Elon Musk, appearing on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath's "WTF is" podcast, firmly opposed scrapping the H-1B visa program despite its misuse by outsourcing firms. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO acknowledged "gaming of the system" by some companies but stressed America's talent scarcity: "We have difficulty finding enough talented people... more talented people would be good." Musk highlighted Indians' immense benefits to the US, where India received 71% of H-1B approvals last year versus China's 11.7%.
Musk's companies prioritize global top talent for complex tasks in chips, EVs, and space. He critiqued prior "free-for-all" immigration under Biden lacking border controls, creating negative incentives via benefits. Trump's September policy hiked new H-1B fees to $100,000 from $2,000-$5,000, targeting abuse claims displacing Americans, though Trump recently welcomed skilled immigrants for tech like semiconductors.
The H-1B, renewable for six years, has enabled millions of Indian engineers for US tech giants filling gaps. Musk's past defenses—"reason I'm in America... H1B"—contrast reform calls like higher salaries to favor domestics. Amid rising restrictions souring Indian dreams of education and mobility, Musk warned abolition harms innovation.
Also Read: U.S. Launches 175 Investigations Into H-1B Visa Abuse Under Project Firewall
Trump's shift balances security with talent needs, exempting renewals. Tech leaders split: some back fees testing value, others fear innovation loss. Musk's stance underscores H-1B's role in US strength via skilled migration.
Also Read: Shimla School Abuse: Dalit Boy Tortured by Teachers with Scorpion