WASHINGTON, Dec 11 — President Donald Trump on Wednesday introduced a new visa program designed to retain highly skilled foreign graduates in the United States. The “Trump Gold Card” provides a pathway to citizenship for individuals contributing $1 million or for corporations paying $2 million to sponsor employees.
Trump described the visa as a stronger alternative to the traditional green card. “Have to be great people, but much stronger path. It’s a green card, but much better, much more powerful,” he said during a White House roundtable.
The program targets students from top universities who often must return to their home countries after graduation. “You graduate number one from your college, and there’s no way of guaranteeing that they’re able to stay in the country,” Trump said. “It’s a shame. It’s ridiculous.”
Tech leaders, including IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, have urged solutions for retaining top talent. “Companies are now going to be very happy with the Gold Card,” Trump said, adding that employers can hire graduates from schools such as Harvard, MIT, and Wharton with certainty.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said each applicant will undergo full vetting to ensure they meet US standards. “After five years, they’ll be available to become citizens,” he said. “For a company, they can keep putting people on the card, one person per card. And for an individual, it’s a million dollars—a gift to the United States of America, to help America be great again under Donald Trump.”
The new visa program is expected to generate billions for the US, according to Trump, while allowing companies to retain top talent who previously might have been forced to leave the country.
