The United States appears headed toward one of the most sweeping changes to its immigration system in decades. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in an interview with Fox News, confirmed that the Trump administration is working to revamp the H-1B visa program and the green card system, calling the current framework “terrible.”
“I’m involved in changing the H-1B program. We’re going to change that program,” Lutnick declared.
He criticized the green card process as well, noting that the average salaries of recipients lag behind those of U.S. citizens.
“The average American makes $75,000 a year, and the average green card recipient $66,000. So we’re taking the bottom quartile. Why are we doing that?”
Enter the ‘Gold Card’
The most striking proposal is a new immigration pathway dubbed the “Gold Card.” Under this plan, foreigners investing at least $5 million in the U.S. would be offered permanent residency. Lutnick claimed there is already “strong interest” in the program, with 250,000 people reportedly in queue, and projected it could raise $1.25 trillion in revenue.
“That’s the gold card that’s coming. And we’re going to start picking the best people to come into this country,” he said.
Broader Shifts in Immigration Policy
This new initiative comes on the heels of another regulatory change. Earlier this month, the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs adopted a rule to prioritize H-1B applicants based on salary levels rather than the current lottery system. The Department of Homeland Security had first floated this idea in 2021, dividing applicants into four pay categories and giving preference to higher-paying jobs.
At present, the U.S. issues 85,000 H-1B visas annually, with employers selected randomly. The program has been a lifeline for many highly skilled foreign workers, particularly from India, who dominate the technology sector. By shifting to an earnings-based hierarchy, the administration signals a move toward a “merit-first” system, reshaping how talent flows into the American economy.
The Global Context
The proposed changes highlight the Trump administration’s broader philosophy: immigration should be tied to wealth and high-paying jobs rather than broader labor needs or family reunification. If enacted, the Gold Card would tilt the system sharply toward investors and away from workers in mid-level positions who have traditionally relied on H-1B visas.
For India and other countries that supply large numbers of skilled professionals to the U.S., this could have far-reaching consequences — altering both the flow of talent and the politics of immigration.
The debate underscores a deeper truth: in today’s world, immigration is not only about humanitarian principles or family reunification; it is increasingly treated as a tool of economic competition. And the United States, like many other nations, is re-engineering its rules to attract capital and high salaries, while limiting pathways for those seen as bringing less economic value.
