Athira Sethu
Kochi, 12 Dec 2025
The United States has begun accepting applications for President Donald Trump’s new “Gold Card” program, touted as a means of assisting American firms in hiring international students who graduate from US universities. Trump announced the effort during a White House meeting with top technology leaders. Many business executives said they had difficulty keeping talented foreign students in the country due to visa rules that make it difficult to hire them after graduation.
During the meeting, Trump said leaders like Apple’s Tim Cook had complained that companies cannot keep skilled students from top colleges. The meeting was attended by high-profile leaders such as Michael Dell of Dell Technologies, Enrique Lores of HP, Antonio Neri of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Arvind Krishna of IBM. Trump also pointed out the money collected in the form of fees charged for Gold Cards could be a significant source of revenue for the government.
This new program comes at a time when the administration has been tightening many immigration rules, both legal and illegal. This has created some tension because, while the government wants to support American industries, strict immigration policies can make it more difficult for companies to hire skilled workers. Many business leaders who back Trump on other issues are saying that limiting immigration could push talented workers to leave the US and go to other countries.
How the Gold Card works
The Gold Card was announced in September and, by offering residency in return for a very large payment, has been trumpeted as a way to attract wealthy people looking to live in the US. Trump ordered the Commerce, State, and Homeland Security departments to get the program ready within 90 days.
Under the plan, a person can receive US residency with a $1 million contribution. A company sponsoring a candidate would pay $2 million. There is also a $15,000 fee for processing and background checks. Still another version, called the “Platinum Card,” would cost $5 million. It would allow people to stay in the US up to 270 days a year without paying US taxes on income earned outside the country. The Platinum Card is still being developed, officials said.
Trump described the Gold Card as similar to a green card but “better,” saying it offers a stronger path to citizenship for qualified people. Successful candidates would acquire legal status through either the EB-1 or EB-2 visa categories. Processing is expected to take only a few weeks, though applicants from some countries may face longer waits. Some Democrats and immigration groups have criticized the program, arguing it caters to those with money while it ignores families and workers who cannot afford such high fees. The program also comes as the government is making other major changes to immigration policy, including halting asylum decisions and pausing some applications from countries on the travel ban list.
