(MENAFN- Live Mint) Amid concerns on whether the United States will quash H1-B visas, US President Donald trump has made clear his stance backing the programme.
“We need great people to come to our country and we do that through the H1B program,” ANI posted on X, quoting Donald Trump.
Also Read | Trump says he's open to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison urchasing TikTok What Donald Trump said?
Trump who took over as 47th US President on January 20, said to expand businesses the US needs quality people to come in.
"But what I really do feel is that we have to let really competent people, great people, come into our country and we do that through the H-1B," Trump said, a day after taking the office.
"I like very competent peopl coming into our country, even if that involves them training and helping other people that may not have the qualifications they do. But I don't want to stop. And I'm not just talking about engineers. I'm talking about people at all levels. We want competent people coming into our country. And H-B1, I know the program very well. I use the program. Maitre d's, wine experts, even waiters, high-quality waiters," he added.
Also Read | Indians on H1-B visa face 'uncertainty' as Trump revokes birthright citizenship What is H-1B Visa?
The H-1B is a temporary (non-immigrant) visa category that allows employers to petition for highly educated foreign professionals to work in“specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor's degree or the equivalent. Jobs in fields such as mathematics, engineering, technology, and medical sciences often qualify. Typically, the initial duration of an H-1B visa classification is three years, which may be extended to a maximum of six years.
Also Read | Why is it so hard for Indians to get a visa? H-1B Visa: All you need to know about the controversy
The debate over H1B visas and immigration policy intensified following Trump's announcement of Sriram Krishnan as the White House policy adviser on artificial intelligence. Krishnan had advocated for the removal of country caps in green card allocation to skilled immigrants.
A major divide emerged within the MAGA team in the United States last month as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who advocated for the expansion of the visa program for 'highly skilled workers', faced heavy backlash from within President-elect's base.
Musk and Ramaswamy -- both foreign origin leaders heading Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) -- reignited the debate on H-1B visas, while reflecting a divide over immigration policy as Trump prepares to assume office. Ramaswamy has quit DOGE to pursue a gubernatoroal run.
Notably, during Trump's first term, his administration placed restrictions on H-1B visas, citing concerns about "abuse" and "economic strain." In 2016, Trump criticised the program, claiming it allowed companies to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labour. These restrictions were further tightened in 2020 due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
(With inputs from agecnies)
MENAFN22012025007365015876ID1109115746
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.