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H-1B visa policy may see shift as Trump sides with tech giants
Trump has signalled a possible shift in his stance on H-1B visa programme
US President Donald Trump has signalled a possible shift in his stance on the H-1B visa programme, suggesting the United States needs foreign talent to fill key roles in technology and manufacturing.
Speaking on Fox News, Trump defended the skilled worker programme, admitting that the country “doesn’t have certain talents” needed for specialised industries.
When questioned on whether his administration would further restrict the H-1B visa, Trump said, “You can’t take people off an unemployment line and put them into factories making missiles. You need people who know what they’re doing.”
Trump’s remarks come after an immigration raid in Georgia, where authorities deported hundreds of South Korean workers at a Hyundai facility, an event Trump said showed America’s dependence on foreign expertise.
For those unversed, the H-1B visa, typically valid for three years and renewable once, allows US companies to hire skilled workers from abroad, often in tech and engineering roles.
Economists have also argued that the programme helps American firms stay competitive and expand domestic job growth.
While some lawmakers, including Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, criticised Trump for “replacing Americans with foreign labour”, the US president maintained that innovation and industry demand make the H-1B visa essential to US economic strength.