes effect just because it has reached the OMB.
Once published, each plan will be subject to a 30- to 60-day public comment period. DHS would next need to analyze the feedback, make a final regulation, and establish a particular implementation date before any new fees could be imposed.
This implies that Indian students, graduates, and employers do not have to pay the proposed levies today.
The extremely swift OMB clearance of the H-1B request, which was submitted and cleared on the same day, demonstrates how closely the administration is monitoring immigration-related expenses.

What Indian Students and Workers Should Watch
For Indians planning to work or study in the United States, the main points are:
F-1 OPT: A new price is being suggested, with reports indicating that it may be as much as $100,000.
H-1B: DHS is also preparing a fee proposal for specific petitions.
There will be no instant implementation because both ideas must be published, followed by public comments and final guidelines.
Indian applicants: Students seeking US universities and graduates wishing to use OPT should constantly monitor the final pricing structure.
Employers: US corporations hiring foreign graduates and skilled workers may face increased immigration expenses.
The broader trend is clear: US immigration policy is progressively linking student and skilled-worker paths to increased compliance and financial burdens.

Travunited Take:
We regard this as a signal to Indian students and skilled workers: there is no fee presently, but the proposed revisions might significantly increase US study-to-work expenditures.