Three tins to know about new fees US dey propose for foreign students

United States say international students wey wan work for di field of dia study go dey expected to pay at least $70,000, afta one rule wey dem dey propose receive green light.

Di Department of Homeland Security wey announce di informate on Wednesday, 7 October tok say, di new rules if finalised, go approve new fees for F-1 international students wey wan participate for Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme.

OPT na temporary work permit wey dey allow foreign students work for United States in line wit wetin dem study.

"Di proposed rule go establish $70,000 fee per F-1 nonimmigrant student for initial OPT and $30,000 fee per F-1 nonimmigrant student for any subsequent OPT," DHS tok for statement.

US govment say dem dey propose di fees "to fight fraud, strengthen di integrity of di immigration system, and protect US workers."

Wetin be di proposed amount and who e go affect?

Under di current system, foreign students dey pay about $500 to apply and dem dey allow dem work for U.S. for up to one year during or afta dia study, while dos wey dey science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields fit get extension for dia work period.

Foreign students fit also engage in work training for up to 20 ours per week, while school dey for session, and for limited time afta graduation wit additional allowance for dos wey get degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Under di new proposal, schools go pay $70,000 for student first participation and anoda $30,000 for each additional programme participation - although DHS say e recognise say schools "fit pass di financial obligation of dis proposed fee" to students or employers. Dem go deposit di fees wey dem collect into U.S. Treasury.

"Optional Practical Training (OPT) no be programme wey dem create to sneak pipo enta America labour market through back door, nor be subsidy for cheap labour, or reward for pipo wey dey exploit di system," one tok-tok pesin for US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tok.

"DHS dey reform di OPT programme so dat foreign students go need prove dia value to employers. American workers no suppose compete against one programme wey many people believe don turn to pipeline for cheap foreign labour," di tok-tok pesin add.

International students don dey under close attention of di second Trump Administration as part of di President wider anti-immigration agenda.

Di Administration don revoke thousands of student visas and increase screening of applicants, wey include reviewing dia social media activities.

E also put pressure on universities and colleges to agree to one compact wey include limiting di number of undergraduate students on foreign visas, and e try to limit di stay of international students to only four years. Di Administration don particularly focus on Chinese students because of national security concerns.

While di Administration dey promote policies wey discourage foreign student enrolment as one way to benefit Americans, experts don say such policies fit affect U.S. competitiveness for di long run.

Why DHS dey crack down on OPT?

Since 1947, federal regulations don allow foreign students to work for cases wia employment for practical training dey required or recommended by dia schools.

But DHS for May allege say dem find more dan 10,000 foreign students "wey claim to dey work for highly suspect employers," and afta further OPT-linked investigations across different states, dem say dem find "empty buildings and locked doors for addresses wia hundreds of foreign students allegedly dey employed."

Investigators also allege fraudulent activities, such as "phantom employees," and suspicious financial transactions.

Wetin dey inside di new proposal

For di proposal for di new fee, DHS claim say di programme's growth for di last few years "don plenty pass di number of companies" wey e fit review and investigate.

E say 194,554 students receive employment authorisation documents for 2024, compared to 160,627 for 2023.

Di department reason say "without di fees proposed in dis rule, dem no go fit operate OPT well-well wit dia focus on preventing fraud and dem fit later shut down di programme entirely."

Also, under di proposed rule, schools wey dey approved by SEVP go need pay di fee bifor designated school officials fit recommend F-1 students for OPT, wey be programme wey allow international students work for di US after dem finish or dey complete dia studies.

Di rule also mean say bifor F-1 students go fit apply for work permit from USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), di school must first pay di required fee.

If di school no pay di fee, USCIS no go approve employment authorization for di student. In short, even if di student qualify for OPT, dem no go get permission to work unless di school don pay di required charge first.

Di proposed fee no go depend on any particular employer wey wan hire di student. Instead, di fee go apply anytime any school recommend an F-1 international student for any kind of OPT (Optional Practical Training).

DHS say dem believe say di proposed fee go put di responsibility on schools "to exercise greater oversight and selectivity" wen dem dey recommend students for OPT, and dis go therefore reduce fraud.

Di agency add say dem go accept public comments on di proposed rule from October 8 through November 9.

Additionally, di Paperwork Reduction Act section of di rule go get 60-day public comment period. Dem say make members of di public refer to di Federal Register notice for instructions on how to submit comments for DHS consideration.

After di public comment period close, DHS go review all properly submitted comments and materials and fit revise di rule based on public feedback.