Trump Calls Student Deportations a ‘Shame’, Launches New Million-Dollar Visa

Donald Trump said that it is a shame that thousands of foreign students, including those from India and China, have to leave the country after graduating from top American universities. He made the remarks while launching the 'Trump Gold Card' which the US President claims will enable companies to hire and retain such talent in the country.

Trump used a White House roundtable to formally launch the 'Trump Gold Card', a new million-dollar visa programme that provides a pathway to US citizenship and allows companies to hire and keep high-skilled foreign graduates.

"If you graduate number one in your class - Wharton, Harvard, MIT - you still have to go back to India, China, France, wherever you came from. Very hard to stay. It's a shame. It's ridiculous," Trump said. "We're taking care of that."

What is the 'Trump Gold Card'?

The visa programme allows individuals to obtain expedited US residency by paying a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee and, after vetting, making a $1 million "gift" to the US government. A corporate version of the card will allow companies to sponsor foreign employees for a $2 million gift.

The website trumpcard.gov, which went live Wednesday afternoon, promises "US residency in record time".

Trump described the new visa as "somewhat like a green card, but with big advantages - much better, much more powerful".

Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said both individuals and corporations will undergo "full and best vetting" to ensure only highly qualified applicants benefit.

Card holders will receive a path to citizenship after five years, provided they meet good-conduct criteria.

A new hiring tool for US companies?

Flanked by IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Dell CEO Michael Dell, Trump said the Gold Card directly addresses a longstanding complaint from American tech leaders - that they cannot reliably hire top foreign graduates because of uncertain visa rules.

Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook repeatedly raised concerns that companies "don't know whether or not you can keep the person" after hiring them.

"Students are thrown out of the country," Trump said. "It's not going to be a problem anymore."

Under the new programme:

Companies can purchase a Gold Card and assign it to an employee.
When that employee gains citizenship, the same corporate card can be reassigned to another worker.
Corporate cards carry an annual 1% maintenance fee and a 5% transfer fee.
Trump argued that the programme will help the US retain global talent while raising "many billions of dollars" for federal use.

'A much better form of green card'
Positioning the programme as a dramatic overhaul of the skilled-migration system, Trump said companies will now have "certainty" when recruiting from elite institutions.

"If IBM wants to hire someone at the top of their class at Wharton but can't guarantee they stay, they can buy the Gold Card - and that employee can be here for a very long period of time," he said. "You can't get green cards. They're impossible to get. This is much better."

Why Trump says it matters

According to the administration, the Gold Card aligns with Trump's push to favour "the best people" over the current green-card system, which Lutnick claimed brings in immigrants who on average earn less than Americans and are more likely to rely on federal assistance.

"This will ensure only great people come into this country," Lutnick said. "It is a gift to the United States of America, to help America be great again under Donald Trump."

How to apply for 'Gold card'

The application process is now open. Applicants must:

Visit trumpcard.gov
Submit an online form
Pay the $15,000 processing fee
Undergo federal vetting
Make the $1 million (individual) or $2 million (corporate) contribution upon approval
A third tier - the Platinum Card, allowing stays of up to 270 days - will be launched later, according to the website.