In America Because Of H-1B: Elon Musk's Past Posts Go Viral After Trump's Visa Move
Elon Musk, who is originally from South Africa, said in December 2024 that the visa system allowed him to reside in the US.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s social media posts from December 2024 regarding his changing opinions on the H-1B visa programme have surfaced again. This comes as US President Donald Trump has decided to increase the yearly H-1B visa fee to $1,00,000.
Musk, in his posts, initially expressed support for the H-1B system, but then he changed his stance.
The Tesla CEO highlighted the need for reform in the visa system in his first post on X on Dec. 28, 2024, writing, “No question that the H1B system needs to be overhauled.”
But later on the same day, Musk defended the programme, saying how it has contributed to the development of his companies. He highlighted the value of skilled immigrants in the US saying, “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B.”
He then went on to add that he would “go to war” against those who criticise the system.
The next day, Dec. 29, Musk changed his position. He called the H-1B program “broken” and in need of “major reform.” To make recruiting foreign labour more costly, he proposed policies, including increasing the minimum wage and imposing an annual maintenance fee.
“Easily fixed by raising the minimum salary significantly and adding a yearly cost for maintaining the H1B, making it materially more expensive to hire from overseas than domestically. I’ve been very clear that the program is broken and needs major reform,” he wrote on X.
Trump Raises H-1B Visa Fees
Last week, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order raising the fee for companies sponsoring H-1B visa applicants to a staggering $100,000. The unprecedented hike has sparked concerns over the cost and accessibility of hiring skilled foreign talent.
If implemented as planned, the new rules would dramatically increase fees for visa programmes. The H-1B visa for skilled workers would soar from $215, while investor visa fees, which are common in several European countries, could rise from $10,000 to $20,000 annually.
