Trump launches 'Gold Card' to let skilled foreign graduates, including Indians, stay and work in US

Speaking at the White House, Trump said the new visa programme would finally give American companies “certainty” when hiring talented foreign graduates who currently face years of immigration hurdles despite ranking at the top of their class.

Calling the current system a “shame”, Trump argued that America loses exceptional talent simply because foreign students are required to leave after graduation.

He said the Gold Card would allow firms to retain such talent without bureaucratic obstacles.

'Gold Card' website is now live

Trump announced that the Gold Card portal is now active and that companies can purchase the card to hold on to graduates from elite institutions such as MIT, Harvard and Wharton.

The programme is positioned as a premium visa pathway offering eligibility for US citizenship after five years.

Trump Gold Card. Photo: X/@WhiteHouse

The president said major CEOs—including Apple’s Tim Cook—had repeatedly told him they hesitate to hire top graduates because there is no guarantee they can stay in the country.

“You graduate number one from your college, and there’s no way of knowing if you can stay. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said.

He claimed the Gold Card system would bring in “billions of dollars” in revenue while solving long-standing hiring problems for U.S. companies.

Gold Card cost: $1M for individuals, $2M for companies

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick elaborated on the pricing model, stating that individuals can obtain the Gold Card for $1 million, while corporations can purchase one for $2 million.

The card includes what Lutnick described as the “best vetting the government has ever done,” costing $15,000 per applicant.

Once a foreign employee is approved, they can pursue citizenship after five years.

Companies would then have the option to reassign the card to another vetted employee, effectively creating a long-term talent pipeline.

“It’s a gift to the United States of America,” Lutnick said, describing the programme as a mechanism to attract “only the best people” into the country.

'A better alternative to Green Cards'

Trump argued that the Gold Card will offer advantages over traditional green cards, which grant permanent residency.

He said that under previous immigration rules, average green card holders often earned less than US citizens and were more likely to depend on federal assistance.

Lutnick added that while the Gold Card operates within the existing visa framework, it is designed to raise the calibre of incoming immigrants by ensuring only highly skilled, vetted professionals enter the workforce.

India seen as a major beneficiary

With Indian students forming one of the largest international student groups in the US—and many facing difficulties staying after graduation—the Gold Card programme is expected to draw significant interest from the Indian diaspora, tech companies, and higher education institutions.

Trump emphasised that the initiative would finally stop foreign talent from being “thrown out” of the US after graduation.

“They used to send people up to Canada and other countries,” he said. “We solved that.”