DHS and ICE have proposed new fees that SEVP-certified schools must pay before recommending F-1 students for Optional Practical Training.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2026, sets a $70,000 fee for each initial OPT recommendation and a $30,000 fee for any later OPT. These amounts would be paid by the school, not the student, before the Designated School Official enters the recommendation in SEVIS. The proposal states the fees are intended to combat fraud, strengthen system integrity, and protect U.S. workers.
SEVP could grant refunds on a case-by-case basis before an Employment Authorization Document is issued, but no refunds would be allowed after the document is granted and there would be no administrative appeals. A transition rule would apply the new fees only to recommendations dated 60 days or more after any final rule is published.
Comments on the proposed rule are due by November 9, 2026, through Docket No. ICEB-2026-0100. This immigration news 2026 affects F-1 visa holders planning OPT and the institutions that support them. Readers should review the full notice and consider submitting comments before the deadline.