The Business Journal · 6 Oct, 07:00 · Business briefing

Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US

The Trump administration has reportedly proposed a substantial fee of $70,000 for international students wishing to work in the United States following graduation.

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

The Trump administration has reportedly proposed a substantial fee of $70,000 for international students wishing to work in the United States following graduation. This policy shift, reported by The Business Journal, aims to restrict access to the flow of foreign talent into the domestic labour market. The proposal represents a significant departure from previous immigration frameworks, potentially altering the economic calculus for universities and employers reliant on global recruitment. For professionals, this signals a tightening of borders and a potential reduction in the available pool of international graduate talent for US-based roles.

Employer demand for Human Resources skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must anticipate a sharper competition for domestic talent as international pipelines narrow. Roles requiring cultural adaptability and diverse perspectives will gain immediate strategic value. If you work in Human Resources or Management, you should urgently review your recruitment strategies to retain top local candidates. Develop skills in internal mobility and upskilling existing staff, as external hiring becomes costlier and more complex. Pay close attention to sectors heavily reliant on international graduates, such as Technology and Engineering. A smart professional would now prioritise building robust internal talent pipelines and mastering retention techniques. Consider acquiring certifications in People Analytics to better forecast labour shortages. You should also explore remote work options with global teams to bypass physical border restrictions, ensuring your organisation remains agile amidst shifting immigration policies.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Human Resources, People Analytics Strategy, Compliance And Governance and Strategic Marketing — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

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