President Donald Trump has defended the need for skilled foreign workers in the United States, saying the country requires talent from abroad even as his administration has moved to make the H-1B visa programme more costly and restrictive, according to a report by Bloomberg.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump was pressed by host Laura Ingraham on whether his administration would make H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers less of a priority. The programme is widely used by major US companies, particularly in the technology sector, to fill specialised roles.
“You also do have to bring in talent,” Trump said. When Ingraham argued that the US already had “plenty of talented people here,” he replied, “no.”
“You don’t have certain talents. And you have to, people have to learn. You can’t take people off, like an unemployment line, and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory. We’re going to make missiles,’” he added.
Trump’s defence of the need for skilled immigration comes despite policies introduced earlier this year that make it more expensive for businesses to use the visa system. His administration imposed a $100,000 application fee on H-1B visa petitions, sparking a lawsuit from the US Chamber of Commerce and underscoring growing friction between the White House and corporate America.
The H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields such as technology, engineering, and healthcare. It has long been a critical tool for companies seeking to access global talent, particularly in industries facing domestic skill shortages.
Bloomberg reported that Trump’s stance reflects the tension between his protectionist immigration policies and the practical needs of US businesses.
His administration has also ramped up deportations of undocumented migrants, including through the deployment of troops to assist immigration enforcement in major cities, moves that have raised concerns about labour supply in key sectors.
Meanwhile, employers have become less inclined to sponsor work visas for international graduates of US universities, closing a pathway that once helped thousands transition into skilled jobs.
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