As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office for a second term, foreign workers in the United States are left with a cloud of uncertainty over their visa prospects.
In fiscal year 2024, the H-1B visa program—critical for foreign professionals in fields like technology, healthcare, and engineering—saw a remarkable approval rate, with over 97% of applications granted.
However, that success may be short-lived as Trump’s administration is expected to resurrect the restrictive immigration policies of his first term, leaving many foreign workers anxious about their future.
The H-1B program, established in 1990, allows U.S. employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers, issuing 85,000 visas each year.
While the program has been a vital source of talent, particularly for tech giants and startups, it has been a subject of fierce debate.
Advocates argue it helps the U.S. attract top talent and drive innovation, citing that a large portion of America’s billion-dollar startups were founded by immigrants.
Conversely, critics, including anti-immigration groups, argue that the program has been exploited to hire cheaper foreign labor, which undermines wages for U.S. workers.
The Trump administration’s first term saw significant cracks in the H-1B system.
Immigration officers ramped up scrutiny, imposing stricter degree and wage requirements for applicants and issuing fewer visa approvals.
In 2018, visa denials soared to 24%, a sharp contrast to the Obama era when denials were below 10%.
Immigration lawyers are concerned that Trump’s second term could bring even tougher measures, especially given the appointment of hardline immigration figures such as Stephen Miller.
Despite these concerns, some hope remains. Trump has suggested giving green cards to foreign graduates of U.S. colleges, and tech industry leaders like Elon Musk have voiced support for the H-1B program.
Musk, whose company Tesla has been a top sponsor of H-1B visas, may push for more favorable policies for foreign workers.
The future of the H-1B program under Trump’s second term is uncertain, but one thing is clear—foreign workers and U.S. businesses will be closely watching the incoming administration’s actions on immigration.