H-1B benefits both India, US after Trump, Musk backing

Three weeks ahead of Trump's inauguration on January 20, the debate on foreign guest worker visas for highly skilled professionals, the H-1B, has intensified, which has literally created divisions in both the Democratic and Republican parties.

- Lalit K Jha

Indians are the main beneficiaries of the H-1B visas, which bring in the best of the talent and brains from across the world. Highly skilled professionals from India walk away with the overwhelming number of H-1B visas—which is Congressionally mandated 650,000 every year and another 20,000 for those who received higher education from the US.

President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as the 47th President of the US at the US Capitol, has come out in support of the H-1B, so has two of his close confidants, Tesla owner Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom have been tasked to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

"I've always liked the visas, I have always been in favour of the visas. That's why we have them," Trump told the New York Post over the weekend.