Last month, US President Donald Trump announced an amendment to the H -1B visa fee, increasing from $ 1,000 to $ 100,000. The move has created a deep debate in the technology industry. While some have welcomed it as an attempt to curb the misuse of visa allocation, others argue that rapid growth can become a major route to attract talent from all over the world. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, meanwhile, sits somewhere in the middle of this debate. According to him, while the revision of visa policy is “a great beginning” to prevent misuse, large -scale fee for global talent “excludes the American dream and access”.

Speaking on the BG2 podcast with investors Brad Gerostner and David Sachs, Huang said that the new policy of Trump administration can discourage bright international students and skilled professionals from choosing the United States as their home, even if it aims to curb the misuse of visa system. “This is a great beginning,” Huang said, “but the $ 100,000 fee probably sets a little higher to the bar.”

What is H-1B visa program?

The H -1B visa program allows American companies to appoint foreign professionals for special roles especially in technology and engineering. Trump’s proposed change, which includes a new application fee, means to encourage employers to keep on domestic work. However, critics argue that it tilt the balance to the side of large corporations that can absorb such costs, while small start-ups and research-centered firms can struggle to compete for top talent.

Huang shares equal concerns for start-ups. He suggested that high fees tilt the playground towards large technical firms, causing damage to small companies. He believes that such a policy can carry forward more innovation and investment outside the US, as global talent looks elsewhere for opportunities. “At least it ends illegal immigration,” Huang said, accepting the intention of policy, “But we have to be careful whether it does not make foreign students uncomfortable or does not remove them.”
Huang, who himself is a Taiwanese immigrant and moved to America as a teenager, stated that he sees immigration as a life of American innovation. He said, “Smart People’s desire is the desire of America and smart students to stay – they are those I would call KPI, initial indicators of future success,” he said.

In particular, Huang’s trend on H-1B changes appears more cautious than his earlier comments during a combined CNBC interview with Sam Altman, CEO of Openai. At that time, Huang had said that he was happy to see “President Trump making tricks, calling Immigration” The Foundation of the American Dream “. Ultman also supported changes, saying that aligning financial incentives could help in streamlining the procedure to hire top talent.

However, in its recent comments, Huang weighs both on the intention and potential loss of the proposal. “Any step that addresses the country’s ability to attract and keep top talent is a step in the right direction,” said Huang. “H -1B visa change is a good start -but it should not end.”

In particular, Nvidia is one of the largest employers of H-1B visa holders in the US, with 1,519 filing in the last financial year. The company employs around 36,000 people globally.