H-1B visa program: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has said that the H-1B visa program, which permits skilled foreign workers to enter the country, is “broken” and urgently needs the “major reform.” President Trump has appointed Musk and Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to head his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk made the case last week that tech firms like Tesla and his SpaceX needed foreign labor. Additionally, Musk wrote on X that “I am in the United States because of H1B and with so many important people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that make America stronger.”
H-1B visa program
In response to a post by an X user who claimed that America needed to be a destination for the world’s most “elite talent” but maintained that the current H-1B system was not the answer, Musk seemed to take back his earlier remarks. “Hiring foreign workers would still be significantly more expensive than hiring local employees, even with a significant increase in the minimum salary and the addition of a yearly maintenance fee for the H-1B.
In an X post on Sunday, Musk stated, “I’ve been very clear that the program is broken and needs major reform.” A non-immigrant visa known as the H-1B permits US businesses to hire foreign nationals for specialized jobs requiring technical or theoretical know-how.
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What is H-1B visa permit?
An H-1B visa classification typically has a 3 year initial term with the possibility of a one-year extension, for a maximum of 6 years. Tens of thousands of workers are hired annually by technology companies from nations like China and India thanks to it. More H-1B visas have long been demanded by the tech sector in an effort to draw highly qualified workers to the US.
Musk, a former H-1B visa holder whose electric car company Tesla has employed people through the program, defended the necessity of hiring foreign workers in the tech sector. On December 28, he posted on X, “Fight with all your strength to keep it that way.”
Controversy of Laura Loomer and Ramaswamy
The controversy began when right-wing influencer Laura Loomer criticized Trump for appointing Indian-American businessman Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on AI policy for his incoming administration. Krishnan is in favour of allowing more skilled foreigners to enter the US. Loomer referred to the position as “not America First policy” and claimed that the tech executives who supported Trump were doing so in order to benefit themselves.
When Ramaswamy criticized American culture for encouraging mediocrity rather than emphasizing academic excellence and success based on merit, the argument heated up. Hopefully, Trump’s election will usher in a new golden age in America, but only if our culture completely awakens.
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He received criticism for the remark. Musk responded by urging the Republican Party to expel “contemptible fools” who disagree with his immigration policy. Later, Musk explained that he was referring to the “hateful, unrepentant racists” that he feels threaten the Republican Party’s future.
