The US government is preparing to deliver a major shock to Indian students pursuing higher education in the country, as well as software and other professionals working there. The US Department of Homeland Security has accelerated efforts to amend regulations that would impose steep new fees on H-1B visas and the F-1 OPT program, both of which are critical for foreign workers and students. A draft of this new fee proposal is currently under review by the White House’s regulatory division. If approved, the financial burden on applicants in the coming days could reach unprecedented levels.
The “Optional Practical Training” program is a crucial pathway for foreign students who have completed their studies at US universities to work temporarily in the country. However, as part of the proposed new rules governing OPT applications, the Trump administration is reportedly considering introducing a massive fee of up to a hundred thousand dollars — over ₹83 lakh in Indian currency — under certain specific categories. If this decision is implemented, it would pose a severe challenge for Indian students seeking job opportunities in the US after completing their education there.
The overwhelming majority of those benefiting from H-1B visas and the F-1 OPT facility are Indian students and IT professionals. Indians, already grappling with challenges such as job cuts at US IT companies and tightened visa processing rules, now face a significant blow from this new fee proposal.
These proposals are set to have a particularly severe impact on the futures of students from middle-class families who take out loans worth lakhs of rupees to pursue education in the United States. Critics have alleged that these restrictions on foreign professionals and students are being imposed as part of the Trump administration’s broader “America First” policy agenda.