In a shift from his earlier stance, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended the H-1B visa program, saying the country must attract skilled talent from around the world to fill specialized roles.
During an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump said that while his administration prioritized American jobs, certain sectors, particularly manufacturing and defense, require expertise that cannot easily be sourced domestically.
He said that the US workforce lacks some of the specialized skills needed for complex, high-tech roles.
When asked if America doesn't have plenty of talent, Trump responded, "No, you don't. No, you don't. No, you don't have. You don't have certain talents. People have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles’," he added.
The comments mark a notable softening in tone following his administration’s previous crackdown on the H-1B program, widely used by technology companies to hire foreign professionals, many of whom are Indian engineers and doctors.
Trump’s comments also come less than two months after his administration announced a steep hike in H-1B visa fees to USD 100,000 per application. The move drew criticism from U.S. employers and foreign workers alike, who said the measure would deter innovation and limit access to global talent.
The U.S. State Department later clarified that the new fee applies only to new H-1B petitions or lottery entries filed after September 21, and that current visa holders and petitions submitted before that date would remain unaffected. Under the updated rule, every new petition, including those for the 2026 H-1B lottery, must include the $100,000 payment.
