Elon Musk acknowledged the contributions of talented Indians to America’s progress, saying that US has benefitted immensely from them. During his appearance on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s “People by WTF” podcast, the billionaire highlighted how some restrictive US immigration policies stem from the “misuse” of the H-1B visa program and previous administrations’ “free-for-all” approach.
Musk’s remarks come at a time when thousands of Indians chasing the American dream of top-tier education, lucrative careers, and upward social mobility face growing hurdles from tightening visa rules and unpredictable policies.
Addressing concerns among some Americans that foreign workers are taking jobs from locals, Musk said, “I don’t know how real that is. My direct observation is that there’s always a scarcity of talented people.” He emphasized the ongoing difficulty companies face in finding skilled workers to tackle complex challenges, adding, “So more talented people would be good.”
Owning companies like Tesla, SpaceX, X, and XAI, Musk stressed his commitment to recruiting “the most talented people in the world,” regardless of nationality.
‘Companies Need To Stop Gaming H-1B System’
On the subject of the H-1B visa, Musk acknowledged problems with abuse but argued that the programme should not be shut down.
“Some of the outsourcing companies have kind of gamed the system on the H-1B front, and we need to stop the gaming of the system,” he said. “But I’m certainly not in the school of thought that we should shut down the H1B programme… I think they don’t realise that would actually be very bad.”
The H-1B visa has offered young scientists and engineers from India, China, and elsewhere a pathway from education to high-paying jobs and potential permanent residency in the US. Last year, Indians accounted for an overwhelming 71% of approved H-1B visa recipients, while China held just 11.7%, per US government data.
The visa typically grants permission for three years, extendable for another three, helping US tech firms bridge talent shortages.
However, recent policy shifts have stirred debate, notably in September when President Donald Trump proposed hiking H-1B visa application fees to $100,000, which was a dramatic rise from the usual $2,000 to $5,000 cost for employers. This followed his calls to crack down on alleged abuses and fraud within the program, amid claims that the visas were harming American workers.
Later, Trump recently softened his stance, indicating openness to skilled immigrants who could help train Americans in advanced fields like semiconductor manufacturing and missile technology.
