Trump’s ‘Gold Card’ plan opens doors for US companies to hire Indian graduates

In a major policy shift, US President Donald Trump has announced that American companies can now hire Indian graduates from US universities under the newly introduced 'gold card' citizenship plan.

The move, aimed at retaining top international talent, marks a significant change from the existing system, which often forces skilled professionals to leave the US due to visa restrictions.

Speaking about the issue, Trump acknowledged that the current immigration rules have resulted in a massive brain drain, with many top graduates returning to their home countries to build successful businesses.

"A person comes from India, China, Japan, lots of different places, and they go to Harvard, the Wharton School of Finance… they get job offers, but those offers are rescinded because there’s no clarity on whether they can stay in the country," Trump said.

He pointed out that many of these talented individuals end up founding billion-dollar companies overseas, employing thousands of people — an economic opportunity the US has been missing out on.

What is the ‘Gold Card’ Visa?

Trump’s 'gold card' program is being positioned as a premium alternative to the existing Green Card, offering long-term residency and a pathway to US citizenship. Unlike the traditional EB-5 visa program, which requires foreign investors to invest at least $1 million in job-creating ventures, the gold card visa raises the financial threshold to $5 million while removing the job creation requirement.

"If we sell a million of these, that’s $5 trillion," Trump said, suggesting that revenue from the program could help pay off the national debt.

A game-changer for Indian students and investors

For Indian graduates, the policy shift could open up new career prospects, allowing them to remain in the US and contribute to its economy without facing the uncertainty of existing visa processes. The program is expected to go into effect by April, with an initial offering of 10 million gold card visas.

Trump believes the initiative will be a game-changer, attracting wealthy investors and skilled professionals who will, in turn, drive economic growth.

"They’ll be wealthy, they’ll be successful, they’ll spend a lot of money, pay a lot of taxes, and employ a lot of people," he said. "We think it’s going to be extremely successful."

While the gold card visa offers a faster and more straightforward route to residency, its steep $5 million price tag places it out of reach for many mid-tier investors. However, for high-net-worth individuals and top international graduates, it presents a unique opportunity to secure long-term US residency.

With the program’s rollout expected in the coming months, its impact on the US job market and global investor landscape remains to be seen.