Trump’s ‘Gold Card’ Plan: A Boon for Indian Students or Just for Wealthy Immigrants?

Washington DC: Defending his “Gold Card” proposal against criticism that it primarily benefits wealthy immigrants, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the initiative aims to help retain top international talent, including bright students from India. Trump suggested that American businesses would be able to purchase the ‘Gold Card’ to secure highly skilled graduates who have studied in the U.S., ensuring they remain in the country for employment.

Speaking during the first full Cabinet meeting of his second term on Wednesday, President Trump addressed concerns about the struggles of American companies in retaining top foreign graduates. “I get calls from, as an example, companies where they want to hire the No. 1 student at the school—a person from India, China, Japan, lots of different places. They go to Harvard, Wharton School of Finance, Yale, and other great schools and graduate number one in their class. They receive job offers, but the offers are immediately rescinded because of uncertainty over their immigration status,” Trump said.

He emphasized that businesses are eager to hire these high-achieving students, but visa restrictions often prevent them from staying in the U.S. “I want to be able to have that person stay in the country. These companies can go and buy a ‘Gold Card,’ and they can use it as a matter of recruitment,” he added, stating that the initiative is expected to launch within the next two weeks.

The ‘Gold Card’ concept appears to be an attempt to address long-standing concerns from U.S. companies, particularly in Silicon Valley, which have repeatedly complained about the challenges of hiring skilled foreign workers. Tech giants have consistently pushed for more flexible immigration policies, arguing that the existing H-1B visa program is restrictive and often leads to talent shortages.

Trump, who has previously taken a hard stance on undocumented immigration, reiterated that he supports legal migration of skilled individuals who can contribute to the economy. His administration has indicated that the ‘Gold Card’ could serve as an alternative pathway for high-skilled workers to remain in the U.S. without the lengthy green card process.