Desk:American billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who previously pledged unwavering support for the H-1B visa program, has softened his stance and is now advocating for reforms in the flawed system used to bring skilled foreign workers to the U.S. Newly elected President Donald Trump has appointed Musk and Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk had earlier defended the need for foreign employees in his tech companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla.
Last week, Musk tweeted on X (formerly Twitter):
“I am in the U.S. because of H-1B, as are many key individuals who have built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that make America stronger.”
However, in response to an X user’s post, Musk retracted his earlier statement, agreeing that while America should attract the world’s best talent, the current H-1B system is not the solution.
On Sunday, Musk proposed potential reforms in a post on X:
“This can be easily fixed by significantly increasing the minimum wage and adding an annual cost to maintaining H-1B, making it more expensive to hire from abroad compared to hiring domestically. I have been very clear that this program is flawed and needs substantial improvement.”
What is the H-1B Visa?
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa allowing U.S. companies to hire foreign workers for specialized occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise. Technology firms depend on the H-1B visa to recruit thousands of employees from countries like India and China annually. The IT industry has long sought an increase in H-1B visas to attract highly skilled workers to the U.S.
Musk, who was once reliant on an H-1B visa, has used the program to hire workers for his electric vehicle company, Tesla. He has continuously defended the need for foreign talent in the tech industry. On December 28, Musk tweeted:
“I will always respect anyone who comes to America, regardless of their race, religion, or nationality, and works hard to contribute to this country. America is the land of freedom and opportunity. Fight with everything to keep it that way.”
Trump’s Support for Musk’s Stance
Newly elected President Donald Trump has also shown support for Musk’s position. Trump, who restricted the program in 2020 during his first term, citing its misuse to hire low-cost foreign workers over Americans, now appears to have softened his stance. Trump recently remarked:
“I’ve always liked visas. That’s why we have them [H-1B].”
While Musk has actively posted in favor of the program, Trump supporters and immigration opponents have called for the termination of the H-1B visa program. The debate intensified when right-wing influencer Laura Loomer criticized Trump’s choice of Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as an advisor on artificial intelligence (AI) policy, calling it contradictory to Trump’s “America First” policy.
Implications for Indian Tech Professionals
Musk and Trump’s flexible stance on H-1B visas could bring hope to Indian professionals, as many rely on the program to pursue opportunities in the U.S. Musk’s call for reforms, including raising costs and wages, may align with demands to ensure fairness in the system while continuing to attract global talent.