In a notable shift from his earlier hardline immigration stance, US President Donald Trump has openly defended the H-1B visa programme, arguing that the United States needs to attract skilled foreign talent to maintain its technological and industrial edge.
Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said, “We have to bring in talent,” adding that the US “does not have plenty of talent.”
Challenged by the interviewer that the US already had “plenty of talent,” Trump disagreed sharply: “No, we don’t... You can’t take people off the unemployment line and say, ‘go make missiles.’”
The remarks mark a more pragmatic tone from Trump, who during his presidency has often criticised the H-1B system for displacing American workers. Now, he appears to be acknowledging the country’s dependence on high-skilled foreign professionals—particularly in technology and engineering fields.
Trump reiterated similar sentiments earlier in January, saying he supported bringing “very competent” people to the country through the H-1B route. “I like both sides of the argument, but I also like very competent people coming into our country,” he said at an event with Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Trump even noted that he had personally used the H-1B programme, saying, “We want competent people coming into our country... I know the programme very well. I use the programme—maître d’s, wine experts, even waiters. You’ve got to get the best people.”
The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields such as technology, engineering, and medicine—areas that often face domestic talent shortages. Indian and Chinese professionals make up the majority of H-1B recipients each year.
Despite his recent supportive tone, Trump’s administration had previously imposed a $1,00,000 application fee on H-1B visas in September, sparking confusion among employers and workers. The fee—initially thought to be annual—was later clarified by the White House as a one-time charge.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the revised structure was meant to ensure companies were “serious about hiring the best,” while Trump also announced a $1 million “gold card” visa aimed at attracting ultra-wealthy investors.
The measures are expected to face legal challenges, with critics arguing that the former president had bypassed Congress to implement sweeping changes to the US immigration system.
