Elon Musk Defends H-1B Visa Programme, Says US Has ‘Benefited Immensely’ from Indian Talent

Dec 2025 : Tesla CEO Elon Musk has strongly defended the H-1B visa programme, stating that the United States has “benefited immensely” from the contributions of Indian immigrants and that the country needs highly skilled workers from India now more than ever. Musk’s remarks came during a conversation with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath on the latest episode of the podcast “WTF is?” released on Sunday.

During the discussion, Musk emphasised America’s long-standing dependence on global intellectual talent, particularly from India, to drive innovation and maintain its competitive edge. He noted that his companies frequently face challenges in recruiting specialised talent domestically. “There’s always a scarcity of talented people,” he said, adding, “America has been an immense beneficiary of talent from India.”

While Musk strongly defended the H-1B programme as a vital channel for attracting skilled professionals, he also acknowledged its shortcomings. He criticised certain outsourcing companies that, according to him, “have kind of gamed the system,” exploiting loopholes to secure large numbers of visas. Instead of shutting down the programme, Musk urged policymakers to reform it in a way that stops misuse while preserving its core purpose. “I’m absolutely not in the school of thought that we should shut down the H-1B programme,” he said, pushing back at demands from some conservative groups.

Musk also linked the broader immigration debate to ineffective policy implementation in recent years. He argued that the prior administration’s approach led to “a total free-for-all, with no border controls,” which he said encouraged illegal immigration and resulted in what he termed “a negative selection effect.” According to Musk, strong border management is essential for any functioning nation. “Unless you’ve got border controls, you’re not a country,” he remarked.

His comments come at a time when the H-1B programme is drawing renewed scrutiny under President Donald Trump’s second term. Although the administration has taken a tougher stance on enforcement, it has also publicly acknowledged that America’s economy depends on a steady flow of skilled foreign workers.

The H-1B visa, established through the Immigration Act of 1990, allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised occupations. The programme is capped at 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants holding advanced US degrees. Indian nationals consistently dominate the programme: in 2024, they accounted for 71% of all H-1B approvals, followed by Chinese nationals at 12%. Altogether, nearly 400,000 applications were approved in 2024, including cap-exempt renewals.

In September 2025, the Trump administration introduced a new $100,000 fee on fresh H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. The government said the fee aims to curb loopholes that allow employers to “undercut American workers.” The fee, however, does not apply to renewals, existing H-1B holders, or those selected in the 2025 lottery.

Further regulatory changes are expected in December through a Department of Homeland Security proposal that will tighten third-party worksite rules, enhance oversight of violators, and revisit cap-exemption categories to “improve programme integrity.”

Despite a stricter regulatory push, President Trump has repeatedly defended the programme’s economic importance. In a November 11 interview with Fox News, he noted, “You do also have to bring in talent… We’re not going to be successful if we don’t allow people who invest billions to bring a lot of their people from their country.” Pointing to America’s skilled-workforce gaps, he added, “You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory.’”

Musk’s remarks signal growing consensus among business leaders that high-skill immigration remains critical to sustaining America’s innovation ecosystem, even as the national debate over immigration grows more polarised.

Team Maverick.