DHS announced a proposed rule to impose a $70,000 fee for initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) and $30,000 for subsequent OPT for F-1 nonimmigrant students. The agency says the fees aim to combat fraud and protect U.S. workers from being undercut by what it calls a cheap labor pipeline. Schools would be required to pay the fee before recommending students for OPT, and USCIS would withhold employment authorization until payment is made.