Home / Education / US Job Hope Faces $70k Fee Hike for Indian Students
US Job Hope Faces $70k Fee Hike for Indian Students
8 Oct
Summary
- US proposes $70,000 fee for first-time OPT for international students.
- A Kolkata-born woman honored in New York's Hall of Fame.
- London's oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy, fights lease renewal.
For Indian students pursuing higher education in the United States, a significant financial hurdle may emerge for post-graduation employment. The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed a substantial $70,000 fee for initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) participation by international students, with an additional $30,000 for subsequent authorizations. While universities would technically pay these fees, the impact on students and institutional admissions policies remains a concern.
This proposed fee represents a dramatic increase from the current nominal charges for OPT, a program designed to allow international graduates to work in fields related to their studies for up to 12 months, with STEM graduates eligible for extensions. The DHS states the measure aims to prevent fraud and ensure the program's intended use, not as a pathway to the US workforce.
In parallel, Sharmila "Mona" Sinha, originally from Kolkata, has achieved a significant milestone, being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in New York. Her induction recognizes her lifelong advocacy for women's equality, transforming a childhood sense of being a "deficit" into a global leadership role.
Separately, in London, Veeraswamy, Britain's oldest Indian restaurant established in 1926, is engaged in a legal dispute with the Crown Estate over its lease renewal. The restaurant's owner is challenging the refusal to extend the lease at its landmark Regent Street address, arguing it represents a piece of British culinary history.
