A Department of Homeland Security proposal to create new fees tied to Optional Practical Training has completed White House regulatory review, clearing a key step before the proposal can be published.
The rule is titled Optional Practical Training Fees and is identified as RIN 1653-AB01. It was submitted by DHS through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for review on August 20, 2026. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs regulatory-review record now shows the review as concluded. OIRA received the proposed rule on August 20, 2026.
The clearance does not make a new OPT fee effective. The proposal is still at the proposed-rule stage, and its text has not yet been published in the Federal Register. That means the official fee amount, who would be responsible for paying it, whether it would apply to initial OPT or STEM OPT extensions, and any exemptions or transition rules remain undisclosed.
No new OPT fee is currently in effect based on the White House review alone.
The next major step is expected to be publication of the proposed rule. Once the text is public, it should provide the first authoritative details about the proposed amount, who would pay it, which OPT filings would be covered, and the timeline for public comments before any final rule could be issued.
