Rama Krishna Sangem
Rich and high income group Indians are ready to shell down Donald Trump’s new Gold Card programme, offering a fast-track route to US residency. This Gold Card is priced at one million US dollars – that means, close to Rs 8.9 crore. This may appear a big amount, but for this section of people who are desperate to relocate to the US, there is no other way.
Particularly, the demand for Trump’s Gold Card has gone up after he signed an executive order last week hiking H-1B visa fees to $100,000. This is equal to Rs 89 lakh in our currency. Till now these rich and affordable people depended on H1B visa route to the US. After that they used to apply for Green Card, permanent residency.
The Gold Card came into effect through an executive order on September 19, requires a non-refundable $1 million “gift” to the US Treasury, or $2 million through corporate sponsorship. Unlike the EB-5 investor visa, the scheme is positioned as a contribution to “American industry and commerce.”
The surge follows Trump’s move to raise H-1B visa fees to $100,000, a steep jump from the earlier $2,000–$5,000 range. Indians, who account for the largest share of H-1B applicants, are among the hardest hit. The US visa consultancy service companies in India are getting large number of inquiries from people in their 30s and 40s age group. Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai are among cities where people show interest to buy Trump’s Gold card.
Goodbye lottery system for H1B visas
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing to eliminate the H-1B visa lottery and replace it with a wage-based selection system that favors applicants with higher wages and specialized skills. This new approach aims to give priority to those in higher wage classifications (Levels I-IV), with a wage Level IV benefiting from four entries into the selection pool for each registration.
This potential change is part of a larger immigration reform initiative by the Trump administration and could significantly impact foreign IT professionals and companies, favoring more experienced and higher-paid individuals.
End of the Lottery: The random selection process will be replaced. Wage-Based Prioritization: Applications will be weighted based on the beneficiary’s wage level. Wage Levels: A four-tier system is proposed, where Level IV applicants receive more weight in the selection process.
Goal: To ensure visas go to the “best and brightest” and curb potential abuse by outsourcing firms. Benefit to High-Skilled Workers: Experienced professionals with higher salary offers are likely to benefit from the new system.
Challenge for Startups and Entry-Level Workers: Companies and individuals who rely on entry-level positions or higher numbers of lower-wage applications may face significantly reduced opportunities. Shift in the Global IT Market: The changes could prompt companies to reconsider their recruitment strategies and global operations. As most successful and affordable Indians see America as their destination, demand for any amount of fee for entering the country will continue to be high.
