- Immigrant Times
- Sep 20
- 3 min read
President Trump favours immigrants with money over those with skills
The changes to America’s H-1B visa will make it easier for European technology hubs to attract talent from India and China.
By The Immigrant Times
US President Trump, in the White House Oval Office, unveils his Gold Card for immigrants with money, while making it very costly for talented individuals to work in America. (Photo: Screenshot from BBC News)
September 2025: In a move that redefines the contours of the US. immigration policy, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applicants, a nearly 500-fold increase from the previous $215 charge. Effective 21 September 2025, the order marks one of the most significant overhauls of the skilled worker visa programme in decades, sending shockwaves through the tech industry and foreign talent pipelines.
The H-1B visa has long served as the backbone of America’s tech sector, enabling companies to recruit highly skilled workers from abroad, particularly from India and China. Indians alone accounted for 71 per cent of approved H-1B visas last year. But with the new fee, companies must now shoulder an unprecedented financial burden to retain or recruit foreign talent.
Major US companies, including Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and J.P. Morgan, have issued urgent travel advisories, urging H-1B holders to remain in the US or return before the fee takes effect. The administration argues the fee will curb abuse by outsourcing firms and ensure only “truly highly skilled” workers are brought in, citing wage suppression and national security concerns.
Yet critics warn that the policy could stall innovation, delay projects, and deepen global talent divides. For Indian IT firms and their employees, the impact is especially acute, threatening to upend long-standing recruitment models and disrupt career trajectories.
US companies with the most employees on H-1B visas
Amazon: 10,044
Tata Consultancy: 5,505
Microsoft: 5,189
Meta (Facebook): 5,123
Apple: 4,202
Google: 4,181
Cognizant: 2,493
JP Morgan Chase: 2,440
Walmart: 2,390
Deloitte: 2,353
Europe’s response
European officials have largely avoided direct comment on the US move, instead framing their response as pragmatic and opportunity-driven. The tone is one of quiet readiness: not celebrating America’s shift, but preparing to absorb its ripple effects.
European start-up hubs, including Amsterdam, Berlin, and Lisbon, have begun amplifying messaging around inclusivity and affordability. Some are exploring fast-track visa partnerships with Indian universities and coding academies.
Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs noted that the US fee hike “may accelerate the attractiveness of Germany’s new Chancenkarte [Opportunity Card],” which streamlines skilled migration for non-EU nationals. Officials are reportedly reviewing outreach strategies to Indian and Chinese tech workers affected by the US shift.
France’s tech sector has quietly begun lobbying for expanded talent visas. A spokesperson for La French Tech stated: “We see a window to attract engineers and founders who may now reconsider their US plans. France offers competitive pathways with fewer financial barriers.”
Ireland’s IDA (Industrial Development Agency) has flagged the US policy as a potential boon for its tech ecosystem, which already hosts major US firms like Google, Meta, and Apple. Analysts suggest Ireland could benefit from redirected talent flows, especially among Indian engineers.
The Trump Gold Card:
A premium path to the US for wealthy immigrants
While tightening the screws on skilled workers, the Trump administration has simultaneously unveiled a suite of premium immigration options for the ultra-wealthy, a move critics say institutionalises a two-tier system.
The newly introduced ‘Trump Gold Card’ offers residency and work rights for individuals willing to invest $1 million. The ‘Trump Platinum Card’, priced at $5 million, allows up to 270 days in the US without triggering tax liability. For corporations, the ‘Trump Corporate Gold Card’, at $2 million, provides a transferable visa option for executives.
These offerings, pitched as ‘fast-track’ alternatives, reflect a broader shift toward wealth-based migration, echoing global trends in countries like the UAE, Singapore, and Portugal. But in the US context, they raise pressing questions about equity, access, and the commodification of legal status.
Together, the $100,000 H-1B fee and the gold card scheme signal a dramatic reorientation of US immigration priorities, one that favours capital over skills. For tech firms, the challenge now lies in navigating a landscape where talent pipelines are taxed, and privilege is fast-tracked.
Fazit
As the executive order takes effect, the broader implications for global mobility, economic competitiveness, and the moral architecture of immigration remain to be seen. But one thing is clear: the cost of entry into America’s workforce is no longer just about skill. It’s about what you can pay.
Further reading: Digital nomads in Mexico City and Lisbon ||
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