Overview

• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he is involved in overhauling the H‑1B program and the green card system, calling the current visa setup “terrible” and a “scam” that displaces American workers.
• The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs this month accepted a proposed rule to prioritize H‑1B selections by earnings, replacing the lottery that allocates 85,000 visas each year.
• A proposed 'Gold Card' would grant permanent residency to foreigners who invest $5 million in the United States, with Lutnick claiming interest from 250,000 potential applicants and projecting $1.25 trillion in inflows.
• Indian nationals have historically received over 70% of new H‑1B approvals, positioning them to be most affected by a pivot to wage-based selection.
• DHS previously outlined an earnings-tier approach in 2021, and the administration now frames the pending changes as a move to favor higher-skilled, higher-paid entrants.