US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that the United States’ current immigration framework—particularly the H-1B visa and green card system—is likely to see major changes in the coming days. He also elaborated on how the new ‘gold card’ – a Donald Trump initiative – will be a great option for wealthy foreign nationals who want US residency.
In an interview with Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle, Howard Lutnick said, “I’m involved in changing the H1-B visa program. We’re going to change that program because that’s terrible, right? We’re going to change the green card.”
He added, “That’s the gold card that’s coming. And that’s we’re gonna start picking the best people to come into this country. It’s time for that to change,” he added.
The proposed “Gold Card” programme would grant permanent residency to foreign nationals who invest $5 million in the country. “The interest in the initiative is already high,” Lutnick said, adding that an estimated 250,000 applicants are in line—potentially bringing in as much as $1.25 trillion in revenue.
What Trump proposes to change?
In January, US President Donald Trump reiterated his stance on the H-1B visa program, saying that the United States must attract “competent” and “highly skilled” professionals. The programme allows employers in the US to hire non-immigrant workers for speciality occupations.
On Tuesday (local time), Trump addressed the media at the White House, emphasised the need to draw talented professionals to the United States and said that the H-1B visa programme was a key tool for bringing in skilled workers to the country.
He further argued that allowing “quality people” to come into the US further helps in bolstering the economy by supporting various industries.
“You got to get the best people…We have to have the quality people coming in… By doing that, we’re expanding businesses, and that takes care of everybody… But what I really do feel is that we have to let really competent people, great people, come into our country, and we do that through the H-1B,” Trump said.
During his first term, Trump’s administration tightened rules around H-1B visas, arguing the programme was being misused and placing pressure on the US economy. Back in 2016, he had criticised it as a tool for companies to undercut American jobs by hiring lower-paid foreign workers.
