US President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping overhaul of America’s immigration system, introducing a “Trump Gold Card” visa program priced at $1 million for individuals and $2 million for businesses, while simultaneously imposing a $100,000 fee on all H-1B visa petitions. The changes are framed as a way to attract investment, reduce debt, and ensure that only highly skilled foreign workers enter the country.
Gold Card visa program
The Gold Card initiative replaces existing EB-1 and EB-2 categories that admitted foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities. Under the program:
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Individuals can pay $1 million for US residency.
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Businesses can secure residency for employees at $2 million per worker through a “Corporate Gold Card.” These slots can be transferred between employees with Department of Homeland Security vetting.
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Vetting costs for applicants will be $15,000, with what officials describe as the “most rigorous screening ever.”
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A Platinum Card, priced at $5 million, would allow holders to spend up to 270 days in the US annually without paying taxes on foreign income. However, this requires congressional approval.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the initiative is expected to raise over $100 billion quickly, with revenues directed to tax cuts, pro-growth projects, and debt reduction. “They’re going to spend a lot of money to come in,” Trump remarked, adding that American taxpayers will finally benefit from the immigration system.
H-1B visa overhaul
Alongside the Gold Card, Trump signed a proclamation raising the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 (₹88 lakh), terming the program “one of the most abused visa systems.”
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The fee applies to all new petitions and renewals, in addition to existing filing costs.
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Exemptions may be granted in the “national interest.”
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The Labor Secretary has been directed to revise prevailing wage levels for H-1B jobs.
White House staff secretary Will Scharf argued the fee will ensure only “truly highly skilled” workers are brought in, preventing the replacement of Americans in specialized fields.
Impact on Indian professionals
Indians are the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program, accounting for over 70% of approvals annually. The new fee structure could hit IT firms and professionals hard, especially since visa renewals would require repeated payments.
Lutnick claimed the US was previously admitting “bottom quartile” workers under the green card system, earning an average of $66,000 a year and disproportionately reliant on government aid. The new visa policies, he argued, will reverse that trend by only allowing in “the very top” candidates and wealthy investors.
Trump’s political framing
On Truth Social, Trump defended the Gold Card and H-1B changes as a move to “stop illegal aliens” and strengthen America’s economy. “We anticipate THE TRUMP GOLD CARD will generate well over $100 billion very quickly. This money will be used for reducing taxes, pro-growth projects, and paying down our debt,” he wrote.
The bigger picture
Trump first floated the Gold Card idea in February, describing it as a tool to attract investment and create jobs. With these twin moves—charging skilled workers under H-1B and wealthy investors under Gold Card—the administration hopes to reshape immigration into a revenue-generating system while limiting what it views as “abuses” of the current framework.