In a notable shift from his earlier hardline position, former US President Donald Trump appeared to soften his stance on the H-1B visa programme, saying that America needs to bring in skilled talent from abroad to fill specialised roles.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, Trump acknowledged the value of foreign professionals, arguing that not all domestic workers can easily be trained for highly technical jobs.
“We also do have to bring talent into the country,” Trump said.
When asked if America already has enough talent, he replied, “No, you don’t… You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn.”
The comments mark a surprising U-turn from Trump’s previously restrictive approach to the H-1B visa system, which has been a key employment channel for skilled immigrants particularly those from India’s technology and medical sectors.
During his previous administration, Trump had implemented tighter eligibility norms and fee hikes for non-immigrant visa applicants. In September 2025, he issued a Presidential Proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” introducing an additional USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025.
According to the US State Department, the new fee applies only to individuals or companies filing new petitions or entering the 2026 H-1B lottery, while existing visa holders and previously approved petitions remain unaffected.
The H-1B programme, widely used by American tech firms to employ foreign professionals, particularly engineers and software developers from India, remains a crucial pillar of the US innovation economy. Trump’s recent remarks are being viewed by analysts as a pragmatic acknowledgment of the country’s ongoing talent shortage in critical sectors such as manufacturing, defence, and technology.
