US President Donald Trump has softened his stance on H-1B visas after two months of strict reforms. In a Fox News interview aired Tuesday, he stressed the need for skilled foreign workers to keep America competitive. Trump cited Georgia’s Hyundai battery factory as an example, where sending back South Korean experts halted production.
Trump admitted the US lacks certain specialized skills. He said, “We also have to bring talent into the country… You don’t have certain talents and you have to… People have to learn.” He added that retraining long-term unemployed Americans for complex jobs like missile building isn’t feasible overnight. “You can’t just tell the unemployed, ‘Go learn to make missiles.’ They need training and experience.”
This marks a shift from Trump’s earlier hardline views that foreign workers steal US jobs. Now, he agrees wages for American laborers must rise but insists on importing experts for industries and defense to stay ahead globally.
Major Changes in H-1B Policy
In September, Trump signed a proclamation hiking the H-1B application fee from $1,500 to $100,000 (about ₹83 lakh) for new petitions filed after September 21. This applies to 2026 lottery entries too. Existing visa holders and prior applications remain unaffected. The H-1B visa lasts three years, renewable for another three, and aids tech, research, and healthcare sectors—many Indian professionals benefit.
Trump’s comments boosted Indian IT stocks like Infosys and TCS, as they rely on H-1B for US operations. Experts see this as a pragmatic pivot amid debates on immigration and jobs.
