The Trump administration is preparing significant reforms to the H-1B visa and green card programs, signaling a shift toward wage-based immigration and merit-driven selection.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that the administration plans to eliminate the current lottery-based system and replace it with a selective, wage-focused model.
“We’re going to change the green card system. The average American earns $75,000 annually, while the average green card recipient earns $66,000. Why are we picking from the bottom? That’s why President Trump is changing it,” Lutnick said in an interview with Fox News. He added that the upcoming “Gold Card” program would prioritize hiring top talent and ensure the best candidates are chosen.
Lutnick also criticized the current H-1B process as “a scam that lets foreign workers take American job opportunities,” stressing that U.S. companies should prioritize hiring American workers.
Proposed reforms include scrapping the H-1B lottery and awarding visas to higher-earning applicants first. A draft rule on this new system was recently approved by the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
The “Gold Card,” still in development, is being considered as an alternative to the existing green card process. It is designed to attract highly skilled, high-income professionals and aligns with Trump’s broader “America First” immigration strategy.
The overhaul has already drawn attention in India, which accounts for over 70% of H-1B visa recipients. However, critics warn the changes may backfire, pushing companies to outsource jobs overseas or rely more heavily on remote workers instead of employing talent within the United States.
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