"Trump Gold Card": Selling Residency for $1M While Pricing Out Skilled Workers with $100K H-1B Fee
Trump launched a "Gold Card" program selling fast-tracked U.S. residency for $1M ($5M for a tax-free "Platinum" version) while simultaneously raising the H-1B visa fee from ~$2,500 to $100,000 — pricing out the skilled workers who actually power American tech and innovation.
On September 19, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14351 creating the "Trump Gold Card" — a program allowing wealthy foreigners to buy fast-tracked U.S. residency by making a "significant financial gift" to the Treasury. Simultaneously, he raised the H-1B visa application fee to $100,000, devastating the primary pathway for skilled foreign workers.
The two-tier system:
- "Trump Gold Card" ($1M): Fast-tracked residency. $15,000 non-refundable processing fee. $2M if a company sponsors the individual. Available at trumpcard.gov.
- "Trump Platinum Card" ($5M): Up to 270 days/year in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income — a tax haven for the ultra-wealthy.
- H-1B fee raised to $100,000: Up from approximately $2,500. Effective September 21, 2025. New petitions denied entry without the $100,000 payment. Typically paid by employers.
The contradiction is stark: the same administration that rails against immigration created a program to sell residency to anyone with a million dollars — branded with the president's name, hosted on a government domain, and structured as a personal revenue vehicle for the Treasury.
Meanwhile, the $100,000 H-1B fee effectively prices out the skilled workers that power Silicon Valley, American hospitals, universities, and research labs. These are engineers, doctors, scientists, and professors — people who contribute far more to the economy than a passive $1M payment. The fee increase is expected to devastate hiring of foreign talent and push companies to offshore entire teams.
The message: if you're rich enough to buy your way in, welcome. If you're a skilled worker who wants to earn your way in, you're priced out. Immigration policy as a luxury brand.